Embassy of Ireland South Africa

Persons born in Ireland are normally Irish citizens. This is also true of persons born abroad of an Irish born parent. Persons born abroad whose parents were also born abroad but who have an Irish-born grandparent may become Irish citizens but they must do so through Foreign Birth Registration (FBR).

Please note that unless one or more of the lines of descent has acquired Irish citizenship in some other way (eg. though birth in Ireland or marriage to an Irish citizen or naturalisation), citizenship cannot be acquired through a great grandparent born in Ireland when all descendants have been born outside Ireland. Thus, children claiming Irish citizenship through an Irish born great-grandparent are not eligible for Irish citizenship. (SEE NB BELOW)

The following original documents are required - no photocopies will be accepted.

The applicant's long birth certificate showing full details of parents. If born in South Africa, please supply the vault copy or "unabridged" computerised copy* of your birth certificate.
If the applicant is married and female, your original long form marriage certificate. If married in South Africa, the vault copy or "unabridged" computerised copy of your marriage certificate.
A photocopy of applicant's current South African passport or Identity Document.
The long form birth certificate of the parent, through whom Irish citizenship is derived, showing full details of the Irish born grandparent. If that parent was born in South Africa, please supply the vault copy or "unabridged" computerised copy of the birth certificate.
Your parent's long form civil marriage certificate. If married in South African, the vault copy or "unabridged" computerised copy of the marriage certificate should be supplied.
A copy of the current Irish or South African passport of the applicant's parent. If your parent is deceased, we require the vault copy or "unabridged" computerised copy of the South African death certificate.
Your Irish-born grandparent's long form birth certificate showing parents' details.
Your grandparent's long form marriage certificate. If they were married in South Africa, the vault copy or "unabridged" computerised copy is required.
If your grandparent is alive, we require a photocopy of his/her current Irish or South African passport.
Should the applicant's parent have a Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) certificate (Irish citizenship), this document should be submitted along with the vault copy or "unabridged" computerised copy of the applicant's birth and the parent's birth and marriage certificates.

NB. If you became an Irish citizen prior to any of your children being born it can carry on to them. If you obtained Irish citizenship through FBR before / on the 30th of June 1986, your children may apply.

NOTE: A photocopy of each of the above certificates applicable to your application must also be submitted.

Please note: Up to next October, applications that include the endorsement of children at time of issue will be processed as normal. However, in the meantime, we would recommend that parents obtain individual passports for their children, irrespective of age, especially if there is a possibility that they may be travelling to the US in the future.

Additionally, from 26 October 2004, everyone, irrespective of age, will require a bar coded passport to be able to enter the United States without a visa. A visa will be required on a handwritten passport. Please note that only bar-coded passports will be issued. Please note that only the original APS2E form will be accepted.

Fees will be accepted only in South African Rand. All bank drafts must be made payable to Embassy of Ireland, Pretoria.

**A vault copy or "unabridged" computerised copy is a photocopy of the original entry in the Register book held by the Department of Home Affairs. A vault copy will carry on it two pink stamps of the Department. One is the date stamp and the other states "certified a true copy of the original".

Irish certificates may be obtained from: The General Register Office, Joyce House, 11 Lombard Street East, Dublin 2. For more detailed information please visit the following website: www.groireland.ie

To obtain a Foreign Birth Registration Form you should download the below form and print.

To download the application form in pdf format please note : There are some minimum requirements needed before you will be able to view PDF attachments: