Foreign Birth Registration

[LesMalouinettes]

I know at least for Australia we were directed to apply directly to the DFA in Ireland, which is guess is why I've been waiting 10+ months now...

[powerbook1]

Would it be fair to say from the forums experience, that some of the smaller consulates provide a faster processing time?

There is some evidence to support the thesis that consulates or embassies that are less busy provide faster turnaround times for FBR. This is mainly due to them being able to speedily perform the initial document check on behalf of the FBR section. For Instance, I applied from China and was approved (on the register) in 3.5 months. Richard applied from Scotland in July 2018 and got his certificate well before other applicants that applied through the London embassy. There is also a recent example from Malaysia of quick delivery.

I'm not sure if this applies to New Zealand or not. It could, but on the other hand there are probably more people there who are eligible for citizenship through descent. It's hard to judge.

From what I have seen it also seems to depend on the efficiency of the embassy

I also applied at a Chinese embassy / consulate, and despite handing over my documents one month ago, they have yet to start the checking process before sending to Dublin. My application is one of a small handful that they are handling, so it seems FBR applications have to take a backseat alongside other embassy work

This was news to me as I thought the checking process occurred when I originally handed over the documents (as I waited an hour whilst they went through a checklist). It seems however there is some other processes that need to occur after this, and only then can they be sent to Dublin

[LeifRnR]

My wife’s FBR is now official. Her timeline:
August 14, 2018 received email that her application was received.
July 17th, 2019 email stating they just needed to verify her current address. We responded to email on same day.
July 25th received her official FBR certificate - what a beautiful thing to see! And all of her documents back. We live on the US West Coast. We celebrated with a Guinness Stout that I have optimistically had in the refrigerator since about November 2018!
Date on certificate is July 17th. Good luck everyone. I hope the process is becoming normalized again.

[usczkat]

My wife’s FBR is now official. Her timeline:
August 14, 2018 received email that her application was received.
July 17th, 2019 email stating they just needed to verify her current address. We responded to email on same day.
July 25th received her official FBR certificate - what a beautiful thing to see! And all of her documents back. We live on the US West Coast. We celebrated with a Guinness Stout that I have optimistically had in the refrigerator since about November 2018!
Date on certificate is July 17th. Good luck everyone. I hope the process is becoming normalized again.

Yay!!!! How wonderful. I'm waiting and counting down... 11 months and 3 days waiting, I am also a US west coaster, no notice if anything yet. Keeping fingers crossed, but not holding breath, I need it to live to see the day!
So happy for you and your wife!

[Jacqui309]

My wife’s FBR is now official. Her timeline:
August 14, 2018 received email that her application was received.
July 17th, 2019 email stating they just needed to verify her current address. We responded to email on same day.
July 25th received her official FBR certificate - what a beautiful thing to see! And all of her documents back. We live on the US West Coast. We celebrated with a Guinness Stout that I have optimistically had in the refrigerator since about November 2018!
Date on certificate is July 17th. Good luck everyone. I hope the process is becoming normalized again.

Congratulations but Guinness in the fridge aaaaaggggghhhhhh!!!

[StephenF]

Hello All.
Here are my timelines from start to finish. I think I have been very lucky judging from what other people have put. I completed my online FBR application on July 18th 2018. Posted the hard copy the next day and received notification it had been received on 20th July 2018. Heard nothing till November 8th when I was requested to send a certified copy of my driving licence which I did straight away and received acknowledgement on 14th November and was told my application had been sent for final approval. I received my FBR certificate along with all of my supporting certificates on 10th January 2019. On 22nd January I posted my passport application to Cork and it arrived 3 days later I then waited a week for it to show up on the tracker system. Estimated issue date was 9th April but it got to 9th April and the tracker went backwards which was highly frustrating but my passport was issued and I received it on 7th May 2019. From start to finish 9 and half months in total. I am writing this to say to those who are frustrated with all of the waiting that I know how you feel I am not the most patient of people and the weeks of waiting were killing me …. but it is worth the wait. The feeling you get with the FBR certificate and the Passport in your hands is something special.

Good luck all.

[LeifRnR]

Congratulations but Guinness in the fridge aaaaaggggghhhhhh!!!

The brewer currently recommends that draught Guinness should be served at 6 °C (42.8 °F), while Extra Cold Guinness should be served at 3.5 °C (38.6 °F). Prior to the 21st century it was popular to serve Guinness at cellar temperature (about 13 C) and some drinkers preferred it at room temperature (about 20 C).

It was 33 C here yesterday. Trust me it was perfectly 42 C in a hurry. Anyways, just symbolic, she’s more of an Irish whiskey kind of gal.

