Born in Ireland
People born in Ireland who aren't sure of their citizenship status
What you get
- A review of your family tree and the key dates
- A check of birth, marriage and citizenship documents for each generation
- Confirmation of your status and route: passport, Foreign Births Register, Declaration of Residence or naturalisation
About this service
Citizenship by Birth or Descent Check
Many people are already Irish citizens, or entitled to be, without realising it, through birth in Ireland or through an Irish parent or grandparent. Our check looks at your family history and documents to confirm whether you're Irish already, whether you need to register on the Foreign Births Register, or whether naturalisation is your route. We then tell you exactly what to do next.
€1229
Fixed fee
5
Areas we cover
5
Documents to prepare
5
Simple steps
Who it's for
Who this is for
Whether you're moving, hiring, staying or starting over, this is the place to begin.
Irish parents or grandparents
People born abroad with an Irish-born parent or grandparent
Parents
Parents checking whether their child is an Irish citizen
At a glance
How the rules work
01
Born in Ireland before 2005
Born on the island of Ireland before 1 January 2005: generally entitled to Irish citizenship, with a few exceptions
02
Born in Ireland from 2005
Born on the island of Ireland on or after 1 January 2005: a citizen if a parent was Irish or British, or entitled to live there without restriction, or had 3 years' reckonable residence in the 4 years before the birth
03
Irish-born parent
Born abroad to a parent born on the island of Ireland: automatically an Irish citizen
04
Foreign Births Register
Born abroad with an Irish-born grandparent, or a parent who was Irish (but not born in Ireland) at the time of the birth: eligible to register on the Foreign Births Register
05
More distant ancestry
Further back (for example a great-grandparent): not eligible by descent, but naturalisation based on Irish descent or associations may be possible
Our promise
What's included
Citizenship by Birth or Descent Check
€1229
Before you start
Documents you'll need
Tick each item as you gather it. Bring whichever apply to you.
Your preparation checklist
0 of 5 ready
Tap items as you go
You're fully prepared. Let's get you booked in.
5-step journey
How it works
- 1Step 1
Book the check and tell us about your family.
- 2Step 2
We review the documents you have and identify the gaps.
- 3Step 3
We confirm your status and the right route.
- 4Step 4
We give you a step-by-step plan and document list.
- Step 5
If you go ahead, we can handle the application as a separate service.
Good to know
Our fee
€1,229 VAT included.
Foreign Births Registration fees
DFA fees are €278 for adults and €153 for under-18s, with processing currently taking about 12 months.
Date of citizenship
Citizenship through the Foreign Births Register starts from the date of registration, not birth. Children born before a parent registers don't qualify through that parent.
Expectant parents
Expectant parents who may be eligible through the Foreign Births Register should register before the baby is born.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
Plenty of people with Irish roots are Irish citizens already, or have a right to become one, and don't know it. Irish citizenship can come from birth on the island of Ireland, which includes Northern Ireland, or from descent through an Irish parent or grandparent. The rules depend on when and where you were born and on your family's citizenship at the time. • Born on the island of Ireland before 1 January 2005: generally entitled to Irish citizenship, with a few exceptions. • Born on the island of Ireland on or after 1 January 2005: Irish if a parent was Irish or British, was entitled to live there without restriction, or had 3 years' reckonable residence in the 4 years before the birth. • Born abroad to a parent born on the island of Ireland: Irish from birth, with no registration needed. • Born abroad to a parent who was Irish, but not born in Ireland, at the time of your birth: eligible to register on the Foreign Births Register. • Born abroad with a grandparent born on the island of Ireland: eligible to register on the Foreign Births Register. • Great-grandparent or more distant Irish ancestry: not by descent, but naturalisation based on Irish descent or associations may be possible. Citizenship through the Foreign Births Register starts from the date of registration, not the date of birth, which matters for the next generation: children born before a parent registers can't claim through that parent. For that reason, expectant parents who are eligible should register before the baby is born. Confirming the right route first, with the correct birth, marriage and citizenship documents for each generation, avoids wasted applications.
You're not automatically Irish, but you can apply to register on the Foreign Births Register, which makes you an Irish citizen.
Yes. Birth on the island of Ireland includes Northern Ireland.
Not by descent, but you may be able to apply for naturalisation based on Irish descent or associations, at the Minister's discretion.
It depends on your status and residence before the birth. We'll check whether a Declaration of Residence or another route applies.
Ready when you are
Get started with Citizenship by Birth or Descent Check
€1229
€1229
Citizenship by Birth or Descent Check