The short answer
- Who: adults with 5 years’ reckonable residence in the last 9, and spouses, refugees, EU citizens and children on their own rules.
- Conditions: 18 or over, good character, the residence rule, no more than 70 days away in the final year (100 with exceptional reasons), and the intention to keep living here.
- How: online, on ISD’s Online Form Portal, with certified documents and €175.
- Then: Garda e-vetting, a decision usually within 12 months, a citizenship ceremony and a certification fee.
- Before you pay: check every condition. A refused or incomplete application loses the fee.
Check you’re ready
Ready to apply?
Check every condition before you pay the €175.
How to apply
From the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, ISD’s citizenship guide and Citizens Information. Nothing you choose is sent or saved. It’s a checklist, not a decision: ISD assesses every application.
Who can apply
| Route | The main rule | More |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, 5 years | 1 unbroken year before you apply, plus 4 in the 8 before | Reckonable residence explained |
| Spouse or civil partner of an Irish citizen | Married or civil partners 3 years, living together; 1 year plus 2 in the 4 before, on the island of Ireland | The spouse route |
| Refugee or stateless person | 5 years from your grant, for applications from 8 December 2025. No certification fee | Documents for refugees |
| EU, EEA, Swiss or UK citizen | 5 years in 9, shown with documents, if you’ve held your nationality over 5 years | EU and UK citizens |
| Irish descent or associations | The Minister can waive any condition | Below |
| A child | A parent or guardian applies: 3 years for a child born here since 2005, or no fixed period for a naturalised parent’s child or one of Irish descent | Below |
The conditions
- Age: 18 or over, or a parent or guardian applying for a child.
- Good character: the Garda Síochána reports on you, and you declare convictions here or abroad, driving offences, cautions, pending cases and immigration history. Declare and explain: hiding something is the bigger problem.
- Residence: the rule for your route, with no gaps in permission. Count it with the citizenship clock or ISD’s calculator.
- Absences: up to 70 days away in the year before you apply, plus 30 for exceptional circumstances. Over 100, the application is ineligible.
- Intention: you must intend, in good faith, to keep living in Ireland (on the island of Ireland, for spouses).
- Declaration: if you’re approved, you make a declaration of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State, usually at a citizenship ceremony.
Meeting every condition doesn’t guarantee citizenship: the Minister has absolute discretion.
Applying online, step by step
- Check you qualify: residence, absences, permission valid on the day you apply. If you have an IRP, renew it first if it expires before then.
- Gather your documents: birth certificate, passport copy, 150 identity points, 150 points of residence proof a year, and your route’s extras. Build the list with the document pack.
- Get copies certified in person by a solicitor, commissioner for oaths, notary public or peace commissioner.
- Apply on the Online Form Portal (inisonline.jahs.ie): choose your application type and complete each section.
- Upload each document as its own PDF or JPG under 5MB, in the right section.
- Pay €175 by card and submit. Save a copy first: you can’t see the form again.
- Complete Garda e-vetting from the link in your acknowledgement email.
- Answer any request within 28 days, on the Online Form Portal under My Forms, then Additional Forms. Track your status on the Customer Service Portal.
Paper forms are available on request through the Customer Service Portal, but ISD says online applications are much faster.
Fees
| Fee | |
|---|---|
| Application | €175, not refunded if refused or incomplete |
| Certification, most adults | €950 |
| Certification, a child, or a widow, widower or surviving civil partner of an Irish citizen | €200 |
| Certification, refugees, stateless people and programme refugees | None |
Why applications come back
ISD lists the most common reasons applications are returned:
- required documents missing or not certified;
- not enough evidence of residence;
- incorrect or incomplete identity documents;
- gaps in immigration permission;
- declarations missing or incomplete;
- files uploaded incorrectly or in the wrong section.
A refused application gets a letter, with reasons where possible. There’s no appeal, and the fee isn’t refunded: you can apply again once you’re eligible.
Irish descent and associations
If you’re related by blood, affinity or adoption to an Irish citizen, or someone entitled to be one, the Minister can waive any condition. You send a cover letter explaining the connection and why you’re asking for a waiver, with certified evidence. ISD’s guidelines score four areas: your experience of Ireland (up to 50 points), family connections (60), cultural connection (60) and how established you are here (60). A connection doesn’t guarantee a waiver.
A grandparent born on the island of Ireland, or a parent who was Irish when you were born? You don’t need naturalisation: register on the Foreign Births Register instead.
Applying for a child
A parent, legal guardian or someone acting in place of a parent applies for a child under 18 who isn’t married:
- Born in Ireland since 1 January 2005, not a citizen at birth: 3 years’ reckonable residence since birth.
- A naturalised parent’s child: the Minister can waive the residence conditions. ISD asks for 3 years of school letters.
- Irish descent or associations: assessed under the Minister’s discretion.
Children over 16 must be of good character, ISD says; Citizens Information says 14 or over. The certification fee is €200. The documents for each route are in the document pack.
Common mix-ups
Common questions
Who can apply for Irish citizenship by naturalisation?
Adults with 5 years' reckonable residence in the last 9, spouses and civil partners of Irish citizens with 3 years on the island of Ireland, refugees and stateless people, and EU, EEA, Swiss and UK citizens living here. Parents can apply for children, and the Minister can waive conditions for people of Irish descent or associations.
What are the conditions?
You must be 18 or over, of good character, meet the residence rule, intend in good faith to keep living in Ireland, and make a declaration of fidelity and loyalty, usually at a citizenship ceremony. Spouses must also have been married or civil partners for 3 years, living together.
Do I need a solicitor to apply?
No. Citizens Information says you don't have to use one. You do need a solicitor, commissioner for oaths, peace commissioner or notary public to certify copies and witness some declarations.
How much does it cost?
€175 to apply, paid by card online. If you're approved, a certification fee follows: €950 for most adults, €200 for a child or a widow, widower or surviving civil partner of an Irish citizen, and nothing for refugees and stateless people.
How long does it take?
ISD says most, but not all, applications are processed within 12 months. Complex applications can take longer.
What if my application is refused?
You'll get a letter, with reasons where possible. There's no appeal, and the fee isn't refunded. You can apply again when you're eligible.
Sources
All sources checked on 3 Oct 2026.
- Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, sections 15 to 16A and 29A (revised)Law Reform Commission
- Becoming an Irish citizen guideImmigration Service Delivery
- Becoming an Irish citizen through naturalisationCitizens Information
- Changes to citizenship for people granted international protectionImmigration Service Delivery
- Applications based on Irish descent or Irish associationsImmigration Service Delivery