Irish passport application reaches almost 22,000 after Brexit

The rate of enquiries continued to accelerate following the Brexit result

The number of Irish passport applications by British citizens saw almost double growth after the Brexit result in June. The European Union result created much tumult in the socio-economic structure of Europe and the tourism industry was no different.

Ireland’s foreign office said that the rate of enquiries continued to accelerate following the Brexit result.

Anybody born in the Irish Republic or Northern Ireland, or with an Irish parent or grandparent, is entitled to an Irish passport which comprises of about six million British citizens. All of them are entitled to hold dual citizenship.

Passport forms became almost endangered in the post offices and embassies fielded thousands of calls in the days following the 23 June vote. More than 21,500 Britons applied for passports since July compared to just under 11,000 in the same period a year ago.

According to a foreign office, applications by Britons trying to hang onto EU citizenship via a passport from their nearest neighbour have increased each month since the vote and rose 120% year-on-year in September.

Registrations for Irish passports in Northern Ireland, whose citizens can hold both an Irish and British passport as the province is part of the United Kingdom, rose by 68% over the same threemonth period.

Several pro-leave campaigners have also requested for the return of blue passports for British Nationals after the Brexit vote, which were phased out in 1988.