Slainte!

[Sulla]

My wife’s FBR is now official. Her timeline:
August 14, 2018 received email that her application was received.
July 17th, 2019 email stating they just needed to verify her current address. We responded to email on same day.
July 25th received her official FBR certificate - what a beautiful thing to see! And all of her documents back. We live on the US West Coast. We celebrated with a Guinness Stout that I have optimistically had in the refrigerator since about November 2018!
Date on certificate is July 17th. Good luck everyone. I hope the process is becoming normalized again.

Congratulations to your wife on receiving the certificate. I wish you guys a speedy passport application process.

[Sulla]

I am writing this to say to those who are frustrated with all of the waiting that I know how you feel I am not the most patient of people and the weeks of waiting were killing me …. but it is worth the wait. The feeling you get with the FBR certificate and the Passport in your hands is something special.

Good luck all.

The thing is that you did not actually experience a delay in processing. From July 20th 2018 when you applied, to January 10th 2019 when everything was received, is under 6 months. That's well within the estimated processing time. I don't think anyone on this forum would have been angry at that juncture. Even I was not and I am impatience personified.

Added to this, you actually had an additional document request, which under normal circumstances would lead to further delays. Despite that, you still managed to come in under 6 months for FBR processing. You have cause to feel lucky.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of people on this board who have experienced wait times of around a year. Jacqui has been waiting for 14 months. Most of these people are applicants who submitted all the required documentation at the time of application. I do not think it is sensible to compare your feeling of waiting with theirs.

As for the sensation of mollification you refer to upon receipt of your certificate / passport, I cannot say I felt the same. I received slow and poor service. The fact that finally and belatedly, I got the things I was legally entitled to and had paid for changed nothing for me. If I went to a restaurant and waited and hour on my food to arrive, I would definitely complain about it - even if the food was nice. I certainly would not feel overwhelmed with gratitude or forget about the experience in a hurry.

[Sulla]

I have updated the timeline to reflect new additions to the register. Moreover, I have started the September 2018 applicants list. I am aware that I have probably missed people from September. If I have neglected to mention you, please let me know and I will add your information in. I have listed August and September here, as those are the months most pertinent to people waiting. May has been included due to Jacqui's situation.

May 2018 applicants and date FBR applications received / added. All received dates 2018.

Jacqui309 – received May 15th / Pending
Emma86 – received May 30th (Added to FBR November 20th 2018)


August 2018 applicants and date FBR applications received / added. All received dates 2018.

Oction – received August 1st (Added to FBR July 11th 2019)
Sean – received August 2nd (Added to FBR December 19th 2018)
Spav – received August 3rd (Added to FBR December 11th 2018)
Amcbamcb – received August 8th (Added to FBR May 17th 2019)
Hol292 – received August 10th (Added to FBR July 5th 2019)
Sulla – received August 14th (Added to FBR November 28th 2018)
LeifRNR – received August 14th Added to FBR July 17th 2019)
Laurie – received August 15th / Pending
Valiant – Received August 16th 2018 / Pending
Michael – received August 21st / (Added to FBR June 7th 2019)
Donna – received August 21st / (Added to FBR June 7th 2019)
Upliam _ received August 22nd / Pending
USczKat – received August 23rd / Pending
Pumps100 – received August 29th / Pending
MaddeningBike – received August 30th / Pending
Nydccub – received August 31st / Pending

September 2018 applicants and date FBR applications received / added. All received dates 2018.

Court2 - received September 1st / Pending
Clongwill – received September 6th / Pending
Fillio39 – received September 11th / Pending
Spike – received September 20th / Pending
Kkjak - received September 27th / Pending
Sqimandy received September 27th / Pending
MaryO – Received September (unspecified date) / Pending

[Wims]

Morning, as you are tracking September 18 apps the details of my applications for my sons are as follows:

Posted forms 21/09 from UK
Received email confirming receipt 24/09
No requests for anything additional, have called a couple of times and most recently (May) was told it was likely to be end of September (pure guesswork from their side I reckon)

Thanks

[LesMalouinettes]

You can add me too if you like Sulla. Received by DFA and email sent to me to confirm receipt Sept 27th, 2018. Nothing since then.

[spiderplants]

Is there any pattern to when they're issued/received? I seem to remember on the previous thread speculation about certificates being printed in batches (last Friday of the month - might have made that up?).

So, even though approval dates may differ, when people find out seems to come in clusters. Don't know if I'm imaging that be we do seem to see a small flurry and then nothing.

