Irish Dual Citizenship
Ireland allows dual citizenship, which means that you can obtain Irish citizenship without losing the citizenship of your home country. Our lawyers can assess your eligibility for Irish citizenship and help you apply.
To find out more, call us on +1 844 290 6312 or use the contact form.
Page Contents:
- What is dual citizenship?
- How can I get Irish citizenship?
- Does Ireland allow dual citizenship?
- What are the requirements for Irish citizenship by naturalization?
- How can I apply for Irish citizenship by naturalization?
- Citizenship by birth and Citizenship by Irish descent
- How can IAS help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is dual citizenship?
Dual citizenship is when a person is a citizen of two countries at the same time. That means that they have legal rights in both countries but, at the same time, they also have a number of obligations in them.
Not all countries allow dual citizenship so, sometimes, a person has to renounce the citizenship of their country of origin to become a citizen of another state. Luckily, Ireland is not one of these countries. So, if you meet the requirements to become an Irish citizen, you can obtain this status without having to worry about losing your current citizenship.
Irish citizenship can be especially beneficial to you if you are now a citizen of a non-EEA country. Ireland is a member of the European Union so Irish citizens can go to other EU member states to work, study, or travel without having to apply for a visa.
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How can I get dual citizenship in Ireland?
The easiest and quickest way to get Irish citizenship is by birth, but foreign citizens who do not have Irish family members can also become dual Irish citizens after living in Ireland for a certain period of time known as reckonable residence. This route is known as citizenship by naturalization.
To be able to apply for Irish citizenship by naturalization, you have to have been living in Ireland for at least five years. Nevertheless, not all your trips to Ireland will count towards reckonable residence. For example, if you previously came to Ireland on a Tourist Visa or an Exam Visa, the time you spent in Ireland on it will not count towards the reckonable residence.
The five-year time requirement for Irish citizenship by naturalization does not apply to those living in Ireland with refugee status or those who are married to or in a civil partnership with an Irish citizen. These individuals can apply for Irish citizenship after living in Ireland for just three years.
If your application for Irish citizenship is successful, you will have access to full state freedoms and you will be able to live in Ireland permanently without any immigration restrictions, as well as retaining your original citizenship of your home country. You will also be able to leave the country for as long as you want, as many times as you want, without risking losing your status.
Does Ireland allow dual citizenship?
Ireland does allow dual citizenship.
This means that as a foreign citizen is able to apply for Irish citizenship through birth, descent or naturalisation (as long as they are eligible) and still manage to retain any previous citizenships.
However, it must be noted that certain countries do not allow dual citizenship or else have restrictions on dual citizenship cases, so you must ensure that any of your previous citizenships will allow you to become an Irish dual citizen before applying.
Additionally, it is important to be completely aware of the additional responsibilities that you will take on as a result of applying for dual citizenship, such as potentially having to adhere to an additional set of laws, values and tax burdens.
What are the requirements for Irish citizenship by naturalization?
The most important requirement to become a dual Irish citizenship by naturalization is that you have been lawfully living in Ireland for five years. It is important that the five years you spent in the country were during the nine years preceding the application and that immediately before submitting your application you spent one year of continuous residence in Ireland. In order not to break the continuous residence, you cannot leave Ireland for more than 6 weeks during this period.
In addition to the legal residence requirement, to be able to apply for dual Irish citizenship by naturalization, you have to meet the following requirements:
- You are 18 years of age or older (those who are married can apply for citizenship before their 18th birthday)
- You are of good moral character
- You commit to making a declaration of loyalty to Ireland during your citizenship ceremony
- You promise to respect the laws and democratic values of the country
- The country of your original citizenship allows you to become a dual citizen of another country without renouncing your original citizenship
If you are not sure whether you meet the criteria for dual Irish citizenship by naturalization, talk to our lawyers. They will analyze your situation and determine whether you can apply. They can also help you prepare all the necessary documents that prove your eligibility for Irish citizenship.
How can I apply for Irish citizenship by naturalization?
If you meet the eligibility requirements for dual Irish citizenship, you can start preparing your application. The first step of the application process is to complete and submit an online application form. There are many questions you need to answer so that immigration officials can determine whether you qualify to become an Irish citizen.
After you submit the form, you have to collect supporting documents that prove your eligibility for Irish citizenship. If you hire one of our lawyers, they can help you gather any evidence you might need to make your case as strong as possible. If you do not provide sufficient evidence confirming that you meet the Irish citizenship criteria, your application will be rejected.
