Certificate of Naturalisation Ireland
If you successfully obtain Irish citizenship by naturalisation, you will be granted a certificate of naturalisation. This allows you to verify your citizenship status and to apply for an Irish passport.
However, understanding the numerous immigration rules which you need to satisfy in order to become an Irish citizen can be difficult. At IAS, we can assist you with the entire process, helping to ensure that your application runs as smoothly as possible. Contact us today on +353 (0)61 518 025 to learn more.
Page Contents
- What is a certificate of naturalisation in Ireland?
- How to get a naturalisation certificate in Ireland?
- Eligibility criteria to get Irish naturalisation certificate
- How much does it cost to get a certificate of naturalisation in Ireland?
- What happens after you get a naturalisation certificate in Ireland?
- What if I lost my Irish naturalisation certificate?
- How to get a copy of a naturalisation certificate?
- Where do you find your Naturalisation certificate number?
- What is the difference between a certificate of naturalisation and citizenship in Ireland?
- How can IAS help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is a certificate of naturalisation in Ireland?
Irish citizenship via naturalisation allows you to obtain citizenship of Ireland after moving there or after gaining Irish associations through marrying an Irish citizen. There are 2 main routes to Irish citizenship via naturalisation:
- You are a foreign national legally resident in Ireland who has been living in the country for at least 5 years
- Note that, if you have refugee status, the residency requirement reduces to 3 years
- You are married to (or have entered into a civil partnership with) an Irish citizen
The eligibility criteria vary between the two main paths, as will be discussed in more detail later in the article.
If you are under 18 at the time of application, a legal guardian will need to apply on your behalf.
In the event that you successfully gain Irish citizenship status, you will be granted a certificate of naturalisation. This acts as evidence of your Irish citizenship status and allows you to apply for an Irish passport.
Note that the path to Irish citizenship is different if you have Irish ancestors and are applying for nationality via Irish descent. In this case, you can claim Irish citizenship by applying to be added to the Foreign Births Register.
How to get a naturalisation certificate in Ireland?
In order to get a naturalisation certificate in Ireland, you must first apply for Irish nationality.
The steps of applying for Irish nationality are as follows:
Step 1: Firstly, you will need to check that you satisfy the minimum eligibility criteria and that you have sufficient evidence to demonstrate your eligibility for Irish citizenship.
Step 2: Next, you will need to submit an online application form, via the Irish government website. Make sure to upload all of the required documentation as part of this process.
Step 3: Make sure to pay the application fee. This costs €175 and will need to be paid before your application can be processed.
Step 4: Wait for a response while your application is processed by the Minister for Justice. This will generally take about 12 months, though exact waiting times vary depending on how many other applications are also being processed.
Step 5: If you successfully obtain Irish citizenship, you will be invited to a citizenship ceremony, where you will be expected to declare your fealty to Ireland.
Once you have received citizenship status and attended your citizenship ceremony, you can then expect to receive your certificate of naturalisation. This will generally arrive, by post, a few weeks after your citizenship ceremony.
Eligibility criteria to get Irish naturalisation certificate
The eligibility criteria which you must satisfy in order to obtain a naturalisation certificate will depend on your particular route to citizenship. The criteria for the different routes are as follows:
Adult who has legally lived in Ireland for at least 5 years
If you are applying for Irish citizenship on the basis of having lived in Ireland for at least 5 years, you will need to satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have valid passport
- Satisfy the minimum residence criteria:
- Have lived continuously in Ireland for one year before submitting your citizenship application, having spent (in most cases) no more than 70 days outside of the country
- Have lived in Ireland for at least 4 of the 8 years prior to the above one year of residency
- Have proof of residency within Ireland for each of the years which contribute to your total residency period
- Plan to live in Ireland after obtaining Irish citizenship
- If successful, be willing to attend an Irish citizenship ceremony and declare fealty to Ireland
- Satisfy Ireland’s good character requirements
Make sure that you satisfy all of the necessary criteria before submitting your application for Irish citizenship.
Married to or in civil partnership with Irish citizen
If you are applying for Irish citizenship on the basis of being married to or in a civil partnership with an Irish citizen, you will need to satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have a valid passport
- Have been married to (or in a civil partnership with) an Irish citizen for at least 3 years. You will be expected to demonstrate that your marriage is genuine and ongoing
- You and your spouse must live together
- You must have lived legally in Ireland for at least 3 of the last 5 years, with (in most cases) no more than 70 days per year spent outside of the country. One of these 3 years must be the year immediately prior to your citizenship application
- Have proof of residency within Ireland for each of the years which contribute to your total residency period
- Plan to live in Ireland after obtaining Irish citizenship
- If successful, be willing to attend an Irish citizenship ceremony and declare fealty to Ireland
- Satisfy Ireland’s good character requirements
In order to maximise your chances of a successful application, it is important to ensure you satisfy all the criteria before submitting your application for citizenship.
Refugee Status under the International Protection Act 2015
If you have refugee status under the International Protection Act 2015, the eligibility criteria which you must satisfy are slightly different, and are as follows:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have lived in Ireland for at least the last 3 years, and have proof of your Irish residency during this period
- Have a declaration that you are a refugee from Ireland’s Minister for Justice
- Have valid proof of identity
- The Irish government makes special ID provisions for refugees, as not all individuals with refugee status have access to a passport. Instead, citizenship applicants with refugee status can submit a certified copy of any travel documents issued by Ireland, a letter confirming their refugee status, and an affidavit containing the following information: full name, date of birth, reason that a passport cannot be provided, and the circumstances of their arrival in Ireland
Overall, the main differences for those with refugee status are a lower minimum period of residency and different ID requirements.
How much does it cost to get a certificate of naturalisation in Ireland?
