Foreign Birth Registration

[Lee2521]

I sent my marriage certificate just to be on the safe side , I belive it's always better to over prepare your case
for a visa or citizenship and the document lists change all the time .

I am sure too I had to send mine back in February too .

[Jcampbell05]

Those still waiting for their certificate I have an update from the FBR after I enquired about how long I will have to wait:

Hi James,

Presently a printing backlog – printing for applications approved end November going to print now. Expect receipt of documents early Jan 2020 with Christmas postings.

Regards
Marie Campbell
FBR

[Lee2521]

My certificate was delivered after 1 month and 3 days (UK based applicant)

[roxannelc]

I had a phone call from Ireland this afternoon informing me that as of today I am an Irish citizen, and to confirm my address. She said that I'll receive the certificate after Christmas.

I'd been checking my email religiously this past week because looking at other people's timescales I thought it'd be any day now for my address confirmation - when I saw the phone call I was worried for a moment it was going to be because there was a problem, as I hadn't seen anyone else here get their address confirmation as a phonecall? But anyway, it was good news, and I am happy

Online application submitted 12/12/2018
Paperwork received by DFAT 08/03/2019
Confirmation of address phonecall/added to FBR 19/12/2019

[MKCG]

On the FBR list of reqd docs it’s says they require original/birth marriage etc certificates.

Do they only accept the actual originals only or do they accept extracts/copies bought from the relevant registery offices. ?

There’s basically no chance of me getting the real 80 odd year old originals of my grandparents birth certificate

[Brent28]

MKCG,

They mean certified copies of the long form certificates purchased from the relevant registry authorities. I used www.nidirect.gov.uk to get my grandfather's from Northern Ireland and it looks www.groireland.ie is the site to use for certificates issued in Ireland.

[MKCG]

MKCG,

They mean certified copies of the long form certificates purchased from the relevant registry authorities. I used www.nidirect.gov.uk to get my grandfather's from Northern Ireland and it looks www.groireland.ie is the site to use for certificates issued in Ireland.

Thanks
It’s the word “original” that gets you thinking.

Should maybe say “long form extract/original” on these types of things.

[Brent28]

That would be a more accurate way of saying of it. Thankfully the certified copies work though. These are what pretty much everyone here has used from what I can tell. If they required the actual pieces of paper from three generations ago, I doubt many of us would be able to pull it off.

[MKCG]

That would be a more accurate way of saying of it. Thankfully the certified copies work though. These are what pretty much everyone here has used from what I can tell. If they required the actual pieces of paper from three generations ago, I doubt many of us would be able to pull it off.

Ye I think the success rate would be 10-20% in that case To be honest

[JeremyNYC]

Got the app received email today - Dec 18.

I assume there's no correlation between the online app submission and processing? In other words, there's no point in applying and getting an earlier number while you gather the docs, right?

[MKCG]

Another question to clarify the application process.

On the online eligibility criteria and how to apply for fbr, it says it requires the application to be “completed signed and witnessed” by a doc or suitable person. How do you go about that as the application is obviously online.

Do you get a paper application form sent out after the online application is completed?

[MKCG]

Got the app received email today - Dec 18.

I assume there's no correlation between the online app submission and processing? In other words, there's no point in applying and getting an earlier number while you gather the docs, right?

That was my take on it.
I’m not filling the online app until I’ve got all my docs in and ready to go

[Sulla]

Got the app received email today - Dec 18.

I assume there's no correlation between the online app submission and processing? In other words, there's no point in applying and getting an earlier number while you gather the docs, right?

The online application number assigned to your case has no bearing whatsoever on processing times. What matters is the date of physical receipt of the paper application form, together with the full compliment of supporting documents.

The online application form should be printed out by you and signed / witnessed as instructed. This should then be sent to the address indicated on the form along with all specified supporting documents.

[rhughes]

The online application number assigned to your case has no bearing whatsoever on processing times. What matters is the date of physical receipt of the paper application form, together with the full compliment of supporting documents.

I suspect you're correct, but how did you establish this? You'd have to correlate acknowledgment of citizenship dates with both application fee withdrawal dates and application acknowledgment dates to see which correlated better.

I submitted my online application, and paid the submission fee, from San Diego prior to having my USA+Canadian+UK witness (yes, 3 citizenships) sign the paperwork and prior to submitting all the certificates, some of which I received at my brother's house in the UK.

Although I submitted the paper application from the UK, the package was held up in Irish customs for almost a week prior to being released to An Post.

