Country

Pathways to Irish Residency and Citizenship

Ireland

Ireland combines an English-speaking, EU-member setting with one of the most generous ancestry routes anywhere — a single Irish-born grandparent can make you a citizen. Alongside that are work, study, and family routes that build toward long-term residence and, in time, citizenship. Ireland permits dual nationality.

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Ways to qualify

Career & business

For people with a job offer, in-demand skills, or a business to build. Most of these routes lead to settlement, and in time to citizenship.

Ireland CSEP This is a skilled-work residence pathway for people whose occupation is on a priority or shortage list in Ireland. It generally requires a qualifying… residency Ireland GEP Ireland's General Employment Permit is for people with an Irish job offer that is not covered by a more specialized permit route. It generally… residency Ireland STEP This residence pathway is for founders building a startup or innovative business in Ireland. It generally requires an eligible business idea, enough… residency

Retirement

For retirees and people of independent means who can show a pension, savings, or other passive income.

Ireland Stamp 0 Ireland's Stamp 0 route is for financially independent people, often retirees, who can support themselves without working in Ireland. It generally… residency

Family

For joining a partner, parent, or child who already lives there — or claiming citizenship through marriage.

Ireland EU Treaty Rights Family Ireland EU Treaty Rights residence is for non-EEA family members of EU, EEA, or Swiss citizens who are exercising free-movement rights in Ireland. It… residency Ireland De Facto Partner Ireland's de facto partner permission is for unmarried long-term partners of an Irish citizen or another eligible sponsor living in Ireland. It… residency Ireland Join Family — Irish Citizen Ireland's Join Family route is for close family members of Irish citizens who want to live together in Ireland. It generally requires a qualifying… residency

Ancestry & heritage

A parent, grandparent, or birth in the country can make you a citizen already — or let you claim it, often without relocating.

Ireland Citizenship — Adoption Irish citizenship through adoption is for people adopted in a way that gives citizenship through an Irish-citizen adoptive parent. It generally… citizenship Irish Citizenship by Descent Ireland's Foreign Births Register is for people born outside Ireland who can become Irish through a qualifying Irish parent or grandparent. The most… citizenship Irish Citizenship — Born on island of Ireland pre-2005 This citizenship pathway is for people who may already be citizens because they were born in Ireland or in another qualifying birth situation… citizenship Irish Citizenship — Irish-born Parent This pathway is for people born outside Ireland who may already be Irish citizens because a parent was an Irish citizen and was born on the island of… citizenship Irish Citizenship — Born on island of Ireland post-2005 People born on the island of Ireland on or after January 1, 2005 may still be Irish citizens, but it depends on their parents' citizenship, settled… citizenship Irish FBR — Irish Parent Born Abroad This Foreign Births Register route is for people born outside Ireland whose parent was already an Irish citizen when they were born, but was not born… citizenship Irish Citizenship — Public Service Parent Irish law has a narrow exception for some people born abroad to an Irish parent who was also born abroad, if that parent was abroad in Irish public… citizenship

Citizenship by residence

Once you've lived there long enough and settled, you can often apply to become a citizen.

Irish Citizenship by Naturalisation Irish citizenship by naturalisation is for people who have built enough lawful residence in Ireland, or spouses and civil partners of Irish citizens… citizenship

Other routes

Nationality-specific schemes and special cases.

Ireland Common Travel Area Rights British citizens generally already have the right to live, work, study, and access many services in Ireland under the Common Travel Area. This is not… other Ireland Working Holiday Ireland's Working Holiday Authorisation lets eligible young people from partner countries live in Ireland temporarily and work during the stay. It… residency