Foreign Birth Registration

[Angelo_2019]

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id ... 0-19a.1186

The FBR processed more applications than normal in 2018 & 2019; it looks like they've cut back to 5,000-6,000 per year, the pre Brexit pre covid level.

Without urgent applications, they could process the current backlog of 32,000 applications in a mere 5 or 6 years, longer if half the 2021 applicants are expectant parents. Of course, even if they do evaluate the current back log in 5 years, there will be another 30,000-40,000 new applicants..

[Angelo_2019]

Hi Just contacted the very unhelpful webchat team and got this response on my application they are an utter joke!
<SNIP>
2021-11-04 13:45:59 | Celtic 67: Hi I have had a application for FBR in process for 2 years and 1 month and not heard anything at all can you please give me a status update?
<SNIP>

The FBR website states that they are officially closed, however we know from posts to this forum that they are operating in a very limited capacity but they will respond to urgent cases such as pregnancy. That fact that you've been waiting for a little over 2 years does not qualify, so like the majority of us you just have to sit tight and be patient. If it makes you feel any better, you're probably close to the front of the queue.

I was originally thinking of trying to contact the FBR on the alleged reopening date of Oct 22, but on Oct 21 I received the confirmation of address email. This was just over 2 years and 2 months for me.

My congratulations email is not on the 2 week interval many reported, but I'm guessing by the end of the year or end of Jan, chances are good you'll get the confimation of address, and I'll get the congratulations (ideally actual certificate by end of Jan.)

(I did send an email Thursday evening (2 weeks) to ask about any updates on the address confirmation (no change), but do not yet have a reply.

[Angelo_2019]

Great News I got the email asking for address confirmation!

It came into my junk email box a week ago! Check your spam!!
this is what the email said:

**Please quote your Application Number on all correspondence**


Dear Ricki

I am pleased to inform you that your application for entry into the Foreign Births Register will be approved shortly. A Foreign Birth Registration Certificate and your original documents will be returned to you by registered post, which will require a signature on delivery.


To ensure these documents are dispatched to the correct address you should confirm your address by return email. If you have moved address since you completed your application you should provide a scanned copy of proof of that new address, e.g. original utility bills, bank statements, government correspondence.


Your application will not be approved until you confirm your address

accepted docs 3Oct19
address conf. email 14Oct21
2 years 11 days
Cheers! and good luck to all!

FWIW, my address confirmation email (21 Oct 2021) did not include the line that the application will not be approved until I confirm my address. I sent confirmation with no change within 10 min, still waiting.

* Have you heard anything since 14 October?

* For others reading at the "strict date order" fiction, my documents were received 19 Aug 2019. I sent documents just over 6 weeks earlier, but heard back 1 week later. Not material compared to 26 months, but (i) it does look like they are processing a few non-emergency applications, and (ii) date order is definitely not strict.

[MKCG]

Hi Just contacted the very unhelpful webchat team and got this response on my application they are an utter joke!
2021-11-04 13:44:45 | System: You are now connected to xxxxx.
2021-11-04 13:45:04 | Agent: Thank you for contacting the Passport Office. My name is xxxx. How may I help you today?
2021-11-04 13:45:59 | Celtic 67: Hi I have had a application for FBR in process for 2 years and 1 month and not heard anything at all can you please give me a status update?
2021-11-04 13:46:27 | Agent: You’re through to the wrong section, this is the Passport Office. Foreign Birth Registration are a different section to us and are currently closed due to covid 19. you will have to contact them when they reopen
2021-11-04 13:47:47 | Celtic 67: When is that it is part of the passport office and there are no restrictions due to covid 19 what prevents them from opening
2021-11-04 13:48:42 | Celtic 67: It states to contact your area for urgent updates
2021-11-04 13:50:37 | Agent: there are still restrictions for offices opening , I have no further information as we are a different department you will have to keep an eye on their website
2021-11-04 13:50:49 | System: The agent has ended this chat.