Application fee was taken on June 17, 2019
Application receipt acknowledged on July 15, 2019

[Sulla]

The online application number assigned to your case has no bearing whatsoever on processing times. What matters is the date of physical receipt of the paper application form, together with the full compliment of supporting documents.

I suspect you're correct, but how did you establish this? You'd have to correlate acknowledgment of citizenship dates with both application fee withdrawal dates and application acknowledgment dates to see which correlated better.

I submitted my online application, and paid the submission fee, from San Diego prior to having my USA+Canadian+UK witness (yes, 3 citizenships) sign the paperwork and prior to submitting all the certificates, some of which I received at my brother's house in the UK.

Although I submitted the paper application from the UK, the package was held up in Irish customs for almost a week prior to being released to An Post.

Application fee was taken on June 17, 2019
Application receipt acknowledged on July 15, 2019

I was told at the embassy when I went there that they work through applications only based on the order received. Received in the sense meaning when the paper application arrives accompanied by all the required documents. Several others have also been told similar things over the 12 months or so I have been a member.

[DanaMarie]

Those still waiting for their certificate I have an update from the FBR after I enquired about how long I will have to wait:

Hi James,

Presently a printing backlog – printing for applications approved end November going to print now. Expect receipt of documents early Jan 2020 with Christmas postings.

Regards
Marie Campbell
FBR

I also emailed my DFA contact and received an email yesterday afternoon that I was added to the FBR on 26/11 and that it was taking approximately 20 working days from date of approval to mail my certificate and documents. She also provided me a tracking number which as of today was not activated. I was hoping to have it on hand by Christmas but at least I know I'm a citizen!

[Lee2521]

I tried searching but didn't find too much on what counts as "personally knowing" for a witness. Does my old physcial therapist or denist count? Can I just use a Notary? Or the Bank mgr where I bank at? Has anyone had difficulties with that?

As far as I'm aware they don't have to personally know you, just be confident of who you are. For my passport application I used the manager of my Building Society (like a bank, for those in countries that don't have them) who I'd never met before. He verified me by looking at my account details and having me enter my PIN in a card machine with my debit card.

For my daughter's FBR (still pending) we used our cat's vet.

Hi Pipefish ,

Did your building society manager ask for money for this service or was it free ?
I have just openned an ISA withThe Nationwide so I could ask them to witness my passport appplication and previously I asked my doctor to witness for my FBR application but it cost £30 .

Lee

It was Nationwide, the manager did it for free. Just asked if I was a customer, which I have been for years.

I enquired at my doctor's surgery, but they charged £30. As it's for my daughter, who is only 8 months old (a few weeks old at the time), we had to get a letter from our doctor to say she was registered (for ID I think), they charged £18 for that!

I will try to ask today in my local branch if they'll do it and really don't want to use the doctor route, so difficult to get an appointment and when I needed my FBR witnessed I had to wait 5 weeks to see the Doctor.

[JeremyNYC]

I am getting a year ahead of myself, but I thought I read somewhere on here that a pickup option for the passport could save some time after FBR. Can you pick up the FBR cert in Dublin? Or once received fly to Dublin to get the passport? I remember reading that a passport done in Dublin is ~ 3 wks.

[PasadenaTom]

Can you pick up the FBR cert in Dublin? Or once received fly to Dublin to get the passport? I remember reading that a passport done in Dublin is ~ 3 wks.

https://passportonline.dfa.ie/Apply/Passport

"Currently only citizens resident in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, the EU, the EEA and Switzerland can apply for their first Irish passport through the online channel. If you are a citizen resident outside of these countries, please submit a paper application through your nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate"

So if you are not a resident of one of the countries named, you can't use the quicker Passport Express option.

As for picking up your cert in Dublin, IMHO I doubt they would allow that. After all, you are dealing with an agency that has a large volume of applicants, and a process to follow. My guess is that they are not geared up for exceptions to established protocols. The office processing FBR may not have any staff available to deal with members of the general public dropping in to pickup up certificates. I think of it like showing up at an Amazon distribution center, asking to pick up a package you ordered. It's not how it works.

[seanhodges]

Thanks to this excellent thread, I was already aware that my application might be approaching its end (email acknowledging receipt of application 19th March 2019).
Today I got my first indication - an email requesting more info
They say they couldn't reach the solicitor (lawyer in my office) who certified some documents, and now require that I send them a headed paper letter confirming that she did the certifying.
They also want a letter from the teacher who certified my dad's passport copy.
They want it to reach them within 28 days, or they will terminate my application.

