Eligibility

An application for Irish citizenship through Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) can be submitted by any person with a grandparent born in any part of Ireland or by any person whose parent received Irish citizenship prior to the birth of the applicant.

Supporting Documents

You need to include personal details about yourself and your family in your online application to confirm that you're entitled to Irish citizenship.

All the information you need can be found on the supporting documentation that you'll have to submit with your application form.

Once you begin your online application, you have to complete it fully. You can't save your details and finish it later. So make sure you have these documents to hand before you start:

You will need:

Original documents must be submitted in all cases – photocopies or laminates are not accepted

Your details

• Original Long form Civil Birth Certificate
• Original Civil Marriage Certificate (if married)
• Original Divorce Decree (final) if Divorced and Current Civil Marriage Certificate (if remarried)
• Deed poll (if you've changed your name). Original must be submitted and must have been valid for at least two years. Three documents showing proof of usage in the newly acquired name - e.g. Bank Statements, Utility Bills that are at least two years old - must also accompany the deed poll.
• Copy of current Passport.
• If over 18 years - Three separate documents showing proof of Residence in Spain e.g. phone bill, gas/electricity bill, council tax, water rates etc.
• If under 18 years - A school report/Doctor's letter showing proof of residence of applicant and three separate proofs of residence for the applying Irish parent.

Your parent's details (through whom you're claiming citizenship)

• Original Long form Civil Birth Certificate
• Original Civil Marriage Certificate (if married)
• Original Divorce Decree (final) if Divorced and Current Civil Marriage Certificate (if remarried)

• Declaration of Alienage (if they ever renounced their Irish citizenship)
• Copy of current Passport
• Original Death Certificate if Deceased

• Deed poll (if they ever changed their name). Original must be submitted and must have been valid for at least two years. Three document showing proof of usage in the newly acquired name - e.g. Bank Statements, Utility Bills that are at least two years old - must also accompany the deed poll.
• Declaration of Alienage (if they ever renounced their Irish citizenship)

Your Irish-born grandparent's details

• Original Long form Civil Birth Certificate
• Original Civil Marriage Certificate (if married)
• Original Divorce Decree (final) if Divorced and Current Civil Marriage Certificate (if remarried)

• Declaration of Alienage (if they ever renounced their Irish citizenship)
• Copy of current Passport
• Original Death Certificate if Deceased

• Deed poll (if they ever changed their name). Original must be submitted and must have been valid for at least two years. Three documents showing proof of usage in the newly acquired name - e.g. Bank Statements, Utility Bills that are at least two years old - must also accompany the deed poll.
• Declaration of Alienage (if they ever renounced their Irish citizenship)

You may also need:

Depending on the circumstances under which you are claiming Irish citizenship, you may also need:

Your parent's Naturalisation Certificate

Your parent's Foreign Births Registration Certificate

Your parent's Post-Nuptial Declaration

Your parent's adoption details

If the parent of the applicant acquired Irish Citizenship through one of the above before their child was born, the child may apply for Foreign Birth Registration.

The documentation required to prove the line of descent in these circumstances is as follows:

(i) All of the documents applicable to the person named in section A of application form

(ii) All of the documents applicable to the person named in Section B of application form

(iii) The original - FBR Certificate/Post Nuptial Citizenship / Naturalisation Certificate/ Foreign Adoption Certificate issued from the Irish Adoption Board for Irish Parent.

(iv) Three proofs of current residence in Spain for the parent and proof of residence for the child in Spain.

(v) A Declaration of Intention to Retain Irish Citizenship will also be required. This form is accessible on the Department of Justice website in Ireland.

(vi) The Embassy of Ireland in Madrid will only accept applications from applicants resident in Spain, Andorra or Tunisia.

Further documentation

We may ask you to submit more documents to support your application.

Authentication

We may check the authenticity of all documentation you submit as part of your application.

Getting replacement documents

• We need original documents (not photocopies) to process your application. If you don't have the original certificates, you can get replacements from the General Register Office (GRO) Ireland or from the Spanish Registro Civil.

Checklist

When you submit and print your online application form, a checklist of the documents you need will also print out. You need to:

• Make sure you've included all the documents on the checklist in your application
• Sign and date the checklist
• Post it to us with your application form and supporting documentation

Remember...

If you haven't included all the necessary documents, your application will be returned to you.

Witnessing your application

Before you send your application form to the relevant office, you must have it witnessed by an appropriate person.

Who can be a witness?

The witness must be from one of the following professions only and :

(a) Must be currently residing and practicing in Spain

(b) Must not be related in any way to the Applicant

· Police Officer (including collar number and Station Stamp if available)

· Members of the Clergy (We define a member of the Clergy as a person who can officiate at Ceremonies e.g. Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals etc.)

· Medical Doctor

· Lawyer

· Bank Manager/Building Society Manager

· School Principal/Head of Department at University/College

· Magistrate/Judge

The witness must either know you personally or know a third party who knows you personally.

Your witness needs to:

• Fully complete Section E of your application form - 'Certificate of Identity'
• Sign your two passport-sized photographs (if under 18, parent must also sign the photographs)
• Witness you signing Section D of your application form
• Indicate on the form specifically whether they personally know you, or otherwise that you have been identified by a third party known to them.
• Provide a business/work address and contact number. Private addresses for witnessed are not accepted.

Remember...

If your application hasn't been properly witnessed, it will be returned to you.

Photos

You need to submit two passport-sized photographs with your application.

Your witness must sign and date these photographs.

If you're applying on behalf of a minor, you also need to submit two passport-sized photographs of yourself. They should also be signed and dated by you and your witness.

Fees

We have moved to online payments for Certificates of Freedom to Marry.  It is no longer possible to pay by cash or bank transfer.  The appropriate fee will be charged to your credit/debit card during the application process.

Over 18 years of age

• Registration plus Certificate: €270
• Non-refundable postage fee: €8
• Total: €278

Under 18 years of age

• Registration plus Certificate: €145
• Non-refundable postage fee: €8
• Total: €153

Payment methods

Payment is made by debit/credit card as part of the online application process.

Apply

We strongly encourage you to gather all the required documents prior to completing the online form – incomplete applications will not be accepted

Begin your online Foreign Births Registration application