Irish citizens applying for UK passports

[fionnmccool]

Personally I think it would be a healthy move for Irish citizens to be able to get a British passport if they wanted one, as this would reflect the fact that the Irish have more in common with the Brits than with any other nation.

Yeah woo hoo we have the english language and a shared history of exploiter ansd exploitee in common. I think the problem is English people secretly want to be Irish. Otherwise why are they always in fake Irish pubs looking for some craic whenever I go abroad

[expat girl]

This Irish citizen is.

That's as may be, but in general citizens of the Irish Republic are not entitled to apply for British passports

Unless they were born before 1948, or, as probably applies to about 1/2 of the people I know, one British born grandfather will do nicely thank you. Many Irish people were born in the UK given temporary work arrangements entered into by their parents at the time of their birth.

Many of us who wished to travel to the US before they removed the visa requirement for Irish visitors in 1994 (I think), took out British passports if entitled, they didn't need a visa and it was so much easier than going through Hume House.

The Canadian immigration conditions are now pretty much a level playing field for all western Europeans, UK included. Postgraduate degrees and fluent English or French score highly. Been there, done that!

Having said all that, I doubt anyone's rushing to take out UK passports now... terrorism risk is higher. They're all trying to claim they're Irish when kidnapped in Iraq!!