How to apply for an Irish Passport as a UK citizen with an Irish parent

I was in my 40’s before I realised I was an Irish citizen by birth. This might sound naïve or ignorant but I was born and raised in England to a Scottish father and a Northern Irish mother. Growing up, I understood that I was a British citizen, which I am. But I also believed that Irish citizenship only applied to those from the Republic of Ireland, not Northern Ireland as it is part of the UK. But I have in fact, like many, fact got duel citizenship by birthright. How did I not know this? And surprisingly, it seems many people I speak to are also unaware.

Northern Ireland was my second ever travel destination. I was just six years old when I flew on my own there to visit my grandmother. And so the travel bug was born. It would be many years before I could afford to embrace travel and even then, some big health challenges have kept me from it at times. So, I treasure it and live with a ‘don’t wait’ attitude because tomorrow isn’t promised. Travel has always been an escape, a privilege, a rest from reality and a chance to reset. My grandmother always encouraged me to have adventures, live my best life and be kind.

So, when I discovered that because of her and my heritage, I was officially an Irish citizen after the balderdash of Brexit, it felt like an unexpected and incredibly meaningful blessing.

“You are automatically an Irish citizen if you were born on the island of Ireland before 2005 or if you were born abroad to a parent who was born on the island of Ireland before 2005” ~ Ireland Department of Foreign Affairs website

So, I set about looking into what I needed to do to get my coveted little red book. And that’s when the rabbit hole began. I found clear advice on the official website, but I also discovered it was incomplete. Was I meant to send the whole application by post, as I had to submit hard copies of documents? Who can verify me? What documents exactly do I need to send? How long does it take? Do I need to send my UK passport? It quickly became a minefield of misinformation, and I found it incredibly overwhelming.

I joined two Facebook groups dedicated to helping people like me. I read as many of the questions and comments as I could find that I could relate to. It became a wealth of helpful tips and experiences that weren’t listed on the official website. Some were conflicting, some were confusing, and some were pure gold. I wanted to ensure that when I sent my application off, the process would be as simple as possible and take the minimal amount of time. I read stories of people being asked multiple times to send more documents or even having to start the whole process over again. This, of course, cost more money, and I was determined to make this a shoot and score first go process.

My neurodivergent hyper-focus paid off! Like a dream, it took just two months from start to finish for my passport to arrive, with just under two weeks for the actual processing of my application (the post took the longest). No dramas, no problems, no need to resend anything. I was ready to share the good news with my brother and his kids. Yes, they’re also entitled to an Irish passport since their grandparent was born in Northern Ireland.

(Their process is slightly longer as they need to apply for citizenship first by registering through the foreign birth register. I won’t be going into that as that’s not the process I followed as I was automatically an Irish citizen. For more though on that click here.)

Step 1 – Get your paperwork ready before your online application

Before you start the application process, you’ll need to get your paperwork in order. (You can submit your online application first and then gather your documents, but since I knew it would take some time, I chose to wait until I had everything ready before starting the application.)

You will need: 

1. Your original birth certificate. If you don’t have it, you can order an official copy from the births register for £12.50. An official copy is not a photocopy of your original certificate; it must come directly from the register. Alternatively, you can send your original birth certificate (it will be returned to you).
2. Your Irish parents Birth certificate. Again this must be the original or an official copy from the Northern Irish Birth Register at a cost of £15. (And don’t worry if you don’t know all the information such as the county – you can guess and keep guessing or leave blank – worked for me)
3. Not everyone will need this, but if your Irish parent’s surname differs on your birth certificate compared to theirs, you’ll need to prove they are the same person. This is usually due to marriage. In that case, you’ll need to send their original marriage certificate, or you can order an official copy from the country where they were married. My surname wasn’t different, but I decided to send it anyway for bolt and braces, just to be safe! This also applies if you’ve changed your name on your photo ID and it doesn’t match your birth certificate..
4. Your proof of address. If you are a home owner or renting then this will be easier than if you are living at someone else’s address. They ask for a government letter such as a council tax bill. This is where the rabbit hole really took hold. Some said that the letter had to be no more than 6 months old but it this isn’t stated anywhere. But to avoid any delays I went above and beyond to prove my address. I sent 5 different original or downloaded utility bills (Sky, phone bill, Gas, Elec, which were all in the 6 months window as well as my government one (council tax) which was older.
5. Your proof of name at the address. This time they ask for a different letter, such as one from the NHS or a utility bill. I didn’t have an NHS letter as now all online but since I had already sent in six other letters, I knew one of them would cover this requirement.
6. A new electronic passport photo taken within six months of your application. You don’t need hard copies of this photo—just the electronic version, which you’ll upload when you start your application online. I strongly recommend paying for a photo at a photo shop or photo booth. While it costs more than snapping a picture with your phone, it ensures you’re positioned correctly, have the approved background, and that your face meets the necessary requirements. Both options will email you the electronic version of your photo.
7. Photo identification: This part confused me because I thought I had to send my UK passport off, which panicked me! The idea of no travel while my UK passport was on holiday in Ireland didn’t sit well with me especially after hearing how long some applications took. Reading through all the information and advice, I decided to send a colour photocopy of my passport pages with my photo on them, certified (see below), along with a certified colour photocopy of my driver’s license (also certified). They only require one form of ID, but I wasn’t taking any chances!

