Ireland

Ireland is a member state of the European Union (EU), and any Irish Citizen can exercise their Treaty Rights to live and work freely in the UK. Ireland allows Dual Nationality, the right to hold other nationalities and passports.

As an Irish Citizen, you could be eligible for BRITISH NATIONALITY in the following circumstances:

• You are LIVING IN THE UK on a valid Irish Passport and intend to Naturalise as a British Citizen in due course. Read more about British Citizenship through Residency.

• You were BORN IN THE UK* (or Northern Ireland) before 1983. You will have been classified as British Otherwise than by Descent, can hold a British Passport, and can pass British Nationality to your children, irrespective of where these children are born. Read more about British Nationality by Birth.

• You have a PARENT* (a father or mother) who Naturalised in the UK before your birth, or who was born in the UK (or Northern Ireland) before 1983. Your parent will have been classified as British Otherwise than by Descent, hold a British Passport, and they can pass British Nationality to their children, irrespective of where these children are born. Read more about British Nationality by Descent.

• You are UNDER 18. Read more about the British Nationality rights of children under the age of 18.

* It gets more complicated if:

• Your parents weren’t married at the time of your birth; or 
• You (or a parent) were adopted.

How Can I Find Out?

We suggest following our 4 STEP PROCESS, designed to simplify the complex laws of British nationality and to avoid unnecessary and expensive application fees, to find your answer:

Step 1: Determine whether you have a Standard Route (birth in the UK before 1983, or a parent born in the UK before 1983)
Step 2: If not, complete our free Nationality Assessment
Step 3: Order a free Status Trace
Step 4: Conduct a Citizenship Report

Complete our Nationality Assessment

To find out whether you or your children might have a claim, take a couple of moments to complete our FREE online Passport Assessment.

STATUS OF IRELAND

• Up until 31.12.1948, Ireland was within the Crown’s Dominions.
• Between 01.01.1919 and 17.04.1949, it fell within the Crown’s Dominions, but not for UK Nationality purposes.
• From 18.04.1949 until the present day, it was an independent Republic outside of the Commonwealth, but not considered foreign.
• Ireland joined the European Union (EU) in 1973.

Northern Ireland

• Northern Ireland is treated as being part of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland (the southern part of the island) treats Northern Ireland as part of the Republic of Ireland for the purposes of Nationality.