Could I or my mother claim Irish citizenship?

[chpmerlin]

With the dreaded Brexit referendum looming, as a British citizen I am faced with the depressing concept of no longer being an EU citizen.

My grandmother was born to two Irish parents while they were serving in India as a doctor and nurse with the British Army during WW2 (I don't know why).

I'm pretty sure she has British citizenship, as she has resided in the UK ever since she came here from India at the age of seven. Presumably she is also an Irish national, as she was born to two Irish parents serving abroad in the military.

I don't know whether her birth was registered in Ireland, India or the UK - but I am assuming the UK as her parents were serving in the British Army. Based on this assumption, I have ordered her birth certificate from the UK government - if this comes back empty, I will try with the Irish authorities.

As far as I know, my mother was not registered on the Foreign Births Register when she was born. I may be wrong, of course.

I am aware that in order for me to have any chance of getting Irish citizenship, it would be necessary for my grandmother to have been born 'on the island of Ireland'. I'm clutching at straws here, but is it possible that due to her having been born abroad while her mother was posted abroad with the military (albeit the British one), there is a possibility that her birth could have been recorded as having occurred in Ireland?

If not, could at least my mother claim Irish citizenship based on the fact that both of her grandparents (my great-grandparents) were unequivocally born in Ireland and Irish citizens? Even if I can't get it, it would be great for my mother if she could as she would still be able to travel freely as an EU citizen.

You may be wondering why I don't just ask my grandmother: I could do, but I get the impression that she doesn't like talking about her early childhood in India, possibly because of the war. OK, she wouldn't mind really, I mean we are close, but I'd rather not conjure up unpleasant memories for her.

Have any of you been in any similar situations? I would be very grateful for any information / musings.

[noajthan]

Grandma is probably just waiting for someone to ask her about her early life. Just do it.

[mirrorimage]

I came across your post whilst reserching my own situation. It's very similar to yourself and I was wondering if you made any progress or discovered any information that may be useful to others?

My Great Grandparents were both Irish (born County Mayo) and were serving in the Army based in India when my Grandmother was born.

I have no birth certificate for her, the closest I have is a Baptism certificate (issued in India) and would really like to know if she can officially claim Irish nationality (and associated paperwork) through her parents. This would then mean that I can then pursue Irish Ancestory by Descent.

I can't find any official record of her birth either in India, UK or Ireland. It's as if she doesn't exist.

Thanks for any help.

[PasadenaTom]

This board recommends starting a new post for your own question. That said, your grandmother is an Irish citizen because her parents were born in Ireland. Your parent is entitled to claim Irish citizenship by obtaining entry in the Foreign Births Registry. If your parent has not already done that, you cannot claim Irish citizenship by descent - now or in the future.

If you are the great grandchild of someone born in Ireland, you can only obtain citizenship by descent if your parent "registered in the Foreign Births Register between the years 1956 and 1986, or if you were born after 1986 they registered before you were born".

For me, the practical consequence is that I am eligible for citizenship by descent, because two of my grandparents were born in Ireland. But my children (aged 18+) will not be eligible.

The Irish Naturalization and Immigration Service website http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/ci ... Ireland-b is worth a look.