Irish citizenship by descent: how Australians with an Irish nan can work in Dublin

If one of your grandparents was born in Ireland, you may be entitled to Irish citizenship. That means an EU passport and the right to live and work in Dublin with no visa, no age cap and no employer sponsor.

The short version

• If a parent was born in Ireland, you're probably already an Irish citizen and can apply straight for a passport [1].
• If a grandparent was born on the island of Ireland, you can become a citizen by registering on the Foreign Births Register (FBR) [1][2].
• Registration costs €278 for adults and €153 for under-18s, and currently takes about 12 months [2].
• Applications are processed in Dublin, not by the Irish Embassy in Canberra [3].
• Once you're Irish, you can work in Dublin like any local. No Working Holiday Authorisation, no employment permit, no immigration registration.

Do you qualify?

Irish citizenship law looks at your parents and grandparents, and the order of who was born where matters a lot. Here's the basic picture, based on Citizens Information [1].

The great-grandparent catch

This is where many Australian families come unstuck. If your grandparent was Irish-born, you qualify through the FBR. But your own children only qualify through you if you're registered before they're born [1]. Citizenship from the FBR starts from the date of registration, not your birth date [1].

So if you're thinking about kids, register first. The Department of Foreign Affairs warns expectant parents that they must be on the register before the baby arrives for the child to be eligible [2].

The "island of Ireland" point

The Department of Foreign Affairs refers to a grandparent born on the island of Ireland [3]. A grandparent from Belfast or Derry can count, not just one from Cork or Kerry. Check the detail for your family on the official site before you apply.

Registering on the Foreign Births Register

What it costs and how long it takes

You pay the FBR fee online when you submit [2]. Applications are processed in date order, and incomplete ones are sent back without being processed [2]. Embassies and consulates in Australia don't process FBR applications; everything is handled in Dublin [3].

Step by step

1. Map your family tree. Work out exactly who was born where, and when. You'll need to prove each link between you and your Irish-born grandparent.
2. Order original certificates. Typically your birth certificate, your Irish-linked parent's birth certificate, your grandparent's Irish birth certificate, plus marriage or name-change certificates where names changed along the way. The department wants original state-issued documents [2][3].
3. Get certified ID copies. You'll need a certified photocopy of your photo ID, and the department also asks for ID copies for the parent or grandparent, depending on your pathway [2].
4. Line up two proofs of address and four colour passport photos [2].
5. Find an eligible witness. Your witness must know you personally, can't be a relative, and must work in an approved profession, such as a doctor, lawyer, teacher or police officer. They sign the form and two of your photos [2].
6. Complete the online form at fbr.dfa.ie, pay the fee, then post the printed form and documents by registered post. The department doesn't acknowledge receipt, so keep your tracking number [2].
7. Wait. Roughly a year. Your documents come back by recorded mail [2].
8. Apply for your passport. Once you're on the register, you can apply for an Irish passport [3].

Stuck on one document? Ask in Cooee Ireland, our Facebook group for Australians in Ireland. Plenty of members have tracked down a nan's baptism record or a missing marriage certificate.

Working in Dublin as an Irish citizen

This is the payoff. As an Irish citizen, you don't need a Working Holiday Authorisation, an employment permit or immigration registration. You can take any job, with any employer, for as long as you like.

Compare that with the alternatives for Australians without Irish citizenship:

• Working Holiday Authorisation. Only for ages 18 to 35, one-off, up to 12 months, and no more than six months with one employer [5].
• Critical Skills Employment Permit. Needs a two-year job offer, a €1,000 fee and a minimum salary of €40,904 for listed jobs from March 2026 [6].
• Registration. Non-EU residents staying over 90 days must also register and pay €300 for an Irish Residence Permit [6].

Your EU rights too

An Irish passport is an EU passport. Under EU free movement rules, EU citizens can live in other member states if they're working, self-employed, studying or have enough money and health insurance, and they don't need to register for a residence card in Ireland [7]. Your Irish citizenship opens doors in Berlin, Amsterdam or Lisbon as well as Dublin.

Bringing a non-Irish partner

If your partner is Australian without their own Irish claim, Ireland has a separate process for family members of EU citizens. Spouses, civil partners, and in some cases de facto partners, apply after arriving and, if approved, register for a Stamp 4EUFAM residence permission for up to five years [7]. Get advice early, because the rules on which relationships count, and which forms apply, are specific.

First steps once you land

Even as an Irish citizen, you'll need a PPS number to work and pay tax properly. You apply online through MyWelfare with your ID, a recent proof of address and a reason such as a job offer [8]. Our guide to moving to Dublin covers banking, transport and the rest of your first month.

Keeping both passports

Many Australians in Dublin hold both passports. The Australian Embassy reminds dual citizens to enter and leave Australia on their Australian passport, as using a foreign one can cause delays or denied boarding [9]. Keep your Australian passport current even if you mostly travel on the Irish one.

Common mistakes

• Starting with a photocopy. The department needs original state-issued certificates [3].
• Waiting until you're pregnant. Your child's eligibility can depend on you being registered before the birth [2].
• Assuming a great-grandparent is enough. It usually isn't, unless your parent registered before you were born [1].
• Booking a one-way ticket before you're registered. At about 12 months' processing [2], plan your move around the FBR, not the other way round.

Sources

1. Irish citizenship through birth or descent – Citizens Information
2. Registering a foreign birth – Department of Foreign Affairs (ireland.ie)
3. Citizenship – Department of Foreign Affairs (ireland.ie)
4. Passport fees – Department of Foreign Affairs (ireland.ie)
5. Working Holiday Authorisations – Embassy of Ireland, Australia
6. Critical Skills Employment Permit – Citizens Information
7. Residence rights of EU citizens and their families in Ireland – Citizens Information
8. Get a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number – gov.ie
9. Australian Embassy, Ireland

Keep reading

• Moving to Dublin from Australia: the complete guide
• Renting in Dublin as an Australian
• Babies born overseas: Australian citizenship by descent
• Aussie life in Dublin