Covid lol
They must think we button up the back
They need to get a grip and get back to work

[newbris]

Hi all,

I submitted my FBR applications electronically (for my two children) and it has been bugging me whether I also need to print out and send paper application forms by post as well (I also haven't yet submitted any supporting documents which I understand is possibly another issue).

It makes sense that the electronic submission of the application forms should be enough (with my payment) but I thought I should make sure given such a long wait.

Does anyone know whether the application forms themselves just need to be submitted electronically?

[brainiacghost]

Yes they do because there's a section for you and your witness to sign.

[TrishMc]

Are the people on this board still using the tracking Google sheet? Does someone keep an eye on postings by new users that may not know about the sheet and enter their info for them? It's such a great tool it would be a shame to have it lapse.

[Sooze]

Just popping back in to confirm that I've still heard nothing. My application is for my children, one of whom is now four months off 18!

Timeline again:
Applied - December 2019
Email acknowledging submissions: 27th December 2019
Since then - tumbleweed.

I am now worrying that the emails I got are just that they received payment not that they received the actual documents. Christ, I cannot spend another couple of years doing this again!

[jjustyy]

I am now worrying that the emails I got are just that they received payment not that they received the actual documents. Christ, I cannot spend another couple of years doing this again!

Hi Sooze, you should have had an email with the subject "Application for Foreign Birth Registration <your unique number> Received" and the content starts with "Your application for Irish citizenship through entry on the Foreign Births Register has now been received.". Have a search through your emails for that.

[AymanG]

Hi

Couple of data points that might help others with their applications. My two children applied a month apart.

Child One:
Application submitted online: 06/08//2019
Email acknowledging receipt of documentation: 03/11/2019
Confirmation of address email: 16/10/2020
2nd Confirmation of address email: 01/12/2020 (missed the first one)
Congrats email: 15/12/2020
FBR certificate received: 24/02/2021

Child Two:
Application submitted online: 09/09/2019
Email acknowledging receipt of documentation: 11/11/2019
Confirmation of address email: waiting
Congrats email: waiting
FBR certificate received: waiting

Huge delay between two applications submitted a month apart... Ironically, child two is the one that really needs it most... hoping for news soon.

Good luck everyone.

[Sooze]

I am now worrying that the emails I got are just that they received payment not that they received the actual documents. Christ, I cannot spend another couple of years doing this again!

Hi Sooze, you should have had an email with the subject "Application for Foreign Birth Registration <your unique number> Received" and the content starts with "Your application for Irish citizenship through entry on the Foreign Births Register has now been received.". Have a search through your emails for that.

Oh god, no, I don't have that.

[Sooze]

Who can I contact about this that might be helpful do you think?

[Sooze]

I think I've found it! thank god for that, I was having a proper panic.

Your application for Irish citizenship through entry on the Foreign Births Register has now been received.

Information in relation to current processing timelines can be found on our webpage www.dfa.ie/citizenship/born-abroad/regi ... ign-birth/

Please do not reply to this email as it is auto-generated.

That's it isn't it? Dated 21st January 2020

[Angelo_2019]

I think I've found it! thank god for that, I was having a proper panic.

Your application for Irish citizenship through entry on the Foreign Births Register has now been received.

Information in relation to current processing timelines can be found on our webpage www.dfa.ie/citizenship/born-abroad/regi ... ign-birth/

Please do not reply to this email as it is auto-generated.

That's it isn't it? Dated 21st January 2020

That looks like it - I applied before the Covid instructions not to send documents and received 2 clear emails, but it's not clear everybody get the same form email.

Application Number 0000XXXXX Submitted
Thank you for submitting your application. Your payment has been successful. Please note that this
mail is the receipt for the payment of your application fee to the Department of Foreign Affairs and
Trade.

Application Number 0000XXXXX Received
Your application and supporting documentation for your application for Foreign Birth Registration has now been received.

