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Entering Ireland as an Irish citizen on foreign ID card

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  • 24-02-2021 8:31am
    #1
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,018 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi all,
    I've tried googling and searching the DFA website without any luck.

    I've recently taken on German citizenship in addition to my own Irish one.

    My plan was to keep renewing my Irish passport book but stop renewing the card as I am legally obliged to own German ID (either passport or national ID card) anyway. An Irish passport is - as good as makes no difference - as "strong" as a German one these days so there's no argument in favour of not maintaining my Irish passport and in fact I suspect it's a safer passport to travel on in certain countries.

    I got used to the passport card just sitting in the wallet and not needing my book when visiting anywhere in the EU including home.

    I'll have a German ID card in my wallet at all times in the future however so I'm wondering can I enter Ireland on this card rather than showing an Irish passport? It's international custom that you enter (and leave if applicable) your own country using the passport of that country but is it set in stone. Is it a legal requirement?

    If I can stop renewing the passport card and just keep the book for travel beyond Europe while keeping the German ID in my wallet including for trips home, that would be ideal. Is it allowed to enter Ireland on the German ID though?


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    #2
    bigar
    Registered Users Posts: 596 ✭✭✭bigar


    Of course you can. It does not matter if you have dual citizenship as both Ireland and Germany allow it. As long as your passport is valid, you can enter Ireland.

    You do not even need a passport to travel in the EU as a German citizen. A national ID card will do.


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    #3
    Peregrinus
    Registered Users Posts: 26,152 ✭✭✭✭Peregrinus


    As an Irish citizen I have entered Ireland on an Australian passport, at a time when my Irish passport had expired and I hadn't got around to renewing it. I had no problem. The Australian passport notes my place of birth as Dublin, and the official spotted this and welcomed me home. Didn't ask why I wasn't entering on an Irish passport, or suggest that I ought to be.

    So, no; if I had no trouble with a passport from a third country, you should have no issue with an identity card that identifies you as a citizen of a Member State.

    (But note that you don't have a right to use your German identity card to enter the UK, now that it's no longer in the EEA. If you're travelling to the UK, or to Ireland via the UK, you should bring a passport, either Irish or German.)


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    #4
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,018 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    Thanks for the clarification guys. I know that to enter Germany I must show my German ID or Passport, not the Irish one any more. I believe this is actually quite customary (I know that Americans for example also must show their US passport to enter the US) so I think Ireland is a bit of an exception in this regard, which is just grand by me. My German ID card also states Dublin as place of birth for good measure.

    Peregrinus your point about the UK is well made. I will make sure to carry my Irish passport when transiting Brexitland in future.

    While on the subject of the UK, I and my kids are Irish so under the CTA we don't need any documentation to enter any part of the UK but my missus is German. Does she now technically need to bring her passport if we take a day trip into Northern Ireland? I guess yes, but I can't see the PSNI or whoever ever giving you more than a friendly word of warning for crossing the land frontier with just a German ID card.


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    #5
    Caranica
    Registered Users Posts: 10,040 ✭✭✭✭Caranica


    My friend has dual Irish and Australian citizenship and got berated by an immigration official for returning to Ireland with their Australian passport and told they had to use their Irish passport. So it seems to be a matter of who you meet.

    OP the fact that both your citizenships are EU may mean it's easier for you.


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    #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,121 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    As above both countries would presumably prefer you use their passport for complete trips.

    A cousin got in trouble with US immigration for going between the US and Ireland on different passports. There were gaps in the stamps - their US passport should have had Irish entry and exit stamps but didn't. Equally their Irish passport had no US entry or exit stamps.

    They decided to do all trips on their US passport after that.


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    #7
    Jim2007
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 10,045 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jim2007


    Peregrinus wrote: »
    (But note that you don't have a right to use your German identity card to enter the UK, now that it's no longer in the EEA. If you're travelling to the UK, or to Ireland via the UK, you should bring a passport, either Irish or German.)

    Only from the 1st of October.


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    #8
    Jim2007
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 10,045 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jim2007


    murphaph wrote: »
    If I can stop renewing the passport card and just keep the book for travel beyond Europe while keeping the German ID in my wallet including for trips home, that would be ideal. Is it allowed to enter Ireland on the German ID though?

    I have not renewed my Irish passport in years and I probably won’t. It is easier to pop along to the local administration office and renew my Swiss one - it takes about 20 mins!

    I never had any issue entering Ireland on a Swiss ID card.


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    #9
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,018 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    Jim2007 wrote: »
    I have not renewed my Irish passport in years and I probably won’t. It is easier to pop along to the local administration office and renew my Swiss one - it takes about 20 mins!

    I never had any issue entering Ireland on a Swiss ID card.
    Cheers Jim and great to know you have no trouble using your CH ID card but your info is a little out of date on the Irish passport renewal front. I also have to go to the local Bürgerbüro to apply for or renew my German passport (5mins walk) but I renewed my Irish passport last year without even leaving my house.

    All done in the app, including taking the photo.

    Passport arrived in about a week, which is much less than a German one takes.

    I remember how awkward it used to be to renew the Irish one from abroad but those days are gone thank God.


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    #10
    Pauliedragon
    Registered Users Posts: 2,513 ✭✭✭Pauliedragon


    Caranica wrote: »
    My friend has dual Irish and Australian citizenship and got berated by an immigration official for returning to Ireland with their Australian passport and told they had to use their Irish passport. So it seems to be a matter of who you meet.

    OP the fact that both your citizenships are EU may mean it's easier for you.
    Same happened to me. I was held up for over an hour at Dublin airport at immigration with my Aussie passport coming from Manchester evn though it's clear as day by my accent I'm Irish and my Aussie passport doesn't mention anything about being born in Ireland.


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    #11
    Jim2007
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 10,045 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jim2007


    murphaph wrote: »
    Cheers Jim and great to know you have no trouble using your CH ID card but your info is a little out of date on the Irish passport renewal front. I also have to go to the local Bürgerbüro to apply for or renew my German passport (5mins walk) but I renewed my Irish passport last year without even leaving my house.

    All done in the app, including taking the photo.

    Passport arrived in about a week, which is much less than a German one takes.

    I remember how awkward it used to be to renew the Irish one from abroad but those days are gone thank God.

    As I said, I have not bothered in years...


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    #12
    murphaph
    Registered Users Posts: 19,018 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    Jim2007 wrote: »
    As I said, I have not bothered in years...
    I understand. I had hoped that my German citizenship would come through before my last Irish passport expired, thus saving me the hassle of renewing (and it was a real hassle trying to get someone acceptable to sign and stamp the forms and pictures) but in the end it took until this year and I had to renew my Irish passport last year. I was really pleasantly surprised how easy it is these days :-)


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