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Original poster

to ask if Irish vs U.K. passport makes a difference?

140 replies

OneOfTheseNights · 30/05/2026 03:51

Hi, some friends have emigrated from a non European country to Ireland.

They moved there with two young dc, and are wondering whether to try to get their dc Irish passports.

I know next to nothing of how they go about this, and I’m sure they are more than capable.

i just wondered, if they are applying for passports for their dc, would they benefit more from an Irish passport, or if possible, would it be better to apply for a U.K. passport ?

🙏🏻

OP posts:
sakura06 · 30/05/2026 09:18

Irish passport gives freedom of movement in the EU.

My great-grandmother was Irish. I wish I could get an Irish passport!

Boxoffrogs21 · 30/05/2026 09:13

Newlittlerescue · 30/05/2026 09:05

If DH was born in Ireland (so has Irish passport) and DD has Irish passport too (born in UK), does she need to go on the Foreign Births Register before having children in order to pass on citizenship on to those future children?

Edited

No, because she is automatically a citizen because her parent is and she already has a passport to prove it.

Edited to add: she claimed her citizenship when you applied for a passport - she claimed it because her parent was born on the island of Ireland. It’s only if you’re another generation removed (grandparent born on the island) that you need a foreign birth registration.

PurpleDisco · 30/05/2026 09:06

@OneOfTheseNights so I’m assuming these friends have moved from the UK to Ireland. As far as I’m aware they wouldn’t be entitled to either passport unless at least one parent / grandparent was born in the UK or Ireland.

Gealach · 30/05/2026 09:05

If they are just after emigrating to Ireland I can’t see that they’d be able to get a passport.

Can’t see why they would get a UK passport at all seeing as they aren’t even living there.

If they could apply for either I would get both. At the moment an Irish passport has the edge mobility wise with frictionless access to the rest of the EU but who knows what could happen in the future.

Newlittlerescue · 30/05/2026 09:05

If DH was born in Ireland (so has Irish passport) and DD has Irish passport too (born in UK), does she need to go on the Foreign Births Register before having children in order to pass on citizenship on to those future children?

SomeOtherUser · 30/05/2026 08:56

Thechaseison71 · 30/05/2026 07:37

Depends where you travel doesn't it? In the e other 26 EU countries id agree with you. The rest of the 1y0 odd countries it makes. O difference

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So aside from granting easy access to 26 of the closest countries, there is no difference? So quite a big difference then?

Ace56 · 30/05/2026 08:55

Iloveshihtzus · 30/05/2026 08:49

having an Irish passport is not the same as being an Irish citizen and does not confer the children of the holder to an Irish passport.

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Yes, it does.

to ask if Irish vs U.K. passport makes a difference?
KnickerlessParsons · 30/05/2026 08:49

Why do they think they’d be entitled to a British passport? Unless they are in Northern Ireland.

Iloveshihtzus · 30/05/2026 08:49

MrsMabelThorpe · 30/05/2026 08:30

If your daughters get Irish passports (ie become Irish citizens!) before they have children, aren't those children then entitled as they have an Irish parent?

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having an Irish passport is not the same as being an Irish citizen and does not confer the children of the holder to an Irish passport.

Wiennetta · 30/05/2026 08:49

MrsMabelThorpe · 30/05/2026 08:30

If your daughters get Irish passports (ie become Irish citizens!) before they have children, aren't those children then entitled as they have an Irish parent?

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Yes, this is right.
My grandparents were born in Ireland, so my siblings and I were entitled to Irish citizenship through the Foreign Births Register. We can pass this down to our children, provided we became Irish citizens before those children were born. Under the current rules, each generation can continue passing it on, as long as the parent is already an Irish citizen when the child is born.

