By Kimberly Powell

Can you think of a better way to honor your Irish family heritage than by becoming an Irish citizen? If you have at least one parent, grandparent or, possibly, a great-grandparent who was born in Ireland then you may be eligible to apply for Irish citizenship. Dual citizenship is allowed for many countries, including Ireland and the United States, and once you become an Irish citizen any children born to you (after your citizenship is granted) will also be eligible for citizenship. Citizenship also allows you the right to apply for an Irish passport which grants you membership in the European Union and the right to travel, live or work in any of its fifteen member states: Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Irish Citizenship by Birth
Anyone born in Ireland, except for children of parents holding diplomatic immunity in Ireland, are automatically granted Irish citizenship. You are also automatically considered an Irish citizen if you are born outside of Ireland to a mother or father who was born in Ireland. A person born in Northern Ireland after December 1922 with a parent or grandparent born in Ireland prior to December 1922 is automatically an Irish citizen.

Even if you always assumed that your grandparents were English, you might want to check their birth records to learn if they really meant England - or if they were possibly born in Ulster, the province which is Northern Ireland. Although occupied by the British, the Irish constitution claims Northern Ireland to be part of the Republic of Ireland, therefore most people born in Northern Ireland prior to 1922 are Irish by birth. If this applies to your parent or grandparent, then you are also considered to be an Irish citizen.

Irish Citizenship by Descent
The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act of 1956 provides that certain persons born outside of Ireland may claim Irish citizenship by descent. Anyone born outside Ireland whose grandmother or grandfather, but not his or her parents, were born in Ireland may become an Irish citizen by registering in the Irish Foreign Births Register (FBR) at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin or at the nearest Irish Embassy or Consular Office.

There are also certain limited circumstances where you may be eligible to obtain Irish citizenship through your great-grandmother or great-grandfather. This can be a bit complicated, but basically if your great-grandparent was born in Ireland and your parent used that relationship to register as an Irish Citizen by Descent by the time of your birth, then you are also eligible to register for Irish citizenship. Citizenship by descent is not automatic and must be acquired through application.

The first step in applying for Irish citizenship is to determine if you are eligible - which we discussed in Part One of this article. Citizenship by descent is not automatic and must be acquired through application.

How to Apply for Irish Citizenship
To apply for registration in the Foreign Births Register you will need to submit a completed and witnessed Foreign Birth's Registration form (available from your local Consulate) along with supporting original documentation outlined below. The cost of this application is approximately 127€ (Euro) - payable by certified check or money order - plus the cost of registered mail, at the time of this writing. Prior to application, you should contact the Consulate to determine the current cost in your local currency. Expect it to take anywhere from 3 months to a year to have the Foreign Birth registered and the citizenship papers sent to you.

Required Supporting Documentation:

For your Irish born grandparent:

1. Marriage certificate
2. A current official photo I.D. (e.g. drivers license, passport) for the Irish born grandparent. If the grandparent is deceased, a certified copy of the death certificate is required.
3. Full, long form civil Irish birth certificate. Baptismal registers may be used to establish the grandparent's date of birth if he/she was born prior to 1864, or with a search certificate from the General Register Office of Ireland stating that no Irish civil birth certificate exists.

For the parent from whom you are claiming Irish descent:

1. Marriage certificate
2. A current official photo I.D. (e.g. drivers license, passport). If the parent is deceased, a certified copy of the death certificate.
3. Full, long form birth certificate of the parent showing your grandparents' names, places of birth and ages at birth.

For you:

1. Full, long form birth certificate which shows your parents' names, places of birth and ages at time of birth.
2. When there has been a change of name (e.g. marriage), supporting documentation must be provided (e.g. marriage certificate).
3. Notarized copy of current passport (if you have one)
4. Notarized copies of three additional proofs of identity, one of which must be a photo I.D. (e.g. drivers license).
5. Copy of a bank statement/utility bill showing your present address.
6. Two recent passport-type photographs which must be signed and dated on the back by the witness to section E of the application form at the same time as the form is witnessed.

All official documents - birth, marriage and death certificates - must be original or official (certified) copies from the issuing authority. It is important to note that church certified baptismal and marriage certificates may be considered only if submitted with a statement from the relevant civil authority that they were unsuccessful in their search for a civil record. Hospital certified birth certificates are not acceptable. All other necessary supporting documents (e.g. proofs of identity) should be notarized copies of originals.

How to Apply for an Irish Passport:

Once you have established your identity as an Irish citizen, you are eligible to apply for an Irish passport. For more information on obtaining an Irish passport, please see the Web site for the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland.

Related Resources:

How to Request Vital Records
http://genealogy.about.com/cs/vitalrecords/

Guide to Irish Vital Records
http://genealogy.about.com/library/vital/blireland.htm

Introduction to Irish Genealogy
http://genealogy.about.com/library/weekly/aa030402a.htm

Irish Genealogy Links
http://genealogy.about.com/cs/ireland/