Foreign Birth Registration

[FieldsOfAthenry]

Are all parts of Ireland's government as inefficient and non-communicative as DFA, or is DFA unique in that regard? I ask as an American who already has very low expectations of government bureaucracies (USPS, RMV, IRS, etc.). But even I am shocked at how disorganized and unprofessional FBR has been since I submitted my FBR application 26 months ago. They don't even have a functioning webchat or customer service email.

[joemac41]

Are all parts of Ireland's government as inefficient and non-communicative as DFA, or is DFA unique in that regard? I ask as an American who already has very low expectations of government bureaucracies (USPS, RMV, IRS, etc.). But even I am shocked at how disorganized and unprofessional FBR has been since I submitted my FBR application 26 months ago. They don't even have a functioning webchat or customer service email.

This reminds me of the scene in Apollo 13, where the O2 scrubbers were square in the command module and round in the LEM and Gene Krantz says, "Tell me this isn't a government operation." I have been told by someone in the Irish Government that I know the Passport office is literally across the hall from the FBR, BUT after you are approved by the FBR, they mail everything back to you including the FBR cert, only to have you apply for the passport and mail everything back to accross the hall.

Obviously there should be an easier way than that.

All of that being said, both the passport office and FBR were not designed for the amount of applications they have gotten in and from what I have seen, they are hiring new people, but obviously there is a lag time from hiring an employee and getting him or her up to speed.

It's good to see people who are Jan. 20, 2020 getting approved. I'm Jan. 22nd, so I'm hoping for the next day or two.

[Con_Phillips]

I received my phone call to say that they were approving my application on the 4th of April and to check that I still lived at the same address.

The lady on the phone said that I should receive an email confirming when the certificate in the post.

How long after the phone call does it usually take for an email confirmation stating that you've been added to the register?

Find it odd that some people receive an email asking for address confirmation and others receive a call.

Maybe it's just me but I always prefer something in writing should I need to query it.

[Dalton_Trumbo]

I received my phone call to say that they were approving my application on the 4th of April and to check that I still lived at the same address.

The lady on the phone said that I should receive an email confirming when the certificate in the post.

How long after the phone call does it usually take for an email confirmation stating that you've been added to the register?

Find it odd that some people receive an email asking for address confirmation and others receive a call.

Maybe it's just me but I always prefer something in writing should I need to query it.

From what I've seen, seems like they're calling people in UK and emailing those of us who are in a vastly different time zone. For example, I live in California which is 8 hours behind Dublin so hopefully they will not be trying to call me. I'm guessing it it just something they are doing to streamline the process as they are trying to catch up on all the applications from when everything was paused.

[Revin Kevin]

Hi All,

Thanks for having me and this is my first post.

I applied to the FBR in February 2020 but I haven't received anything from them, no acknowledgement of receipt just nothing. I see some posts on here stating a date that their application was received. Can I ask is that date from your own delivery service tracking or did you actually receive an official acknowledgment from the FBR?

[Alk1978]

Hi Kevin - I am on a very similar schedule to you and have so far received two emails. The first was when I submitted the online application ahead of submitting my supporting evidence.

That first email was titled:
Application Number 0000123456 Submitted (number is your personal application number. This email was sent from noreply@dfat.ie.

Second email was sent once they received my evidence folder. That email was titled:
Application for Foreign Birth Registration 0000123456 Received. That email was also sent from the email address noreply@dfat.ie

That second email was 30th Jan 2020, I haven’t heard a word since in the subsequent two years.

Hope that helps!

[zelli]

Hi All,

Thanks for having me and this is my first post.

I applied to the FBR in February 2020 but I haven't received anything from them, no acknowledgement of receipt just nothing. I see some posts on here stating a date that their application was received. Can I ask is that date from your own delivery service tracking or did you actually receive an official acknowledgment from the FBR?

I'm in the same boat. I also applied in Feb 2020, I received an email stating application submitted, I sent over all my documents, but I have never received any acknowledgement of documents received. I phoned them about a month ago, they told me not to fret and that they should be getting to the Feb 2020 pile within the next few weeks. So really, all us Feb 2020 applicants are sitting on our hands currently, waiting for anyone else in this forum in the Feb 2020 pile to get their address confirmed.

