citizenship

embereve

The electoral register form came in my door and as my eldest son is 18 in a few weeks time I want to register him to vote. However I don't know what citizenship he holds! Let me explain - he was born in Saudi Arabia to me (Irish) & British dad. My son was not entitled to any citizenship of Saudi as at least one parent must be a Saudi national. It was easier to register his birth at the British Consulate - so he has a British birth cert & passport. He has lived here since he was 3. The man at the local council referred me to office of immigration where I was told they didn't know the answer but that my son could apply for Irish citizenship - for a total fee of more than €1000!! As he doesn't particularly want this for his 18th birthday present (he'd far prefer to learn to drive) I wonder if there's anything else I can do? My husband can vote in General Elections but not in local elections or referenda - despite him working hard and paying all his taxes etc. And I wonder in the future what citizenship can my son pass onto his children? He has never lived in the UK. He can't be the only one in this position - any ideas?? Thanks!

embereve

The electoral register form came in my door and as my eldest son is 18 in a few weeks time I want to register him to vote. However I don't know what citizenship he holds! Let me explain - he was born in Saudi Arabia to me (Irish) & British dad. My son was not entitled to any citizenship of Saudi as at least one parent must be a Saudi national. It was easier to register his birth at the British Consulate - so he has a British birth cert & passport. He has lived here since he was 3. The man at the local council referred me to office of immigration where I was told they didn't know the answer but that my son could apply for Irish citizenship - for a total fee of more than €1000!! As he doesn't particularly want this for his 18th birthday present (he'd far prefer to learn to drive) I wonder if there's anything else I can do? My husband can vote in General Elections but not in local elections or referenda - despite him working hard and paying all his taxes etc. And I wonder in the future what citizenship can my son pass onto his children? He has never lived in the UK. He can't be the only one in this position - any ideas?? Thanks!

dermot_sheehan

The child of an irish citizen is an irish citizen.

Apply for an irish passport as proof, birth certificate, his father's birth certificate and marriage certificate are required for the application.

slimjimmc

Looks clear cut to me but I could easily be wrong.
Assuming you were born on the island of Ireland (Ireland or N.I.) your son is automatically an Irish citizen through descent (i.e. you) regardless of his place of birth, and there is no need to record his foreign birth in the Foreign Births Register.

PS as a UK citizen, your hubby can vote in Dáil, European and local elections (working hard and taxes has got nothing to do with it). If he wants to vote in referenda he should become an naturalised Irish citizen.

Carawaystick

slimjimmc wrote: »

PS as a UK citizen, your hubby can vote in ....
If he wants to vote in referenda he should become an naturalised Irish citizen.

and in presidential elections

Victor

embereve wrote: »

My husband can vote in General Elections but not in local elections or referenda - despite him working hard and paying all his taxes etc.

Assuming your husband is British, he is entitled to vote in local elections.

If he isn't an Irish citizen, why do you think he should be entitled to vote in referenda?

blubloblu

dermot_sheehan wrote: »

The child of an irish citizen is an irish citizen.

Apply for an irish passport as proof, birth certificate, his father's birth certificate and marriage certificate are required for the application.

How did the immigration office not tell the OP this?

Rascasse

As has been said he is Irish. See the table on here (he is C assuming you were born in Ireland).

He just needs to apply for the passport like anyone else but will need to tick the born abroad box and supply your birth and marrige cert (Fathers birth cert is irrelevent).

Simple

embereve

Victor wrote: »

Assuming your husband is British, he is entitled to vote in local elections.

If he isn't an Irish citizen, why do you think he should be entitled to vote in referenda?

Hang on, I never said he should be entitled to vote in referenda - I simply stated that he couldn't.

Victor

That hardly agrees with

embereve wrote: »

despite him working hard and paying all his taxes etc.