Once you have all the documents, you have to make a statutory declaration in which you promise that all the information included in your application and evidence file is true. The declaration has to be prepared with a solicitor, a commissioner for oaths, a notary public, or a peace commissioner present.
The next step is to send the complete application and documents to the relevant application office for processing. You also have to pay the non-refundable application fee of €175. If your application is approved, you will also have to pay additional fees for the Certificate of Naturalisation. These fees are:
- €950 for adult applicants
- €200 for minor applicants
- €200 for widows, widowers, or surviving civil partners of Irish citizens.
Those who live in Ireland with refugee status do not have to pay the fee for their Certificate of Naturalisation.
If your application for Irish citizenship is successful, you will have to go to a citizenship ceremony. This is the last step of the application process. After that, you will officially become a dual citizen.
Citizenship by birth and Citizenship by Irish descent
Depending on the circumstances of your birth, you may also be able to claim dual Irish citizenship. For example, if you were born on the island of Ireland (including Northern Ireland) before January 1st, 2005, you are automatically granted Irish nationality.
It should be noted that the Irish government has changed this rule and according to Irish law, those born on January 1st, 2005, and after will no longer be eligible for obtaining Irish citizenship automatically. However, they may still be able to claim Irish citizenship if one or both of your parents was an Irish citizen, a person entitled to Irish citizenship (legal permanent resident), or a British citizen at the time of birth.
Individuals who were born abroad to an Irish parent (who was born in Ireland) or have any other Irish associations (adopted by an Irish parent, etc), can also obtain dual citizenship by descent in Ireland by registering with the Foreign Birth Register.
Some foreign nationals can apply for dual Irish citizenship if they have an Irish grandparent (born in Ireland) with the Foreign Births Register.
How can IAS help?
Applying for your Irish dual citizenship can be a complex process as there are many requirements you have to meet and documents you need to submit. Nevertheless, you can make it significantly easier by hiring an immigration lawyer.
At IAS, we have a team of experienced lawyers who have a thorough knowledge of Irish immigration law. They have helped many non-EEA citizens apply for Irish citizenship by naturalization and become dual citizens.
If you hire one of our lawyers, they will assess your circumstances to see whether you qualify for Irish citizenship. If they determine that you do, they will guide you through each step of the application process, making sure you understand what is expected from you.
They will also make sure you submit all the necessary documents as the failure to provide some of them could lead to your application being rejected.
Call us today on +1 844 290 6312 to find out more about how our team can help.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change, and the information may not reflect the most current legal developments. No warranty is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information, and we do not accept liability in such cases. We recommend consulting with a qualified lawyer at Immigration Advice Service before making any decisions based on the content provided.
Last modified on August 16th, 2024 at 9:32 am
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Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to apply for Irish citizenship, you have to be prepared for a long waiting time. On average, most applications are processed within 23 months but the waiting time depends on the individual situation of each applicant. If your case is complex, you might have to wait longer.
If you fail to provide some of the required documents, you will have 28 days to provide them. During this period the processing of your application will be put on hold so the whole process will be delayed.
Generally, once you obtain your Irish citizenship, you can keep your status forever. But, it is possible for your Irish citizenship to be revoked in one of the following circumstances:
- You lied in your application
- You did not fulfill your duty of loyalty to Ireland
- You spent more than 7 years continuously outside of Ireland and you failed to make a declaration of your intention to keep your Irish citizenship
- You became a citizen of a country that is at war with Ireland
- You became a citizen of another country by going down a route other than marriage
Reckonable residence refers to the time requirement saying that you have to have been living in Ireland for at least 5 years to be able to apply for Irish citizenship by naturalization. The time requirement of 5 years can be shortened to 3 years if you are a spouse or civil partner of an Irish citizen or if you are living in Ireland with refugee status.
Keep in mind that the time you spend in Ireland on Short Stay ‘C’ Visas does not count towards reckonable residence.
Stamp 1, Stamp 1G, Stamp 3, Stamp 4, and Stamp 5 all count towards the time requirement for Irish citizenship by naturalization.
If while living in Ireland you spent a lot of time outside of the country, you will have to provide an explanation for long absences.
After you successfully apply for Irish citizenship, you can submit an application for an Irish passport. To be able to obtain it, you have to provide the following documents:
- Your naturalization certificate
- The passport from your country of origin
- Your birth certificate
- Your marriage or civil partnership certificate if you are married to an Irish citizen