Dual citizenship

amazingemmet

My dad was born in co tyrone during the 50's my granny is also welsh. I'm born in the republic.

Does anyone know if I'm entitled to english citizenship?

mods please move if there's am more suitable forum

Mike 1972

In all probability you are entitled to UK (British) citizenship because your Father and Grandmother were born in the UK.

In all probability you are also entitled to to Irish citizenship because your Father was born on the Island of Ireland and you yourself were born in the Republic.

No such thing as "English" citizenship.

ztoical

As said it would be UK citizenship but what use would it be to you? Both Ireland and the UK are part of the EU so most rights as a citizen would be the same in both countries [you can live and work in the uk same as living and working in Ireland, germany, france etc etc] as would travel to most countries [few commonwealth countries maybe different]

amazingemmet

Thanks for clearing that up

Mike 1972

ztoical wrote: »

As said it would be UK citizenship but what use would it be to you? Both Ireland and the UK are part of the EU so most rights as a citizen would be the same in both countries [you can live and work in the uk same as living and working in Ireland, germany, france etc etc] as would travel to most countries [few commonwealth countries maybe different]

Certain jobs in the UK (mostly in the security services) are only open to British citizens. (Dont know if the same situation pertains in relation to Irish counterparts)

There may be other benefits in having a choice between having an UK and/or Irish passport as well such as.

Being able to go for whichever is cheapest at a particular time,

Being able to travel to mutually hostile countries e.g. travel to Israel on one Passport and subsequently use the other passport for travelling to those Arab countries which still dont admit travellers with Israeli stamps on their passports.

Being able to travel to countries where there may be a lot of hostility towards citizens of one or other country at any particular time.

And practical considerations aside there are a lot people out there who rightly or wrongly will feel a strong sense of ethnic, cultural and/or ideological identification with one country over another !

Ickle Magoo

There is no such thing as English citizenship. With grandparents from Ireland and the UK, you can carry both passports and be considered a citizen of both. Most things depend on residency now but the odd thing like referendums, becoming a TD/MP, etc can depend of having citizenship...

Riskymove

ztoical wrote: »

but what use would it be to you? Both Ireland and the UK are part of the EU so most rights as a citizen would be the same in both countries

can be handy for Australia/Canada

ztoical

Riskymove wrote: »

can be handy for Australia/Canada

both commonwealth countries which I said there can be some differences.

LegacyUser

Some other advantages of dual citizenship that haven't been listed are:

- occasionally saving money on visa fees (they are not always the same for UK and Irish passport holders)

- a better range of consulates if you are in trouble abroad

- an alternative passport to travel on while one is being sent off for renewal or is with an embassy for a visa application.

TheNibbler

Does anyone know if it's possible to get British citizenship if a parent was born in Northern Ireland? My Dad was born there but he only has an Irish passport. Am living in the UK at the moment and some postgrad funding opportunities are limited to British citizens.

Ickle Magoo

I would think so, NI is part of the United Kingdom, you have a parent from NI you should be able to get a british passport.

How to tell if you are a British citizen

If you were born before 1 January 1983

On 1 January 1983, anyone who was a citizen of the UK and Colonies on 31 December 1982, and had the 'right of abode' in the UK, became a British citizen.

'Right of abode' means you are entirely free from UK Immigration Control and don’t need to get permission from an Immigration Officer to enter the UK and can live and work in the UK without restriction.

This includes people who:
were born in the UK
were born in a British colony and had the right of abode in the UK
have been naturalised in the UK
had registered as a citizen of the UK and Colonies
could prove legitimate descent from a father to whom one of these applies

People who had the right to live in the UK but not the 'right of abode' did not become British citizens.

If you were born after 31 December 1982

Being born in the UK does not automatically give you British citizenship.

If you were born after 31 December 1982, you will be a British citizen if either your mother or father* was a British citizen or was 'settled' in the UK when you were born.

In most cases you will be a British citizen if your mother or father* was born or naturalised in the UK.

There are other situations in which a mother or father’s* British nationality can pass to their children born abroad. Please call the Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000 if you think this may apply to you.

*A note on fathers

Until July 2006, unmarried British fathers could not pass on their British nationality.

If you were born before then, your father’s British nationality will pass to you only if he was married to your mother. It does not matter if they were married before or after you were born.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/WhoiseligibleforaBritishpassport/DG_174145

Mike 1972

Donkey Oatey wrote: »

a better range of consulates if you are in trouble abroad.

Is there not some reciporical agreement between Ireland the UK wherby Irish citizens visiting countries with no Irish consulate can use the UK one and vice versa ???

In fact I think there may be a similar EU-wide arrangment as well ?