What Irish citizenship by descent costs — and how long it takes in 2026
Government fees, realistic timelines, and what an Irish passport actually unlocks. A straight breakdown of the Foreign Births Register process for Americans.
No marketing numbers — here's what the Irish citizenship-by-descent process actually costs and how long it takes, based on the rules as they stand in 2026.
Government fees
The Department of Foreign Affairs charges a fixed fee to enter a birth in the Foreign Births Register (FBR):
| Applicant | Fee |
|---|---|
| Adult (18+) | €278 |
| Child (under 18) | €153 |
After you're registered, an Irish passport is a separate fee (currently around €80 for a first adult passport online, plus postage outside Ireland). These are the government's charges — they're the same whoever prepares your file.
How long it takes
From a complete application, the Foreign Births Register currently runs about 12 months, sometimes longer for a complex line. Two things move that number:
- Document gaps. The clock effectively starts when your file is complete. Missing an Irish civil record or a U.S. marriage certificate is the most common delay — so the real timeline is "time to assemble the chain" plus "time in the queue."
- The queue itself. Processing times have swung over the years with demand. We quote the current realistic range, not a best case.
What an Irish passport unlocks
An Irish passport is an EU passport. That means the right to live, work, study, and retire in any of the 27 EU countries — no visa, no sponsorship. Your children, once they inherit the citizenship, get the same. And Ireland allows dual citizenship with no restriction, so you keep your U.S. citizenship.
What we charge — and why it's flat
We work on a flat fee agreed up front, before any work begins. It depends on the number of applicants, how complex your line is, and which records we have to procure — including any Irish civil-record searches when a birth or marriage is hard to locate. You'll have a clear price for the whole process before you commit to anything.
The honest part
If your line doesn't qualify — a great-grandparent with no registered parent before your birth, or a connection too distant to carry — we'll tell you before you spend a euro. Start with a free assessment and we'll read your case against the law.
Information current as of June 2026. We update this guidance when the rules change.
See where your family line stands
Reading the law is one thing; reading yourcase against it is another. Send us a few facts about your Irish ancestor and we'll tell you which route fits — consular, judicial, or neither — within two business days.
Check my case →Irish citizenship through a grandparent: who qualifies in 2026
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