[Sulla]

You can add me too if you like Sulla. Received by DFA and email sent to me to confirm receipt Sept 27th, 2018. Nothing since then.

Thanks for letting me know. I have added Spike and you in. I'm certain there are others I have forgotten too.

MaryO - if you could let me know your exact date of application (receipt in Dublin / at an embassy) that would be great.

September 2018 applicants and date FBR applications received / added. All received dates 2018.

Court2 - received September 1st / Pending
Clongwill – received September 6th / Pending
Fillio39 – received September 11th / Pending
Spike – received September 20th / Pending
Wims - received September 24th / Pending
Kkjak - received September 27th / Pending
Sqimandy - received September 27th / Pending
LesMalouinettes- received September 27th / Pending
MaryO – Received September (unspecified date) / Pending

[Sulla]

Thanks for letting me know. I have added Spike and you in. I'm certain there are others I have forgotten too.

Sorry, my mistake. I have added Wims and you in. I am obviously not thinking clearly this morning.

[usczkat]

Thanks so much Sulla for all the effort you put in here. Looks like quite a job keeping it all straight! Much appreciate you!

[Laurie9434]

Well, this just added insult to injury. I am currently at 11 months and 2 weeks. A few weeks ago I called the FBR office in Dublin. I was on hold for 27 min, the rest of the call was 3 minutes. I gained no usable information from this call except that I was in the queue. I just received my phone bill. I was on WiFi calling.... 27 minutes on hold and 3 minutes speaking to someone (and on hold while he looked it up).
$115 dollars... I’m like ..you have got to be freaking kidding me...the struggle is real folks

Laurie

[Aion]

Greetings All,

I'm new here. Sulla - really great to see this timeline, thank you!

Here are my details:

Application posted: 26th Sept 2018 (UK).
Email received to confirm receipt: 27th Sept.
Status: no contact as yet.

Regards,

[Sulla]

Thanks so much Sulla for all the effort you put in here. Looks like quite a job keeping it all straight! Much appreciate you!

Thank you for the kind words. Let's hope you hear some good news soon. You must be coming close to the end of your wait.

[Sulla]

Well, this just added insult to injury. I am currently at 11 months and 2 weeks. A few weeks ago I called the FBR office in Dublin. I was on hold for 27 min, the rest of the call was 3 minutes. I gained no usable information from this call except that I was in the queue. I just received my phone bill. I was on WiFi calling.... 27 minutes on hold and 3 minutes speaking to someone (and on hold while he looked it up).
$115 dollars... I’m like ..you have got to be freaking kidding me...the struggle is real folks

Laurie

Your phone company certainly knows how to charge. May I suggest using Skype to call the DFA? It is far cheaper. I use it for conversations with family and for contacting various agencies like HMRC and Irish revenue. A call of the length you talked about would cost around $2 using that method.

I was lucky that I had the embassy to call and that they actually answered their calls. They were also good with E-Mail. Going the direct to Dublin route is a definite disadvantage it seems both in terms of processing times and communication compared to going through an embassy. It used to be the faster pathway of the two.

[Sulla]

Greetings All,

I'm new here. Sulla - really great to see this timeline, thank you!

Here are my details:

Application posted: 26th Sept 2018 (UK).
Email received to confirm receipt: 27th Sept.
Status: no contact as yet.

Regards,

Welcome to the board. I have added you in.

I would not expect to hear from the FBR section just yet. Another month or two probably remains before they start adding people with applications from late September.

[FlyingMum]

Please could you add my son’s FBR Sulla too?

Applied online 10 July 2019
Posted 15 July 2019 to Dublin from U.K.
Email received 19 July 2019.

His should be a very straightforward, non query application but we shall see. My son is claiming descent, through me, from my Irish born mother. All documentation is in place - and to make it easier, although the DFA might not appreciate it, we’ve separated all three generation’s documents (applicant, mother, grandmother) into clear plastic wallets showing a clear paper trail and checklist showing everything is complete.

Judging by the posts on here, we now need to put the whole thing to the back of our minds until early Spring 2020.

[Sulla]

Please could you add my son’s FBR Sulla too?

Sure, I have added it in. However, I will try to keep the timeline posts as short as possible so I will usually only post the most relevant few months for applicants. At the moment this is August and September 2018 as all the July people have received their FBR certificate by now - as far as we know. Next up, of course, will be October 2018.

All the best to you and your son.

[FlyingMum]

Many thanks Sulla - much appreciated.

[theonlyh]

I applied online 5 October 2018 and had an email that documents were received on 9 October 2018. Applying through my irish born grandfather, should be straightforward.

The wait continues..........