Irish nationality law

Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956
Oireachtas
Long title An Act to make provision for the acquisition and loss of Irish nationality and citizenship.
Citation	No. 26 of 1956
Territorial extent	Republic of Ireland Northern Ireland
Enacted by	Dáil Éireann
Enacted	11 July 1956 (with amendments from the Seanad)[1]
Enacted by	Seanad Éireann
Enacted	5 July 1956[2]
Commenced	17 July 1956
Administered by	Department of Justice[3]
Legislative history
First chamber: Dáil Éireann
Bill title	Irish Nationality and Citizenship Bill, 1955
Introduced by	James Everett, Minister for Justice[4]
First reading	13 July 1955[4]
Second reading	29 February 1956[5]
Third reading	10 April 1956[6]
Second chamber: Seanad Éireann
Bill title	Irish Nationality and Citizenship Bill, 1955
Second reading	16 May 1956[7]
Third reading	5 July 1956[2]
Repeals
Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1935
Status: Amended

The primary law governing nationality of Ireland is the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, which came into force on 17 July 1956. Ireland is a member state of the European Union (EU), and all Irish nationals are EU citizens. They are entitled to free movement rights in EU and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, and may vote in elections to the European Parliament. Irish citizens also have the right to live, work, and enter and exit the United Kingdom freely, and are the only EU citizens permitted to do this due to the common travel area between the UK and Ireland.

All persons born in the Republic before 1 January 2005 are automatically citizens by birth regardless of the nationalities of their parents. Individuals born in the country since that date receive Irish citizenship at birth if at least one of their parents is an Irish citizen or entitled to be one, a British citizen, a resident with no time limit of stay in either the Republic or Northern Ireland, or a resident who has been domiciled on the island of Ireland for at least three of the preceding four years. Persons born in Northern Ireland are usually entitled to – but not automatically granted – Irish citizenship, largely under the same terms. Foreign nationals may become Irish citizens by naturalisation after meeting a minimum residence requirement, usually five years. The president of Ireland may also grant honorary citizenship, which entails the same rights and duties as normal citizenship, although this is rare.

Ireland as a whole was previously part of the United Kingdom and Irish people were British subjects. After most of Ireland's independence as the Irish Free State in 1922 and departure from the Commonwealth of Nations in 1949, Irish citizens no longer hold British nationality. However, they continue to have favoured status in the United Kingdom and are largely exempt from British immigration law, eligible to vote in UK elections, and able to stand for public office there.