IRISH GREAT-GRAND PARENT : VISA

Irish grandparents
If you are of the third or subsequent generation born abroad to an Irish citizen (in other words, one of your grandparents is an Irish citizen but none of your parents was born in Ireland), you may be entitled to become an Irish citizen. You will need to apply have your birth registered in the Foreign Births Register.

If you are entitled to register, your Irish citizenship is effective from the date of registration. The Irish citizenship of successive generations may be maintained in this way by each generation ensuring their registration in the Foreign Births Register before the birth of the next generation.

Since 1 July 1986, a person registered in the Foreign Births Entry Book after 1986 is deemed to be an Irish citizen only from the date of his/her entry in the Register and not from the date of birth. This means that children born to that person before his/her date of entry in the Register are not entitled to citizenship.

People registered before July 1986 are deemed Irish citizens either from the date the original Citizenship Act came into force, i.e., 17 July 1956, or their date of birth, whichever is later. Only children born after 17 July 1956 can claim citizenship in such cases.

Irish great-grandparents
Irish citizenship passes through three generations (from grandparents, through to parents, through to children). If your parents or grandparents were not Irish citizens at the time of your birth, you cannot claim Irish citizenship through your great-grandparents.

Other Irish ancestors
Unless your parents or grandparents were Irish citizens at the time of your birth, you cannot claim Irish citizenship on the basis of extended previous ancestry (i.e., ancestors other than your parents or grandparents). In addition, you cannot claim Irish citizenship on the basis that a cousin, aunt or uncle were Irish citizens if your parents or grandparents were not Irish citizens at the time of your birth.