The tables have turned
In the past decade, the number of applications for Irish citizenship through descent rose seven-fold. Who's driving the rise? Mostly people in the UK, followed by the US, who hope for a way out of political instability.
After five years of Brexit, restrictions applying to non-EU citizens are starting to hit the UK, and being eligible for an EU passport could save a lot of trouble – starting with avoiding the non-EU line at airports.
In the US, Donald Trump's mandate is driving the surge. Google searches for Irish citizenship rose dramatically in the weeks of the election and the inauguration. Worries about life under the new administration drove applications up 10% between 2023 and 2024.
The cornerstone of Irish citizenship is the right of blood: having even just one Irish grandparent makes you eligible for an Irish passport. And with Ireland's long history of emigration to the UK and the US, a lot of people can claim to have Irish roots. The irony is that this emigration was driven by hopes of a better life abroad, yet now Ireland is becoming the dream destination.