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In depth
A post-nuptial declaration is a historic Irish citizenship path for foreign spouses who married Irish citizens before November 30, 2002. Under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 (as amended), a foreign woman who married an Irish citizen before that date could claim Irish citizenship by making a post-nuptial declaration.
This path was closed to new applicants after November 30, 2002. After that date, foreign spouses must apply for naturalization through the standard residency-based path.
Post-nuptial declarations are still processed for qualifying marriages that occurred before the cutoff date. The declaration must be made at an Irish consulate or at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin.
Related terms
The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, is the principal Irish citizenship law that governs the Foreign Births Register and other paths to Irish citizenship.
The Foreign Births Register (FBR) is the official record maintained by Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs of people born outside Ireland who are entitled to Irish citizenship by descent.
The grandparent rule is the most common path to Irish citizenship by descent: having one grandparent born on the island of Ireland (including Northern Ireland) qualifies you for the Foreign Births Register.
The GRO (General Register Office) is the Irish government office that maintains records of births, deaths, marriages, and civil partnerships in the Republic of Ireland.
GRONI (General Register Office Northern Ireland) is the government office that maintains vital records for Northern Ireland, equivalent to the GRO in the Republic.
The Good Friday Agreement (1998) is the peace accord that confirms the right of people in Northern Ireland to identify as Irish, British, or both, and to hold citizenship accordingly.