The short answer
- When: after your ceremony, once your certificate of naturalisation arrives.
- How: on Passport Online, with a digital photo and a card, then post your original documents.
- What to send: your certificate, your birth certificate, proof of name and proof of address, and two photo IDs.
- Identity: a garda witnesses the form Passport Online generates, if you live in Ireland.
- Cost and time: €75 for an adult online, €20 plus postage for a child. Allow 8 weeks.
Get your checklist
First passport checklist
What the Passport Service asks a newly naturalised citizen for.
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Nothing you choose or tick is sent to us or saved. From the Department of Foreign Affairs’ passport pages, checked 3 October 2026. Passport Online confirms the exact documents after you apply.
Applying on Passport Online
You’ll need a digital photo that meets the photo guidelines, a credit or debit card, an email address and access to a printer. The application takes about 10 minutes, and it tells you exactly which documents to send. In Ireland and Northern Ireland you can also apply on paper through Post Passport, or by phone through Passport Assist, but online is fastest.
The documents a naturalised citizen sends
The Passport Service asks for originals, which it returns:
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Certificate of naturalisation | Never laminated or altered |
| Full civil birth certificate | The version with your parents’ names. Every first-time applicant sends one |
| Marriage or civil partnership certificate | Only for a passport in your married name |
| Proof of name, last 12 months | A government letter, such as from Social Protection or Revenue |
| Proof of address, last 12 months | A different document. Utility bills or bank statements if no government letter |
| Photo ID 1 | Your original foreign passport or national ID card |
| Photo ID 2 | A photocopy of your Public Services Card, or a certified copy of your driving licence |
A garda, solicitor, notary or the issuing authority can certify the driving licence copy. Living in Northern Ireland, Britain or elsewhere, the list is the same, with local government letters as proof; documents from outside Ireland and the UK need a translation into English or Irish.
Verifying your identity
As a first-time adult applicant, your identity is verified on the identity verification form that Passport Online asks you to print. In Ireland, a member of An Garda Síochána witnesses it. Outside Ireland, the form tells you who’s an appropriate witness.
Your child’s first passport
- A child’s passport lasts 5 years and costs €20 online, plus a €5 postal fee for returning documents (€15 outside Ireland).
- All guardians consent on the Child Passport Identity and Consent Form, witnessed by someone who knows the child, in the country where you live. If a guardian can’t or won’t consent, you need a court order.
- Send your child’s original certificate of naturalisation and birth certificate. Passport Online confirms what else applies to your family.
Fees and timing
| Online | |
|---|---|
| Adult, 10 years | €75, plus €15 postage outside Ireland |
| Child, 5 years | €20, plus €5 postage (€15 outside Ireland) |
Allow 8 weeks. Processing starts when your documents arrive, and you can track the application with your 11-digit application number. Your originals come back within 20 working days of the passport issuing.
Travelling before it arrives
The Passport Service says don’t book travel until you have your passport. If you have to travel, ISD says to check with the immigration officer at the airport that you’ll be able to leave and come back as a naturalised Irish citizen.
Common mix-ups
Common questions
When can I apply for an Irish passport after naturalisation?
Once you're a citizen, which happens when you make the declaration at your ceremony, and you have your certificate of naturalisation, which comes by registered post in the following weeks.
What documents does a naturalised citizen send?
Your original certificate of naturalisation, your full original civil birth certificate, one proof of name and a different proof of address from the last 12 months, and two photo IDs: your original foreign passport or national ID card, plus a copy of your Public Services Card or a certified copy of your driving licence. Add your marriage or civil partnership certificate if you're using a married name.
Who witnesses the identity form?
In Ireland, a member of An Garda Síochána. Outside Ireland, an appropriate witness, as listed on the form Passport Online gives you.
What if I can't get my birth certificate?
Every first-time applicant sends one, naturalised citizens included. If you can show you've taken reasonable steps and it isn't possible, the Passport Service may accept other documents case by case, so contact it first.
I lost my certificate of naturalisation. Can I still apply?
Yes. ISD doesn't replace certificates, but it issues a free statement confirming your citizenship, which you send with your passport application.
How much does it cost?
Online, €75 for a standard 10-year adult passport, plus €15 postage if you live outside Ireland. A child's 5-year passport is €20, plus €5 postage (€15 outside Ireland).
Can I travel before my passport arrives?
ISD says to check with the immigration officer at the airport that you'll be able to leave and come back as a naturalised Irish citizen. The Passport Service says not to book travel until you have your passport.
Sources
All sources checked on 3 Oct 2026.
- Documents for adult passport applications (naturalised Irish citizens)Department of Foreign Affairs
- First-time passport application for adultsDepartment of Foreign Affairs
- Getting a first passport for a childDepartment of Foreign Affairs
- Citizenship ceremonies (certificate, passport, travel)Immigration Service Delivery
- Becoming an Irish citizen through naturalisation (lost certificate)Citizens Information