Frequently Asked Questions — Irish Passport & Citizenship
Answers to common questions about Irish passport eligibility, Foreign Birth Registration, citizenship through ancestry, and the application process.
Can I get an Irish passport if my grandparent was born in Ireland?
Yes — if one of your grandparents was born on the island of Ireland (Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland), you may be entitled to Irish citizenship through Foreign Birth Registration (FBR). You must first register your birth in the Foreign Births Register before you can apply for an Irish passport.
What is Foreign Birth Registration (FBR)?
Foreign Birth Registration is the process by which people born outside Ireland claim Irish citizenship through an Irish-born parent or grandparent. Once registered, you can apply for an Irish passport. The application is made to the Department of Foreign Affairs and involves submitting original civil documents proving your lineage.
How long does FBR take?
Processing times vary. Based on community data collected by Irish Passport Helper, FBR applications have historically taken between 12 and 24 months, though times fluctuate with application volume. See our FBR Timeline Tracker for the latest community-reported wait times.
Can I apply directly for a passport without doing FBR?
If your parent was born in Ireland (or is an Irish citizen who registered their own foreign birth before your birth), you can apply for an Irish passport directly without going through FBR yourself. If you are claiming through a grandparent, you must complete FBR first.
What documents do I need for FBR?
You typically need original long-form birth certificates for yourself, your Irish-born parent or grandparent, marriage certificates linking the generations, proof of identity, and completed application forms. See our detailed FBR Document Checklist for a full breakdown by case type.
I was born in Northern Ireland — am I automatically Irish?
If you were born in Northern Ireland before 1 January 2005, you are automatically entitled to Irish citizenship. If born on or after that date, the entitlement depends on whether at least one parent was an Irish citizen, a British citizen, or entitled to live in Ireland or Northern Ireland without restriction.
How do I contact the FBR office?
The Foreign Birth Registration Customer Service Hub can be reached by phone at +353 1 568 3331, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM Irish time. A WebChat service is also available during business hours. See our FBR Contact page for full details.
Can I have dual citizenship?
Ireland permits dual citizenship — becoming an Irish citizen does not require you to give up citizenship of another country. However, your current country of citizenship may have its own rules about dual nationality, so you should check those independently.