Your email looks like the documents received email, especially if you have a prior email for payment.

[Angelo_2019]

Covid lol
They must think we button up the back
They need to get a grip and get back to work

It's also possible they just think they have collected EUR 8.9 million, but so no reason to use the fees from additional application to accelerate the process or hire more staff.

What are noncitizens going to do to them if they don't process applications or refunds for another 3-4 years?

[brainiacghost]

I think I've found it! thank god for that, I was having a proper panic.

Your application for Irish citizenship through entry on the Foreign Births Register has now been received.

Information in relation to current processing timelines can be found on our webpage www.dfa.ie/citizenship/born-abroad/regi ... ign-birth/

Please do not reply to this email as it is auto-generated.

That's it isn't it? Dated 21st January 2020

Same wording as the one I got dated 10/01/2020

[Celtic67]

My wife’s application has just received address confirmation email and it was sent a full 6 weeks after mine.

[bramarcan]

My wife’s application has just received address confirmation email and it was sent a full 6 weeks after mine.

As in, you haven't received address confirmation but she has?

[Celtic67]

Yes exactly what is strict date order

[amiclvrt]

Fuming today that the Irish Foreign Ministry is hosting a "Innovation Week 2021" conference.

social media (Facebook) link removed by moderator.

How about being innovative enough to resume processing of FBR. I'm at the one-year mark for submission and it's so hard to continuously see the "shut down" message. Deep breaths....deep breaths....

[Sooze]

Thanks for those confirming the correct email!

Celtic67 its very frustrating but hopefully yours will be with you very shortly, I do wonder how they are dealing with them though, maybe the pile fell on the floor and someone just scooped them up randomly!

[Snark512]

Hi Everyone,

I submitted my application and received the confirmation of payment email August 22 2019.

I mailed all my documents on November 15 2019 and USPS tracking says they were delivered November 25 2019.

I'm just realizing that I never received an email confirming receipt of my documents that everyone here seemed to have gotten.

Am I screwed? Does the lack of email indicate that they don't have my documents?

I'm scared that by the time I'm actually able to contact them I'll have to restart and go to the back of the queue.

[JT97]

Hi Everyone,

I submitted my application and received the confirmation of payment email August 22 2019.

I mailed all my documents on November 15 2019 and USPS tracking says they were delivered November 25 2019.

I'm just realizing that I never received an email confirming receipt of my documents that everyone here seemed to have gotten.

Am I screwed? Does the lack of email indicate that they don't have my documents?

I'm scared that by the time I'm actually able to contact them I'll have to restart and go to the back of the queue.

If I remember correctly, there was a period of time (multiple?) where the dfa stated you wouldn’t receive confirmation of receipt of documents. You’re certainly not the only person on the thread who hasn’t received the email pre-covid. Unfortunately the only thing I think you can do is wait until you either receive confirmation of address which would hopefully be soonish seeing as you’re a November 2019 applicant or wait until the office reopens and then contact them to ask if they have your documents. The passport office contact avenues won’t be much help to you from what I can gather. If you’ve got confirmation of delivery from usps then you are probably alright. I won’t speculate on whether you’d have to join the back of the queue or not if they don’t have the docs as we have no information on that at all.

[ripforreallldo]

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/p ... 39724.html

[Snark512]

If I remember correctly, there was a period of time (multiple?) where the dfa stated you wouldn’t receive confirmation of receipt of documents. You’re certainly not the only person on the thread who hasn’t received the email pre-covid. Unfortunately the only thing I think you can do is wait until you either receive confirmation of address which would hopefully be soonish seeing as you’re a November 2019 applicant or wait until the office reopens and then contact them to ask if they have your documents. The passport office contact avenues won’t be much help to you from what I can gather. If you’ve got confirmation of delivery from usps then you are probably alright. I won’t speculate on whether you’d have to join the back of the queue or not if they don’t have the docs as we have no information on that at all.

Awesome, thank you so much for the info! I feel much better now.