On the plus side - my application is still live, and if I make their deadline it sounds like there won't be much delay

[jgclancy]

Thanks to this excellent thread, I was already aware that my application might be approaching its end (email acknowledging receipt of application 19th March 2019).
Today I got my first indication - an email requesting more info
They say they couldn't reach the solicitor (lawyer in my office) who certified some documents, and now require that I send them a headed paper letter confirming that she did the certifying.
They also want a letter from the teacher who certified my dad's passport copy.
They want it to reach them within 28 days, or they will terminate my application.

On the plus side - my application is still live, and if I make their deadline it sounds like there won't be much delay

oooh...a March applicant. I've been waiting to see any March applicants start being processed. This is good news. I'm a June 2019 applicant.So maybe March/April for mine to done. Best of luck and seems like you should have no troubles getting what they want. Good Luck!
jgclancy

[jimdal86]

Hi all,
Just a heads up for anyone applying with adoption in the family history. I posted back in October as my December 2018 application was being dealt with. In dealing with it, issues arose with my father's birth certificates. He was born in the UK and registered under my Irish grandmother's maiden name as no father was present and she was a single mum. She later remarried and my father was adopted by his stepdad. In cases of adoption, the dfa require the full adoption birth certificate (easily obtained from UK General Registry office [providing adoptee is aware]). They also require the original adoption court order, this is much harder to obtain. My Grandmother had destroyed it (another long-winded story in itself!!) and the court in which it was issued had shutdown. I am waiting (for 5 weeks now) for confirmation from the court that now holds the historic records of the closed court, that it does have the document to get things back on track. After much "toing and froing" I called the dfa to get further clarification, only to be told they also require another document, an "intercountry adoption certificate" from the Irish adoption authority. I have now paid and applied for this (they also will accept the certified adoption certificate (no court order necessary). And will have to wait longer to get this over the line. The dfa are also quite flexible in extending the "28 days" to come back to them with documents/answers providing you evidence that you are being proactive about resolving it, in my case it was delayed because of misinformation from the dfa. I hope this information is of use to others, as it's really quite delayed my application, and as you can imagine, is incredibly frustrating not to have been made aware of these requirements earlier on.

Merry Christmas

Jim

[oshma]

I am sorry I didn't check back in. MY FBR was issued almost exactly a year after my application. It was issued September 9 of this year, and I immediately turned it around with a passport application.

I got my Irish passport in early November, and now my life is complete. Well, as far as citizenships....

Thanks all!

Helo Sulla and all,

I'm sorry--I made a mistake. I filed my application on September 4, 2018.

I got through to the FBR office today, and the very nice lady there told me that they are working on applications submitted in August 2018 right now.

Thanks!

It's fine. I have corrected that. Your wait time seems much more reasonable now and you should be in line for some news soon.

[fvigaud]

Thanks to this excellent thread, I was already aware that my application might be approaching its end (email acknowledging receipt of application 19th March 2019).
Today I got my first indication - an email requesting more info
They say they couldn't reach the solicitor (lawyer in my office) who certified some documents, and now require that I send them a headed paper letter confirming that she did the certifying.
They also want a letter from the teacher who certified my dad's passport copy.
They want it to reach them within 28 days, or they will terminate my application.

On the plus side - my application is still live, and if I make their deadline it sounds like there won't be much delay

Hmmmm, has anyone else experienced this? Any clue why this might have occurred in Sean's case? I've been watching this forum since April 2019 and don't recall this coming up before.

[roxannelc]

Thanks to this excellent thread, I was already aware that my application might be approaching its end (email acknowledging receipt of application 19th March 2019).
Today I got my first indication - an email requesting more info
They say they couldn't reach the solicitor (lawyer in my office) who certified some documents, and now require that I send them a headed paper letter confirming that she did the certifying.
They also want a letter from the teacher who certified my dad's passport copy.
They want it to reach them within 28 days, or they will terminate my application.

On the plus side - my application is still live, and if I make their deadline it sounds like there won't be much delay

oooh...a March applicant. I've been waiting to see any March applicants start being processed. This is good news. I'm a June 2019 applicant.So maybe March/April for mine to done. Best of luck and seems like you should have no troubles getting what they want. Good Luck!
jgclancy

I was an early March and I was added to the FBR last Thursday (19/12/19), so it took 9 months 2 weeks for me. Fingers crossed for you.