Both the United States and Ireland allow for dual citizenship. A benefit of dual Irish-American citizenship is the right to live and work throughout the European Union, the United States and all her outlying territories. There are four ways to obtain dual Irish-American citizenship -- birth in Ireland to an American parent, birth in the U.S. to an Irish parent, an American naturalizing in Ireland and an Irish citizen naturalizing in the U.S. Each avenue to dual Irish-American citizenship requires action through different processes.
Birth in Ireland to an American Parent
Step 1
Take up physical residence in Ireland. Be present there for three of the four years preceding the birth of the dual Irish-American citizen.
Step 2
Obtain the Irish birth certificate of the child. The American parent must be a United States citizen at the time of the birth and must have had a physical residence inside the United States for five years. Two of those five years must have taken place after the parents 14th birthday.
Step 3
Visit the U.S. State Department's website and search the database for the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Gather proof of the American citizenship of the parent and proof the parent fulfilled the residency requirement. Documents may include a passport and U.S. tax forms.
Step 4
Register the birth abroad with the U.S. embassy or consulate. The embassy or consulate will register the birth certificate which then can be used to prove both American and Irish citizenship for the child.
Irish Citizen Naturalizing in the U.S.
Step 1
File for a green card with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The application must be made by sponsor inside the United States who is either a family member or a prospective employer. Family members who qualify include your brother, sister, parent, spouse or child who is either an American citizen or permanent resident.
Step 2
Visit the Citizenship and Immigrations Services website and print out the appropriate petition for a green card -- form I-130 through family or form I-140 through an employer. Gather the required documents which may include birth certificates, marriage certificates and proof of employment. Have the sponsor mail the application to the appropriate facility with payment for the appropriate filing fee in the form of a U.S. Postal money order for the Department of Homeland Security.
Step 3
Take any required interviews or biometrics exams to receive your green card. Move to the United States and live there for the appropriate amount of time. Generally the residency requirement is five years.
Step 4
File form N-400, Application for naturalization with the Citizenship and Immigration Services after the appropriate amount of time. Take an English proficiency exam, citizenship test and an oath to the United States to receive your dual Irish-American citizenship.
Birth in the U.S. to an Irish Parent
Step 1
Obtain the child's birth certificate. The U.S. birth certificate automatically grants the child U.S. citizenship.
Step 2
Register the birth with Ireland's Foreign Births Register. Visit Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs website and search the database for the nearest embassy, consulate or mission. Contact the embassy, consulate or mission to request an application for the Foreign Births Register.
Step 3
Gather all required documents including birth certificates, marriage licenses and proof of the parent's Irish citizenship. Apply the registration with the nearest Irish embassy, consulate or mission to grant the child Irish citizenship by descent.
American Naturalizing in Ireland
Step 1
Obtain permanent residency with the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland. Visit the agency's website and print out the application. Permanent residency requires unique work skills or the sponsorship of a family member or employer in Ireland.
Step 2
Fill out the application in blue or black ink. Include any required documents which may include proof or employment, proof of family relationship to the sponsor and proof of unique work skills. Unique work skills are categorized as a special skill that will benefit Ireland including professional sports or modeling.
Step 3
Mail the application to the Department of Foreign affairs to receive your permanent residency. Move to Ireland and live there for a period of five years. You must be present in the country for five years cumulatively.
Step 4
Visit Ireland's Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform's website and print out the appropriate naturalization form. Fill out the form and sign it in front of the appropriate government official to be listed as a witness. A list of appropriate government officials is on the application.
Step 5
Send the naturalization form and all its required documents to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Required documents include passport, proof of legal residence and proof of physical presence inside of Ireland. Receive the approval through the mail, take an oath in front of a judge and pay the required naturalization fee with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
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Writer Bio
Christopher Michael began writing in 2010 for Break.com. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Writing sports and travel articles helps support his professional baseball career, which has taken him to 49 states, five continents and four oceans.