Irish citizenship from Northern Ireland

I wasn't sure whether to post this in the UK or the Ireland forum so apologies if this should be moved.

I have been residing in Belfast since October 2022 and currently hold a UK Skilled Worker visa (Tier 2).

My visa was issued on 7th August 2022 and is set to expire in August 2025. However, I am currently in the process of renewing it with my current company, and we are expecting a baby in September 2025 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Based on the information provided on citizensinformation.ie, I understand that under the Good Friday Agreement, a child born in Northern Ireland may be eligible for Irish citizenship if at least one parent has lived on the island of Ireland for at least three out of the four years immediately before the child's birth.

By September 2025, I will have been living in Belfast for three years and one month if counting from my visa issuance date, or two years and eleven months if counting from my date of entry. Given these circumstances, I would like to clarify whether my child will be eligible for Irish citizenship at birth.

I understand that it is quite early to ask this question, but I would like to be well-prepared in advance regarding the process and requirements. If eligible, I would appreciate your guidance on the following:

What are the steps to apply for Irish citizenship for my child?
What documents are required for the application?
What is the expected processing time for a decision on the application?
I would be grateful for any information you can provide to help me prepare accordingly.

Looking forward to your response.

Thank you in advance

Eligibility is calculated based on registration date. I assume in the UK that’s the date shown on your BRP card. It certainly isn’t the date of your visa issuance anyway.

Asking for application process this early is of no use to anyone. Forms are tweaked and required documents change every year. You simply need to look at the latest form and it will have a list of all required documents.

Thanks for your reply,

the date shown in my BRP is 15/08/2022, so I think that's should be fine, isn't it?

If your child meets the criteria, then it's just a matter of applying for a passport, no extra procedure to register their citizenship. The current required documents are detailed at https://www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/passports ... %20Ireland

I would suggest you apply as soon as the child is born and do not claim any other passports, make Ireland application/passport as the first one.

An online application should provide you the checklist. Typically Birth certificate, Parents stay details Visa stamps etc, residence evidences, utility bills, any DR appointments etc.

Do you have an idea whether Skilled worker visa (Tier 2) is considered unrestricted residency in NI?

Not sure. As long as your stay is legal it will be considered. I think you should not have any issues.