A clear process. Guidance for every step.
Applying for Irish citizenship is easier when you know what to expect. Every application requires the right documents and careful preparation, but you do not have to figure it out on your own.
Start with an Eligibility Check. If you appear eligible and decide to continue, you will choose the service package that best fits your needs before beginning the detailed intake and planning process.
This page walks you through each of the five steps, explains what happens along the way, and shows how our service packages can support you.
Not sure whether you may qualify? Take the one-minute Eligibility Check →
Want to understand the rules first? Read our guides and articles →
From clarity to your Irish passport
The process is often simpler than people expect. You will share some basic family information during the free Eligibility Check. If you decide to continue, you will select your service package and complete a more detailed intake packet.
From there, the amount you handle yourself, and the amount we handle for you, depends on the package you choose.
Step 1. Check your eligibility
The first step is understanding whether you may qualify for Irish citizenship by descent.
Share what you know about your family's connection to Ireland, and we will conduct a complimentary preliminary review of the information you provide. For many people, eligibility begins with a parent or grandparent who was born in Ireland.
We will let you know whether you appear to have a route to citizenship and whether it makes sense to move forward.
There is no charge and no obligation for this initial review.
What happens after the free review?
If you appear eligible, we will explain the paid service packages available and what is included with each one. You can then decide whether you would like to continue and how much support you would like from us.
You will not be asked to complete the detailed intake process or purchase additional services unless you choose to move forward.
Step 2. Choose your package and get your plan
If you decide to continue after the Eligibility Check, the beginning of Step 2 is when you will select the service package that best fits your needs.
Once you are enrolled, we will send you our Client Intake & Eligibility Packet. You will provide the family information you know and share copies of any relevant records you already have. It is completely normal not to have every detail or document at this stage.
We will use your completed Client Intake & Eligibility Packet to conduct a more detailed assessment of your family history and confirm your route to citizenship.
Every package begins with a personal review and roadmap. Depending on the package you select, your roadmap may include:
- A review of your family line
- Confirmation of your route to citizenship
- A personalized list of records likely to be needed
- An estimated timeline
- Recommendations for moving forward
- A breakdown of professional fees, government fees, and anticipated record-ordering costs
The amount of assistance you receive after the roadmap is completed depends on the package you selected at the beginning of this step.
We believe in setting clear expectations from the start rather than promising a faster process than the Irish authorities can deliver.
Step 3. Prepare your application
Once your roadmap is complete, the application preparation phase begins.
Depending on your package, you may gather and review the required records yourself, or we may assist with document review, record ordering, and application preparation.
Nearly every family history includes a few inconsistencies. A name may be spelled differently on two records, a date may vary, or a marriage may have been registered somewhere other than the family remembers. When document review is included in your package, we will help identify and address those issues before the application is submitted.
With our Complete Application Preparation package, we will complete your Foreign Birth Registration application and walk you through the online registration. The government fee is paid by you directly to the Irish authorities; we coordinate the step and tell you when and how to pay. You will receive the completed application to review before anything is signed.
This is often the longest phase of the process, but it may also be one of the quietest for you.
Step 4. Complete the final application requirements
Once the application has been prepared, you will complete a few required items before the paper application can be submitted to Ireland.
Depending on your package, you will either complete and submit the application yourself using the guidance provided, or we will review and send the finished packet for you.
Clients receiving final application guidance will receive a personalized Next Steps packet explaining what they need to complete and when. This helps ensure the final documents are prepared correctly and completed in the proper order.
The exact instructions, review process, and level of assistance depend on the service package you selected.
With our Complete Application Preparation package, we will also review the completed packet before it is sent, helping identify missing information, inconsistent dates, or other avoidable issues.
Witnessed signatures and some supporting documents are time-sensitive, so it is important to wait for your personalized instructions before completing the final steps.
Step 5. Receive your Irish citizenship and apply for your passport
Foreign Birth Registration formally records your Irish citizenship by descent.
Once your registration has been approved, you can apply for your first Irish passport.
Our Complete Application Preparation package includes guidance through the first Irish passport application, so you will know what is required and what to expect during the final stage of the process.
What We Need From You, and When
Many people expect applying for Irish citizenship to involve months of paperwork and constant attention. In reality, your active involvement is generally concentrated around two important stages.
The exact tasks you complete, and the amount of assistance we provide, depend on the service package you choose.
Stage 1: The intake process
After your Eligibility Check, you will choose your service package.
We will then send you our Client Intake & Eligibility Packet. You will share the family information you know and provide copies of any relevant records you already have.
Do not worry if you do not have everything or are unsure about a particular detail. That is completely normal. We will review the information you provide and let you know what is needed next based on your package.
Stage 2: The final application steps
After your Foreign Birth Registration application has been prepared, you will receive personalized instructions explaining the final items you need to complete before submission.
Some requirements must be completed personally by you. We will explain what applies to your case, when it should be completed, and how to return the finished materials.
The level of guidance, review, and hands-on assistance you receive at this stage depends on the service package you selected.
What happens between these two stages?
Between the intake process and the final application steps, the work depends on your package.
You may be gathering records and preparing documents yourself, working with us for guidance and review, or relying on our team to manage much of the process for you.
Either way, you will know what is expected of you and when your involvement is needed.
Your ancestors carried Ireland with them. Carry it forward.
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