The Path to an Irish Passport
February 5, 2024
Contemplating getting an Irish passport but uncertain about eligibility?
Find out more on the Department of Foreign Affairs website
You must be an Irish citizen to acquire an Irish passport.
One can gain citizenship through birth, descent, or naturalisation.
This section will provide an outline based on birth and naturalisation, as it can be confusing.
Eligibility criteria:
- If you were born in Northern Ireland before the 1 st of January 2005, you are entitled
to claim Irish citizenship and can therefore apply for an Irish passport
- If you were born in Ireland after the 1 st of January 2005, your entitlement is
dependent on the nationality and residence history of your parents
- Nationality: if your parents were Irish or UK citizens at birth you can choose to be an
Irish citizen
- Residence History: one of your parents must have lived in Ireland or Northern
Ireland for 3 out of the 4 years before you were born or have the right to live in
Ireland or Northern Ireland without any restriction on their period of residence
- If you were born outside of Ireland to an Irish born parent, you are automatically
entitled to an Irish citizen by birth
- If you were born outside of Ireland to a parent who was an Irish citizen or would
have been entitled to become an Irish citizen at the time of your birth, you are
entitled to become an Irish citizen
- If you have an Irish-born grandparent who was an Irish citizen at the time of your
birth you entitles to become an Irish citizen
When applying for your Irish Passport, you will need your birth certificates and if claiming
through descent, your parent or grandparent’s birth certificate.
What are the benefits of having an Irish passport?
- As an Irish citizen, you are no longer tied down to visa restrictions that dictate
how to live, work, study, and travel
- You can buy a property, knowing you have a right to reside indefinitely. You can
apply for jobs, knowing that you don’t have to worry about a visa expiring. You
can travel across the Emerald Isle as you please.
- Irish citizens also have the right to reside in the UK.
- This agreement, known as the Common Travel Area, happened before the UK’s
entry into the European Union, so the agreement continues post-Brexit.
- Since Ireland is a member of the European Union, Irish citizens have the
freedom to live, work, study, and travel in other EU member states without
visas or restrictions
Once you have got your hands on that red passport again and the excitement of free
movement kicks in, why not plan a trip to where it all started? Whether you hop on a ferry
or catch a quick flight, head over to the Emerald Isle and soak in the heritage that granted
you this freedom. Explore the scenic beauty of the Wild Atlantic Way or dive into the vibrant atmosphere of Cork. Your passport doesn’t just have to be for travel; it can be an opportunity to connect with your roots.
Coventry Irish Society is delighted to have received an Awards for All National Lottery grant to support Irish Survivors in Coventry and the surrounding areas. Thanks to the generosity of National Lottery players, Irish Survivors will benefit from regular bi-monthly Lunch Clubs and social outings over the next two years. These gatherings provide much more than an opportunity to enjoy a meal or spend a day together. They offer a welcoming and supportive space where Survivors can meet, build friendships, share experiences and enjoy time together as part of their community. For many Survivors, these regular activities provide an important opportunity to connect with others and help reduce social isolation. We are incredibly grateful to National Lottery players for making this funding possible and helping Coventry Irish Society continue to create opportunities for Irish Survivors to connect, socialise and build community over the next two years.
Beginners’ Irish Language Autumn Course 2026 with Dr Ian Malcolm Professional Irish language teacher and acclaimed Journalist, Dr Ian Malcolm, will deliver a bespoke online course in Beginners’ Irish. This course will consist of 10x classes and will take place entirely over Zoom on Saturday mornings, with Dr Ian Malcolm. Course details: Saturday 3 October 2026 - Saturday 5 December 2026* with 10x classes on Saturday mornings, delivered via Zoom from 11.00 am – 12.30 pm (including a 20 minute break). £105 for Coventry Irish Society Members | £110 for Non-Members *(or possibly slightly later, should the tutor need to take any unplanned leave during the course). This course consists of 10 classes and the aim is for the entirety of the course to be completed before Christmas 2026. Course materials: The class will use the textbook, Irish For Beginners (which is in the link below). This book costs in the region of £7.00 - £10.00 and it is strongly recommended that students purchase their own copies in advance of the course. You can find details of the course textbook here. Registration closes when course capacity is reached. Early booking is strongly recommended. The registration form for this course can be downloaded below. Please contact us at cis@covirishsoc.org.uk to return your booking form and complete course fee payment.
Coventry Irish Society launch our new #GaeilgeOnTheGo flashcards to support and encourage learning and practising new words in Irish. Here are our first set of free flashcards, in Irish, to mark the start of the new school year, and to welcome the Autumn season. Click on a tile below to enlarge.
