How Much Does Irish Citizenship by Descent Cost?

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Irish citizenship by descent cost in total?

A typical three-generation Irish FBR applicant should budget $389 to $535 USD in total, with a typical estimate of $484. The range is narrow because the €278 adult fee (about $325 USD at current rates) is over half the bill and is fixed. Ireland charges a lower €153 fee for minors. Because English documents do not need translation and the DFAT does not ask for apostilles at all, the total is well below what Italian applications cost.

Is the FBR fee per person or per family?

The €278 adult and €153 minor fees are per person. If you and your sibling are both applying through the same grandparent, each of you files a separate FBR application and pays the appropriate fee. Minors need their own application — they cannot be added to a parent's application the way a minor child can sometimes be added in other systems.

Do I need a witness? Does that cost money?

Yes — Irish FBR applications require a witness to sign specific parts of your application. Two conditions apply together, and the second is the one people miss: the witness must be one of the professionals on the DFAT's published list, currently practising in their profession (the list is quoted in full under "The Witness Requirement" on this page), AND the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade requires that they be personally known to you and not a relation. A notary who has never met you does not satisfy the rule, so line up the witness before you print the form. If you use a notary you already know, the fee is capped by state statute — $2 in New York, $5 in Pennsylvania and Illinois, $10 in Florida and Texas, $15 in California — and the highest cap found in any state is $25. The calculator shows this as a $0–$25 range. Note this is not an Irish government fee at all: the witness is a private professional, and Ireland prescribes no charge for the role.

Do I need apostilles on my documents?

Almost certainly not. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's published FBR requirements do not mention apostilles, legalisation or authentication anywhere — what they ask for is original civil records, and where a copy is acceptable, certification by the same witness who signs your application form. So unlike an Italian application, where every non-Italian document needs an apostille without exception, an Irish FBR application should cost you nothing in apostille fees. Budget for one only if your case officer specifically asks for legalisation; if that happens, expect your state's apostille fee, roughly $2 to $25 per document. Irish-origin documents never need one.

How long does an Irish FBR application take?

What the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade publishes about how long Foreign Birth Registration takes is quoted on our page “Irish Citizenship Processing Times”.

Can I apply without a lawyer?

Yes. FBR is an administrative process — you submit your application online at fbr.dfa.ie, print and sign in front of a witness, and mail the signed documents with supporting evidence to the address printed on your form. There is no legal proceeding, no interview, and no court involvement, and nothing in the process requires representation. We do not say how many people file without help: nobody publishes that, and the share who use a solicitor is not something the Department reports.

What isn't included in this estimate?

The calculator does not include: the Irish passport itself (applied for separately after FBR is approved), travel to Ireland if you choose to handle any part in-country, document correction fees for errors on old vital records, courier fees for mailing your application to the address printed on your form (price this at the carrier's own rate calculator — it depends on weight, service and destination, and we publish no figure for it), or any professional fees if you hire help.