Irish citizenship

[Apileofballyhoo]

Just some information for anybody that's wondering. Estimates seen to vary but it looks like the following applies to 5 or 6 million people.

If you were born outside the island of Ireland and if either of your parents was an Irish citizen who was born in the island of Ireland, then you are entitled to Irish citizenship, and entitled to apply for an Irish passport under Irish law, irrespective of where you reside. You can also apply for Irish citizenship if one of your parents, while not born in the island of Ireland, was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth. In most cases applications of this type are made through a grandparent who was born in Ireland.

www.dfa.ie/irelanduk-citizenshipandpassports/

Thanks beeinsurge- I never thought of that! I'll try to contact them this week.

Yesitwasme belated thanks for your response.

A query about applying to be on the Foreign Births Register. The guidelines say that in addition to a letter from the school a minor needs to provide one proof of current residence in the UK. I was just wondering what people have used as proof? They don't have any official letters with their name and address. Would a priest's letter do? TIA.

@AmericanPastoral a doctors letter such as the ones sent out as vaccination reminders?

A priest's letter would probably do. I paid my GP £30 for a letter confirming her residency.
We don't like our priest

Thanks Cosmic and bellin. We've recently moved and haven't registered with a doctor or dentist.

AmericanPastoral do you have an NHS card for them? As well as showing their NHS number it has their address on (they are long cards printed in black and purple on white). I used this for my DD

Thanks Hushabye. I should have one somewhere...

Out of interest, those who have applied how long did you need to wait for the passport? Is it the advertised 6 weeks or significantly longer?

Hello
My maternal grandfather was born in Northern Island, his family emigrated to Canada when he was around 4. I've sent off for his birth certificate as a starting point. Could anyone tell me whether I also need a marriage certificate if he married outside Ireland later in his life - is this relevant? Also, do I need to provide birth certificates for my mum (born in UK) and someone upthread mentioned photo ID. I'm not in touch with my mum is this an issue?
Thank you. It's all a bit confusing but I wanted to get the ball rolling and start gathering what I need.

*Ireland that should say. tsk.

I think you need to prove a birth connection with the Irish citizen. I did it for my dd through women so marriage certs were needed as well as Birth certs because names were changed from birth to marriage. I ultimately needed to know my own grandmother's maiden name as the mother of my mother (my DD's grandmother). Getting these was actually no big deal .

It's this bit which is worrying me. On the page where it talks about what documents you need it says:
Your parent’s documents (through whom you’re claiming citizenship)
"Certified/Notarised copy of the photograph page of current passport or state issued identity document (e.g. Driver's Licence) original Death Certificate if deceased"

My mum doesn't have any photo ID, no current passport, she doesn't drive and I'm no contact with her. Is this going to spell the end of my application because I can't produce this?

RhubarbTea if you email your questions to this email address [email protected] you should get your answer. It may take a couple of weeks to hear back but eventually you will.

I'm about to send off the paperwork to apply for my children to join Ireland's Foreign Births Register. If anyone has recently done this can you tell me when you sent off your documents including your birth certificate etc to the embassy in Ireland how did you manage to sort out getting your documents back safely? It used to be that they would ask for recorded delivery be paid for in advance for documents to be returned when the form was being posted in the UK but that’s obviously not possible now that it's being sent to Ireland. Thanks.

@AmericanPastoral - I supplied a recorded delivery envelope but it got sent back to me with nothing in it. I lost my long birth cert, an original marriage cert and my children's birth certs. I was very upset about it, but I never got a good response from the passport office.

Thanks Craic. So sorry to hear about what happened to you. What was the response that you got? It's not a great system is it :( :(

It's a terrible system but am told the passports can be renewed online in future, i.e. it's just the first ones that are so painful. I certainly hope so.
I got several different answers as to what happened. It was basically chaotic. Be repeated to write off the docs..

Be prepared, even!

Poor you :( CraigGalore We only have my mum's original marriage cert and my original marriage cert. We're now going to apply for copies which we will send off so will wait before sending all of this documentation. I'm sorry you had to go through this - thank you for sharing your experience.

My DD is registered as an Irish citizen, had an Irish passport when born but a U.K. passport now .I'm confused as to why having an Irish passport would be beneficial during Brexit if anyone can shed light onto this for me?

She'll retain any rights/freedoms she currently has as an EU citizen e.g. freedom of movement.

@SwedishEdith I'm assuming this is the proposed £6/£7 visa that will be enforced? Anything else? Not sure if I can apply for an Irish passport (probably not).

Well she will have the right to live and work in Europe which she might not as a U.K. citizen. It's not just about going to Spain for a fortnight in the summer.

As titchy said, Freedom of Movement is about a bit more than going on holiday.

If you are already Irish because of a parent brn on the island of Ireland you DON'T need your parent's photo ID:

First time adult application from an applicant born abroad to a parent born in Ireland or Northern Ireland:

You will need to submit:

Your full civil birth certificate (version that includes the name(s) of the parent(s).
Your civil marriage certificate (if requesting passport in your married name).
Your Irish born parent’s full civil birth certificate (version that includes the name(s) of the parent(s).
Your Irish born parent’s civil marriage certificate (if married).
Proof of address, e.g. original utility bills, bank statements, government correspondence. The Passport Service accepts internet printouts if they are stamped by the issuing authority.
If resident in Ireland, photocopy of your Public Services Card.
If resident outside of Ireland - one of the following:

Your original passport from another country, national ID card, social security card OR
a certified (by solicitor) copy of your driver’s license
AND Proof of name, e.g. original utility bills, bank statements, government correspondence. The Passport Service accepts internet printouts if they are stamped by the issuing authority

I didn't when I applied for mine. Good thing too seeing as I haven't spoken to her in nearly five years. Just in case anyone is in the same position as I was and worrying about documents. All the birth certificates and so on you can get online if you know the dates etc.