Minor Child of an Irish
National

Children under 18 of Irish citizens who hold passports from visa-required countries need a long stay 'D' join family visa to live in Ireland with their Irish parent, unless they're Irish citizens themselves. That's the first thing to check. A child born abroad to an Irish citizen who was born on the island of Ireland is usually an Irish citizen automatically, and if the parent became Irish through naturalisation or the Foreign Births Register before the child was born, the child can register as Irish. In those cases, an Irish passport may be the better route. Where a visa is needed, for example for an adopted child or a child born before the parent became Irish, the application includes the child's birth certificate or adoption order, evidence of the parent's citizenship, and the other parent's consent, or a court order where one parent has sole custody. The Irish parent must meet the income rules for Irish sponsors (€75,000 gross over 3 years since June 2026). There's no visa fee for children under 18 of Irish citizens, and children under 16 don't need to register their permission once in Ireland.

If you were born on the island of Ireland, your child born abroad is usually an Irish citizen automatically. If you became Irish by naturalisation or Foreign Births Registration before the child was born, the child can register as Irish. We'll check.

Only if they hold an Irish passport or a passport from a country that doesn't need a visa for Ireland.

You'll usually need a court order showing you have custody. Talk to us early.

Yes, within 2 months of the refusal letter, free of charge.

Nuclear family members of Irish citizens are granted permission on Stamp 4. Children under 16 don't need to register.