FYI - If you have a grandparent who was born in Ireland, you are entitled to Irish citizenship.

[kath]

The process is known as "citizenship through descent", also as "foreign births registration"

The process is fairly straight-forward, involving rounding up birth certificates, death certificates (if applicable) and marriage certificates of your grandparent (this paperwork can be kind of difficult to track down, depending on how much is known about where the grandparent was born and when), parent and you (your marriage certif is needed only if you had a namechange). It currently takes a lot longer than it used to -- apparently there is a big backlog of applications, thought to be due to Americans wanting to have access to healthcare.

If you apply and get "citizenship through descent" BEFORE you have kids, then your kids are also Irish citizens (because they would be born to an Irish citizen). If you get the citizenship AFTER you have kids, then your kids are SOL (although, if you move to Ireland with them, they (and your spouse) are on kind of a "fast-track" to citizenship - the residency requirement prior to citizenship is shorter. As your family members, they would be entitled to the same benefits as you, the citizen, with regard to healthcare.)

Once you get the citizenship, then you can apply for an Irish passport. Having Irish citizenship and passport makes it fairly easy for you to work in other EU countries. It MAY make it easier for you to obtain citizenship in other EU countries, but I haven't looked into those details.

Link here: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/moving-country/irish-citizenship/irish_citizenship_through_birth_or_descent

more info: http://www.irishconsulate.org/home/index.aspx?id=30818

[Drale]

1. You think the economy here is bad

its about 100 times worst in Ireland right now.

[upi402]

4. just wait

but wait elsewhere if you are able to


ty OP!

[CountAllVotes]

7. the economy here in the USA looks 100X better than Ireland

A relative of mine just got back from there after a 4 month stay. He said it is really bad there now and that they are actually considering bulldozing some of the houses that were built during the Celtic Tiger era which has now ended.

They have cut just about everything and it can take longer than SIX MONTHS to get in to see a surgeon as many of the higher paid physicians have left the country and moved to other parts of Europe.

Sad situation at best. :( :( :(

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Drat! Mine were from Wales and Germany.

[crazylikafox]

5. me too. I looked into Germany and having german born grandparents doesn't do it.

Canada's not very easy to get into either. I looked into that one also.

[REP]

10. Never regret being Welsh

[Codeine]

3. Ireland is fucked.

They had a bubble economy even worse than us.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. My Nana's dad was, so she and my dad would have been eligible. Not so much for me.

[FSogol]

8. All of these, emigrate posts are childish. Lose a few seats in one

Chamber and people suggest leaving? F' that. My grandparents came here starving and in political trouble. No way I'll leave here because some thuggish goofballs with tea bags managed to get elected.

[CoffeeCat]

9. I was adopted...

...and don't know anything about my heritage.

I guess I'm pretty much screwed.

Although I do know my last name was Dvorak.

[angstlessk]

13. place an aphostrophe after the D and you could pass? D'vorak!

[elocs]

11. I'm 12th generation in this country with no close roots to any other country.

I'm nearly as American as a Native American, but then my great grandmother was a Cherokee so I am pretty much American. Besides, I doubt any other country would want me since I am poor and there's plenty of poor to go around.

[MineralMan]

12. Good luck in Ireland...

Their economy is hosed. But, hey, knock yourself out.

[handmade34]

14. how about great-grandmother?

wow... My Great Grandmother Mary Dennison came over when she was 16 and settled in Vermont

[kath]

18. Great-grandparent doesn't work, unfortunately.

[onenote]

15. Of course, if you think you might ever need an abortion, Ireland may not look that good to you

[KamaAina]

17. Or a divorce, for that matter

no longer prohibited outright, but takes years and is hellishly expensive.

[stray cat]

16. Check out the economy in Ireland

now India or China might be a good place for you to go

[kath]

19. Hey, did I say I was leaving?

I provided some factual info.

But would it be such a horrific idea to have an escape valve, a back-up plan, just in case the head-stomping and "Second Amendment solutions" get out of hand here? Or a place to retire, where you could have healthcare? Or to have a passport that would enable you to get a work permit in another EU country (where you might also be entitled to healthcare? Even if you just wanted to work abroad (teaching or anything else) for a year or so, this passport would make it fairly easy to do so.

I (and probably many others) haven't been able to get that head-stomping video out of my mind for, what is it - 9 or 10 days now??
Then there was this little story, that kind of got lost in the shuffle here last night: Patchogue Man Reports Attack While Volunteering for CampaignVictim says shot with pellet gun while putting up signs supporting State Sen. Brian Foley; Police searching for evidence.
http://patchogue.patch.com/articles/patchogue-man-reports-attack-while-volunteering-for-campaign


Having an EU passport gives one lots of options...