How to apply for Irish citizenship through a parent

Can you qualify for Irish citizenship through parents?

If you were born to an Irish citizen parent, you have been an Irish citizen since birth.

In this blog post, we'll show you exactly what you need to do to get your Irish citizenship recognized so you can get that coveted Irish passport and enjoy unfettered access to both the European Union and the United Kingdom. Lucky you!

How do you know if you are an Irish citizen?

If you or your parent was born on the Island of Ireland before January 1, 2005, then you are an Irish citizen by birth. You can apply for an Irish passport without making an application for citizenship. That's it. That's all you have to do!

Note: if you have an Irish-born grandparent, you have the right to obtain Irish citizenship by descent (and we can help). Though, in such cases, you have not technically been an Irish citizen since birth. In order to become a recognized Irish citizen if you have an Irish grandparent, you'd have to go through the process of registering your birth with the Foreign Births Register.

Applying for an Irish passport

Thankfully, Ireland makes it very easy to apply for a passport. All you have to do is go to Passport Online. You can apply for an Irish passport or passport card any time, from anywhere on the world, on a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

What documents will you need?

You will need the following documents to verify your Irish citizenship.

Your original long form birth certificate
Your Irish born parent's Irish birth certificate
Your Irish born parent's long form marriage certificate

At the end of the process, you must print an Identity Verification Form. The form must be signed by a member of An Garda Síochána if you have applied within Ireland. For applicants outside Ireland, the list of appropriate witnesses can be found on the form.

Once you complete the application form online, a list of other documents will be generated for you based on your specific situation. This could include proof of address, proof of name, passport photos, and a certified copy of your ID.

Current passport turnaround times

Currently (as of May 2026), Ireland takes about 10 business days for a passport renewal and about 20 business days for a first passport. All turnaround times are the same regardless of the country you live in. Turnaround times do not include delivery times, which may be longer depending on where you're located.

If you have to send in supporting documents for your passport application, turnaround times start from the date those documents are received by the Passport Service.

Tracking your Irish passport application

You can use Passport Online's handy dandy progress tracker to check the status of your passport application.

What are the steps in an Irish passport application?

Application received. Your Passport Online application is received at the Passport Service in Dublin. If you have sent in any supporting documents, processing doesn't start until they are received.
Alert. Passport Service needs more supporting documents to proceed with the application.
Verifying documents. Your supporting documents were received. Passport Service is verifying those documents.
Processing application. Passport Service is processing your application.
Printing. Your passport book is being printed. Any documents submitted will be returned separately.