Benefits of Irish Passport

Holding an Irish passport offers a wide range of advantages, making it one of the most sought-after travel documents in the world. Ranked among the top global passports, it provides exceptional mobility, access to numerous countries without a visa, and the right to live, work, and study across the European Union and European Economic Area.

Beyond travel freedom, an Irish passport also grants holders these numerous benefits include individual rights, flexibility of working in different parts of the EU, access to free education, voting rights, and dual citizenship.

Page Contents

• Overview
• Fundamental Rights
• Live, Work, Study and Travel in Ireland and the UK
• Live, Work, Study and Travel in the EU/EEA
• Free Education
• Voting Rights
• Dual/Multiple Citizenship
• Who is Entitled to Irish Citizenship?
• Irish Citizenship by Naturalisation
• How Can IAS Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

You can enjoy certain fundamental rights under the Irish Constitution. These rights work to protect you, your family, and your freedom.

These fundamental rights include:

• the right to life
• personal liberty
• freedom of expression
• equality before the law
• religious freedom
• freedom to travel in Ireland
• property and family rights
• right to privacy

As an Irish citizen, you are no longer tied down to visa restrictions that dictate how to live, work, study and travel. You can buy a property, knowing you have a right to reside indefinitely. You can apply for jobs, knowing that you don’t have to worry about a visa expiring. You can travel across the Emerald Isle as you please.

Irish citizens also have the right to reside in the UK. This agreement, known as the Common Travel Area, happened before the UK’s entry into the European Union, so the agreement continues post-Brexit.

Since Ireland is a member of the European Union, Irish citizens have the freedom to live, work, study and travel in other EU member states without visas or restrictions.

Having this unrestricted movement between other EU member states allows Irish citizens to explore overseas job opportunities, emigrate and travel freely between borders.

Irish citizens also can apply for a European Health Insurance Card. This enables access to state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in an EU member state, Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein, and Switzerland.

Besides the EU/EEA, Ireland holds agreements with other countries that allow Irish citizens to travel without visas.

Primary and secondary school education is free for all children residing in Ireland, regardless of their citizenship status.

Higher Education (including university) can be free to you if you qualify for the Free Fees Initiative.

To be eligible, you must have permission to reside in Ireland and be a citizen of an EU or EEA member state or a Swiss citizen.
You must also show that you:

• Are attending an undergraduate course for the first time
• Are studying full-time and the course lasts for at least two years
• Have lived in an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland for at least three out of the previous five years

As an Irish citizen, you are entitled to study in other EU countries, many of which offer free higher education.

Irish citizens have the right to vote in both Irish and European elections, including general elections, local elections, presidential elections and referendums. This right is not extended to all Irish residents – non-EU citizens can only vote in local elections.

You are able to exercise your democratic right and have a say in how the country is run.

Irish citizens are also allowed to be elected to government in Ireland and the European Union.

The Global Travel Freedom offered by an Irish passport is one of its most significant advantages. Ranked among the top 5 most powerful passports in the world, it grants holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 190 countries. This includes major destinations such as the United States, Canada (with an Electronic Travel Authorization), the entire Schengen Area in Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and most countries across Latin America. Such extensive travel freedom allows Irish citizens to explore, work, or conduct business internationally with minimal bureaucratic barriers.

Ireland permits citizens to hold multiple citizenships. Meaning if you obtain Irish citizenship, you do not necessarily have to renounce your citizenship of another country.

Some countries forbid dual nationality, such as Japan, China and India. If you are a citizen of one of these countries and want to have an Irish passport, you will have to renounce your citizenship.

Different circumstances allow people to obtain Irish citizenship, whether it is by birth, Irish ancestry or naturalisation.

You are entitled to claim Irish citizenship if any one of the following applies:

• You were born in Ireland or Northern Ireland before 1 January 2005
• You were born in Ireland or Northern Ireland after December 2004 and any of the following applies to you
  • One (or both) of your parents was Irish or entitled to be an Irish citizen or a British citizen at the time of your birth
  • One (or both) of your parents was an Irish or British citizen and died before you were born
  • One (or both) of your parents was entitled to live in Ireland or Northern Ireland without any restriction on his or her period of residency
  • One (or both) of your parents was legally resident on the island of Ireland for 3 out of the 4 years immediately before your birth
• You were born abroad and any one of the following applies to you
  • One (or both of your parents) was born in Ireland and was entitled to Irish citizenship
  • Your grandparent was born in Ireland and you have entered your birth on the Foreign Births Register
  • At the time of your birth, your parent had become an Irish citizen by registering with the Foreign Births Register or by naturalisation.
• You were born in Ireland and are not entitled to be a citizen of any other country.

If you are not entitled to citizenship by birth or Irish descent you can apply to become an Irish citizen by naturalisation. Your time of legal residence does not include time spent on a student visa or time spent while waiting for a decision on International Protection. In addition, you must be of good character.

You can apply if:

• You have 5 years’ reckonable residence (legal residence) in the 9-year period ending on the day before your application and
  • You have resided in Ireland legally for the 12-month period before your application and are over 18
• You received a declaration as a refugee from the Minister of Justice and
  • You have lived legally in Ireland for 3 years ending on the day of your application
  • You have resided in Ireland legally for the 12-month period before your application and are over 18
• You are applying on behalf of your child if they are not entitled to citizenship by birth if:
  • Both you and the child has lived in Ireland legally for 5 out of the 9 years ending on the day of your application
  • Both you and your child have resided in Ireland legally for the 12-month period before your application
  • You have become a naturalised Irish citizen and your child has resident in Ireland for at least 3 years before your application
• You are married to or a civil partner of an Irish citizen and
  • You have lived in Ireland legally for 3 out of the 5 years before the day of your application
  • You have resided in Ireland legally for the 12-month period before your application
  • You have been married and living together for 3 years