Step 2 – Identify who will be your witness/ verify your identity

Identify who can be your witness / certifier. The official list is here but it’s not as straightforward as it seems. From all the comments I read online, the person needs to have a landline and be able to answer it! They call every single witness/certifier – they called mine. Some comments mentioned that a mobile number might be accepted, but that seemed to be the minority opinion.

It also appears they only try calling a few times, so it’s a good idea to include any details like the hours they’re available to answer the landline or the days they work. One of my good friends was going to be my certifier but since he’s a teacher and rarely near a landline, I didn’t want to risk the application being rejected and having to start over. Luckily, my local pharmacist knows me and has a landline and kindly, didn’t charge!

Step 3 – Make your application online

Make your online application (you can, of course, start this step earlier, but I waited until I had everything in order). You’ll need to pay at this point, so have your card ready. As of 2025, the cost for a standard adult passport is £70, more information can be found here. Once you complete the application, you’ll need to print it. There is an option to email the documents and print later, but I recommend doing it straight away, as the link expires. You’ll also receive an application number, which you can use to track the progress of your application. Note: When you print the forms, don’t be tempted to sign your application until you’re in the presence of your witness.

Step 4 – Get your documents witnessed

Get your witness to fill in their part of the application and witness you signing it. If you’re not sending your passport off, make sure to take a coloured photocopy of the page with your photo (and your driver’s license if you’re including that too).

Ask your witness to verify both copies by writing: I CERTIFY THIS IS A TRUE COPY OF THE ORIGINAL. Signed [Name], Dated [Date]. Then, ask them to stamp the document with their business stamp. If they don’t have one, include a business card.

Step 5 – Collate your documents ready to post

Gather all your documents from Step 1 and Step 4. Take the checklist from your printed application and arrange the documents in the correct order. Then, place everything into a hardback A4 envelope and seal it. Address the envelope to the address provided in your application.

Step 6 – Post your documents to the Irish office

Take the envelope to the post office and ask that it be sent via recorded or special delivery. Be sure to keep the receipt and tracking number for your records! Remember, this must be done within six months of all the paperwork, including letters, photos, and verification.

Step 7 – Track your application

Then… you wait for it to arrive! Hopefully, as you have been super thorough it should all be processed smoothly. Current turn around times listed on their website and obviously just before and during the summer will be the longest wait. To track your progress use your application number you noted in step 3 on their tracking page.

Step 8 – Receive your new Irish passport!

When you see that your passport has been printed and dispatched, you’ll receive a tracking number. Although it’s an Irish postal number, you can use it to track your passport’s journey once it leaves Ireland and arrives in the UK on the Royal mail website. (You don’t need to use the Irish postal website). You then wait for it to magically appear!

Mine didn’t arrive needing to be signed for but arrived safe and sound. Five days after despatch. If you ordered a photo ID card, it will arrive separately just a few days after that. Your original documents will be sent back within two weeks, and in my case, everything arrived exactly on time.

Congratulations you now have your gateway to European freedom! I just know my Grandmother would be packing my bags for me, if she was still on the planet.

Questions about getting a first Irish passport as a UK citizen born to an Irish parent:

As someone who recently discovered that I am an Irish citizen by birth, I feel deeply privileged to carry this heritage and to be able to enjoy the benefits of both Irish and British citizenship. It’s an important part of who I am as I miss my Grandmother enormously and I’m grateful to have this connection to her.

This article and the answers provided are exclusively for those whose parent was born on the island of Ireland before 2005, but you were born in England. These are the questions I struggled with personally, so I hope this helps!

How long does it take to get a first time Irish passport

From when I started my online application to receiving my passport, it took six weeks. However, it likely would have taken just four weeks if I had sent all my paperwork immediately. I also submitted everything over Christmas, which was slowed down due to the Christmas post. On the plus side, this meant there were fewer applications being processed at that time. The actual processing of my application only took two weeks, and it arrived two weeks ahead of the estimated February date! I truly believe the quick turnaround was due to me going above and beyond with the paperwork.

Who can be my witness for my Irish passport application?

I found this part of the process tricky to navigate, as it wasn’t always clear who would be acceptable as a witness. Some people had to pay a solicitor, while others struggled to find someone with a landline (see Step 2). I also read that certain professions, like the police, are no longer willing to act as witnesses. I was lucky, my local pharmacist knows me well and didn’t charge. My backup plan was my dentist, just in case. You can find the full list here.

Does the witness have to be different for the application and the photo ID?

No – I had the same person do both for mine.

How much will it cost to apply for an Irish passport from England?

This can be a costly process – especially if you have to resubmit and start again. So if you can, I would pay for as much as possible rather than save by cutting corners. It cost me around £200. Here is a potential break down of costs depending what you need:

Disclaimer: Please note that this is my experience as an adult child born and living in England to a Northern Irish born parent before 2005. My application made in Dec 2024 – Jan 2025. As with all processing they can change!

I hope this helps someone else feel less overwhelmed by the process than I was. It’s all worth it when you pick the right lane! What a privilege, especially as now when I travel I can think of my grandmother and know how much she would love to hear my tales. Bonne santé and happy travels!

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