Yes. If a grandparent was born on the island of Ireland, you can apply to the Foreign Births Register, and once you are registered you are an Irish citizen. Irish citizens can live in Ireland without any conditions.
Watch: 7 Legal Ways to Move to Ireland from the USA
The video starts at the part that answers this question. For the whole picture, read 7 Legal Ways to Move to Ireland from the USA (2026).
Subscribe to Love Ireland on YouTube for a new plain-English guide to Ireland every week. The full video is on YouTube: 7 Legal Ways to Move to Ireland from the USA (2026).
Parent or grandparent?
The two cases work differently:
- A parent born on the island of Ireland. You are already an Irish citizen, and you can apply for a passport.
- A grandparent born on the island of Ireland. You apply to the Foreign Births Register first.
What it costs and how long it takes
Registration costs €278 for an adult and takes about 12 months.
The catch
It stops at grandparents. A great-grandparent is usually not enough.
Your citizenship also starts on the day you register, so children born before that day do not get it through you.
For every step of the application, read our guide to the Irish passport grandparent rule.
Rules and fees change, so check the official pages before you apply.
General information, not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Facts checked against official Irish government pages on October 12, 2026.
Official sources
- Department of Foreign Affairs: Registering a Foreign Birth
- Citizens Information: Irish Citizenship Through Birth or Descent
- Citizens Information: Retiring to Ireland
Subscribe to Love Ireland on YouTube for a new plain-English guide to Ireland every week. The full video is on YouTube: 7 Legal Ways to Move to Ireland from the USA (2026).
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