Before receiving your naturalisation certificate, you will first need to pay a fee. Exact fee amounts vary depending on the type of applicant and are as follows:
| Applicant | Cost |
| Adult | €950 |
| Minor | €200 |
| Widow, Widower, or Surviving Civil Partner of Irish Citizen | €200 |
| Recognised Refugee or Stateless Person | €0 |
For more information on the costs associated with applying for Irish citizenship, contact IAS today on +353 (0)61 518 025.
What happens after you get a naturalisation certificate in Ireland?
In most cases, you will receive your naturalisation certificate after attending your citizenship ceremony. It will be sent to you by post and generally arrives a few weeks after the ceremony has taken place.
Once you receive your certificate, you will then be able to apply for an Irish passport. You can do so online via the Irish government website. Waiting times for the passport’s arrival vary depending on the number of applications being processed but are generally around 3 weeks for first-time applicants.
What if I lost my Irish naturalisation certificate?
In some cases, naturalised Irish citizens may lose their naturalisation certificate.
In the event that this happens, you will not be granted a replacement certificate. Instead, you must complete a ‘questionnaire for the purpose of issuing a statement to the effect that a person has been granted Irish citizenship’ and send it to the following address:
Citizenship Division
Immigration Service Delivery
Department of Justice Rosanna Road
Tipperary Town E34 N566
While you will not be issued with a replacement certificate, you will instead be issued with a statement confirming your Irish citizenship.
In general, it is best to take particular care not to lose your certificate given that the certificate itself cannot be replaced.
How to get a copy of a naturalisation certificate?
While only one naturalisation certificate will be granted by the Irish government, you can submit a ‘questionnaire for the purpose of issuing a statement to the effect that a person has been granted Irish citizenship’ to receive an additional document confirming that you are an Irish citizen.
You should submit this questionnaire to the following address:
Citizenship Division
Immigration Service Delivery
Department of Justice Rosanna Road
Tipperary Town E34 N566
Once you have received the additional document, you can then use this as proof of citizenship.
Where do you find your Naturalisation certificate number?
Your naturalisation certificate number can be found on your certificate of naturalisation, at the top of the certificate.
You will generally be asked to provide this number when proving your Irish citizenship status or when applying for a passport.
What is the difference between a certificate of naturalisation and citizenship in Ireland?
While there is some overlap between Irish citizenship and an Irish certificate of naturalisation, they refer to different things.
Irish citizenship is an official status which allows you to access certain privileges, such as the ability to live and work indefinitely in Ireland, to participate in Ireland’s elections, and to obtain an Irish passport. A certificate of naturalisation, on the other hand, is the official document which you receive upon obtaining Irish citizenship status. It can be used as evidence that you are an Irish citizen who is entitled to the benefits of Irish citizenship.
A certificate of naturalisation is also a different thing to an Irish passport. A certificate of naturalisation, unlike a passport, is not a travel document. However, you can use your certificate of naturalisation in order to obtain an Irish passport, which can then be used for overseas travel.
How can IAS help?
Irish citizenship comes with a number of advantages and is a route which many who move to Ireland eventually pursue. If you are successful at acquiring Irish citizenship, you will receive a certificate of naturalisation as proof of your citizenship status. This will allow you to unlock the benefits of Irish citizenship and to apply for an Irish passport.
However, for many Irish citizenship applicants, the numerous immigration rules and requirements can be confusing to navigate. As such, getting to the stage of receiving your naturalisation certificate can often be difficult. At IAS, our legal experts are adept at providing advice on cases exactly like this. Contact us today on +353 (0)61 518 025 to receive bespoke immigration advice and to learn more about our full range of services. We can help ensure that your Irish citizenship application runs as smoothly as possible.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change, and the information may not reflect the most current legal developments. No warranty is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information, and we do not accept liability in such cases. We recommend consulting with a qualified lawyer at Immigration Advice Service before making any decisions based on the content provided.
Last modified on November 7th, 2025 at 12:27 pm
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Frequently Asked Questions
Language proficiency is not one of the eligibility criteria for Irish citizenship. As such, applicants will not need to meet a certain language threshold in either English or Irish in order to become an Irish citizen. While speaking English or Irish will support your integration into Irish society, it is not a condition of becoming an Irish citizen.
Ireland does allow dual citizenship, meaning that it allows its citizens to also have citizenship of other countries. This means that, provided your other countries of citizenship also allow dual citizenship, you can apply for Irish naturalisation when holding citizenship of another country.
So too, if you are an Irish citizen looking to obtain citizenship of an additional country, you can retain your Irish citizenship after obtaining citizenship of the additional country.
Yes, in certain circumstances, exceptions are sometimes made to the Irish residency requirements. More specifically, while you cannot generally spend more than 70 days outside of Ireland during any one year of your minimum residency period, you may be allowed an extra 30 days of absence from the country in exceptional circumstances (e,g, if natural disaster or serious illness prevents you from returning to Ireland as planned). However, this is down to the discretion of the Minister for Justice and may not ultimately be granted. As such, it is best to err on the side of caution where possible.
Overall, it is important to minimise your time outside of the country when working towards Irish citizenship.
There are numerous reasons why a naturalisation application may be rejected. In many cases, it will be because of failure to satisfy the eligibility criteria, or failure to provide sufficient evidence that you satisfy them. For instance, if you cannot provide sufficient evidence that you were a continuous resident of Ireland for the minimum necessary period, it’s likely that your application will be rejected. Alternatively, if you are applying on the basis of marriage to an Irish citizen but are unable to prove that your marriage is genuine and ongoing then this would also lead to an unsuccessful application.
In order to minimise the chances of an unsuccessful application, make sure that you satisfy the minimum eligibility criteria and that you have sufficient evidence of your eligibility before applying.