Wiennetta · 30/05/2026 08:45

AImportantMermaid · 30/05/2026 08:15

To be fair, you’re much more likely to go to Paris or Marbella than Bora Bora or the Azores 😂

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Do you have any idea where the Azores are @AImportantMermaid 😂 They’re an autonomous region of Portugal. Part of the EU. They even use the Euro…

MrsMabelThorpe · 30/05/2026 08:30

Bushmillsbabe · 30/05/2026 08:21

That's not going to get them an Irish passport, it's 2 generations too many I think

DH's mum is Irish, so he and our girls can get Irish passports. But our girls future children won't be able too.

Show quote history

If your daughters get Irish passports (ie become Irish citizens!) before they have children, aren't those children then entitled as they have an Irish parent?

Statsquestion1 · 30/05/2026 08:30

Thechaseison71 · 30/05/2026 07:37

Depends where you travel doesn't it? In the e other 26 EU countries id agree with you. The rest of the 1y0 odd countries it makes. O difference

Show quote history

It makes quite a difference in a lot of countries tbh due to Irelands neutrality/political status and other things like US Preclearence in Irish airports. Colombia is visa free if you have an Irish passport.

OneKhakiTurtle · 30/05/2026 08:27

Is this NI? that is the only way I could see how they might be eligible for a UK passport if they go through citizenship application process, but then they are not eligible for an Irish one afaik.

FunnyOrca · 30/05/2026 08:24

I’m confused… they need citizenship before a passport. Do they have citizenship?

Evaka · 30/05/2026 08:24

Doesn't sound like they've any claim to an Irish PP and as others have mentioned, the UK and Ireland are different countries. What's their claim to a British passport?

Bushmillsbabe · 30/05/2026 08:21

OneOfTheseNights · 30/05/2026 07:00

I do know that one of the couples great grandparent was Irish.
I don’t think they have the birth certificate of that ancestor, so could that be recovered from somewhere?

That's not going to get them an Irish passport, it's 2 generations too many I think

DH's mum is Irish, so he and our girls can get Irish passports. But our girls future children won't be able too.

Ace56 · 30/05/2026 08:19

OP you haven’t really given us much info. What is their nationality and how are they connected to the UK/Ireland? You can’t just move to a country and immediately qualify for nationality, or nationality of the country next door 😂

BMW58 · 30/05/2026 08:18

Why do you think they could apply for a UK passport when they do not have any connection with the UK?????

AImportantMermaid · 30/05/2026 08:15

Thechaseison71 · 30/05/2026 07:37

Depends where you travel doesn't it? In the e other 26 EU countries id agree with you. The rest of the 1y0 odd countries it makes. O difference

Show quote history

To be fair, you’re much more likely to go to Paris or Marbella than Bora Bora or the Azores 😂

Decorhate · 30/05/2026 08:13

If they are currently living in Ireland I don't see how they could get UK passports unless thet qualify under patriality. I hope you don't think Ireland (Republic of) is part of the UK? Obviously different if they are in NI.

Generally Irish passports are better for travelling around Europe. How long have they been living there? I know spouses of Irish people have to wait 5 years.

Thechaseison71 · 30/05/2026 07:37

Copperoliverbear · 30/05/2026 04:04

Irish easier traveling around

Depends where you travel doesn't it? In the e other 26 EU countries id agree with you. The rest of the 1y0 odd countries it makes. O difference

Dolphinnoises · 30/05/2026 07:27

OneOfTheseNights · 30/05/2026 07:00

I do know that one of the couples great grandparent was Irish.
I don’t think they have the birth certificate of that ancestor, so could that be recovered from somewhere?

That won’t help them sadly - unless anyone since was born on the island of Ireland. I have Irish great grandparents on both sides. My parents could get passports but that’s as far back as it goes.

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 30/05/2026 07:24

OneOfTheseNights · 30/05/2026 07:00

I do know that one of the couples great grandparent was Irish.
I don’t think they have the birth certificate of that ancestor, so could that be recovered from somewhere?

Not a close enough relation

Statsquestion1 · 30/05/2026 07:18

What is their country of origin?

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