Irish Citizenship for UK & USA Nationals
We handle Irish citizenship applications on behalf of individuals across the world, including UK and USA nationals. If you would like to become an Irish citizen, contact us at RNL Solicitors. We specialise in Irish immigration and have helped countless others just like you.
We can be contacted outside of Irish office working hours and can communicate with you via phone, email and WhatsApp.
Call us on 01 901 1355, email info@rnlsolicitors.ie or fill in the Free Online Enquiry Form. You can also request a call back and we will contact you at a convenient time.
Are you already an Irish citizen?
Before you start the application process, you should check that you are not already an Irish citizen. Before 1 January 2005, everyone born on the island of Ireland was an Irish citizen by birth. Parents born in Ireland could also pass their citizenship on to their children.
This means that you are automatically an Irish citizen if you or your parent were born on the island of Ireland before 2005.
Am I eligible to Irish citizenship?
If you are not already an Irish citizen, then you may be able to get Irish citizenship if you have:
- A parent who is/was an Irish citizen, or is/was entitled to be an Irish citizen
- A grandparent who is/was an Irish citizen
- A great-grandparent who is/was an Irish citizen
- Married/in a civil partnership with an Irish citizen
- Lived in Ireland for an extended period of time
You have an Irish parent
If your parent was born outside of Ireland but was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth (or was entitled to Irish citizenship), then you can register with the Foreign Births Register. This gives you Irish citizenship, effective from the date of registration.
You have an Irish grandparent
If your grandparent was born in Ireland, and your parent was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth (or was entitled to Irish citizenship), then you can register with the Foreign Births Register. This gives you Irish citizenship, effective from the date of registration.
You have an Irish great-grandparent
If you have an Irish great-grandparent, then you may be able to claim Irish citizenship by association. You will have to show a strong connection to Ireland, which usually means that you have lived in Ireland for at least three years.
You’re married to an Irish citizen
If you’re married to an Irish citizen, you will be eligible for Irish citizenship after three years of marriage. You must also have lived in Ireland for at least three years. The same rules apply to civil partners.
You’ve lived in Ireland for an extended period of time
If you’ve lived in Ireland for five years out of the last nine years, then you are eligible to Irish citizenship by naturalisation. This is reduced to three years in certain situations, including if you have been declared as a refugee or you’re a child whose parent has obtained citizenship through naturalisation.
Speak to our Irish immigration solicitors
The rules around who is entitled to Irish citizenship are complex. There are different ways to get Irish citizenship, including by:
- Birth
- Descent
- Association
- Marriage/civil partnership
- Naturalisation
The best route for you depends on your individual circumstances. Most USA and UK nationals we speak to are exploring the possibility of acquiring Irish citizenship through descent or association. This is not surprising, as lots of people in the USA and the UK have Irish ancestry.
Whatever your situation, we can help you. It does not matter where you live in the world – we work with people living in the USA, the UK and other countries across the globe. If you want to secure your Irish citizenship, our Irish immigration solicitors are on hand to guide you through the process. We can confirm whether you are eligible to Irish citizenship and manage the entire application for you. That way, you can be sure that you’ve submitted the correct documentary evidence. Otherwise, your application for Irish citizenship could be rejected.
Speak to us about:
- Registering as an Irish citizen via the Foreign Births Register
- Applying for Irish citizenship through association
- Applying for Irish citizenship through naturalisation or marriage
- Applying for the recovery of Irish citizenship which has been lost
- Rejected applications for Irish citizenship
Benefits of Irish citizenship
Once you get your Irish citizenship, you can apply for an Irish passport. This opens the door to a new world of opportunities. With Irish citizenship, you can:
- Live, work, travel and study freely in Ireland/the UK
- Live, work, travel and study freely across the European Union (EU)
- Travel without a visa to over 150 countries
- Access free education in Ireland
- Enjoy dual citizenship
Contact us now
If you want to take advantage of all the benefits of Irish citizenship, contact us at RNL Solicitors.
We work with individuals and corporations across the globe. We can be contacted outside of Irish office working hours and can communicate with you via phone, email and WhatsApp.
Call us on 01 901 1355, email info@rnlsolicitors.ie or fill in the Free Online Enquiry Form. You can also request a call back and we will contact you at a convenient time.
Irish citizenship – quick facts:
Can an American become a citizen of Ireland?
You are automatically an Irish citizen if you or your parent were born on the island of Ireland before 2005. Otherwise, you can become a citizen of Ireland by proving that you have an Irish parent, grandparent or (in some cases) great-grandparent. You can also become an Irish citizen through naturalisation. This requires you to live in Ireland for five out of the previous nine years. This is reduced to three years in certain circumstances, including if you are married to an Irish citizen.
Can I have dual US and Irish citizenship?
Yes, both the USA and Ireland allow dual citizenship. This means you won’t have to renounce your American passport if you become an Irish citizen.
Can you have UK and Irish citizenship?
Yes, both the UK and Ireland allow dual citizenship. This means you won’t have to renounce your UK passport if you become an Irish citizen.
Am I eligible to Irish citizenship if my great, great-grandparent was Irish?
The generational limit for Irish citizenship is usually a great-grandparent. These applications are more complex than relying on an Irish parent or grandparent. Also, you cannot rely on other Irish relatives such as siblings, cousins, aunties and uncles.
Will I have to prove I have an Irish ancestor?
If you are applying for Irish citizenship by descent or association, then you must show that you have a connection to Ireland. In most cases, this means that you must find your Irish ancestor’s records, such as their birth, marriage and death certificates. It helps if you have this information before you contact our solicitors for advice.
Are you hoping to get Irish citizenship?
Call us on 01 901 1355, email info@rnlsolicitors.ie or fill in the Free Online Enquiry Form. You can also request a call back and we will contact you at a convenient time.