[timjim]

Well, after 27 months it has finally happened.

Application Confirmation: 20th Jan 2020
Confirmation of Address: 6th April 2022
Approval of Irishness: 7th April 2022

"Your Foreign Birth Registration application has now been approved.

Once your Foreign Birth Registration certificate is printed you should receive an email informing you of this, you can then track your documents with the following tracking number ... on the An Post track and trace webpage. This may take a few weeks."

I lost my previous password for this board but thought that it has been so useful for keeping in touch with the process that I would re-register and inform all those still awaiting their time. Hang in there and IT WILL HAPPEN!

[Revin Kevin]

Hi Kevin - I am on a very similar schedule to you and have so far received two emails. The first was when I submitted the online application ahead of submitting my supporting evidence.

That first email was titled:
Application Number 0000123456 Submitted (number is your personal application number. This email was sent from noreply@dfat.ie.

Second email was sent once they received my evidence folder. That email was titled:
Application for Foreign Birth Registration 0000123456 Received. That email was also sent from the email address noreply@dfat.ie

That second email was 30th Jan 2020, I haven’t heard a word since in the subsequent two years.

Hope that helps!

Thank you so much. I just have one email which is basically a receipt for payment and the issue of an application number. About a month later after I had gathered all the documents I sent them to Dublin but they did not acknowledge receipt which worries me.

[Dalton_Trumbo]

Hi All,

Thanks for having me and this is my first post.

I applied to the FBR in February 2020 but I haven't received anything from them, no acknowledgement of receipt just nothing. I see some posts on here stating a date that their application was received. Can I ask is that date from your own delivery service tracking or did you actually receive an official acknowledgment from the FBR?

Did you send it via registered mail or a trackable delivery service? If so and you have confirmation from them, then I wouldn't worry that you didn't get the confirmation from DFA. Anyways, seems that probably due the volume of Brexit applications at the end of 2019, the process seemed to break a bit. Many others on the board also never received the confirmation email. Since you applied in Feb 2020, pre covid, I would assume you're fine. The office was still open at that point. Would be really nice though if they would turn back on the chat so people could confirm simple questions like this.

I'm also Feb 2020, I'm hoping we'll start hearing in the next month. I'm hoping to have my FBR wrapped up by summer.

[Revin Kevin]

Hi All,

Thanks for having me and this is my first post.

I applied to the FBR in February 2020 but I haven't received anything from them, no acknowledgement of receipt just nothing. I see some posts on here stating a date that their application was received. Can I ask is that date from your own delivery service tracking or did you actually receive an official acknowledgment from the FBR?

Did you send it via registered mail or a trackable delivery service? If so and you have confirmation from them, then I wouldn't worry that you didn't get the confirmation from DFA. Anyways, seems that probably due the volume of Brexit applications at the end of 2019, the process seemed to break a bit. Many others on the board also never received the confirmation email. Since you applied in Feb 2020, pre covid, I would assume you're fine. The office was still open at that point. Would be really nice though if they would turn back on the chat so people could confirm simple questions like this.

I'm also Feb 2020, I'm hoping we'll start hearing in the next month. I'm hoping to have my FBR wrapped up by summer.

I did post it recorded delivery and checked they received it at the time but unfortunately didn't keep a copy of the confirmation. Like you say it seems the sending out of acknowledgments for documents received is hit and miss so hopefully all is well.

[brainiacghost]

My FBR certificate and supporting docs were dispatched last friday, according to the email I recieved. I've tracked them using the tracking number I was given and they'be been at: "Your post has left An Post DUBLIN MAIL CENTRE, DUBLIN 12" since the morning of the 2nd of April. What have people's experiences been like in waiting for delivery via Anpost to the UK?

[skyhigh123]

I received my long awaited Irish passport at my UK address yesterday, almost 2 years and 4 months since my initial application to be added to the FBR. I applied for the passport as soon as I received the FBR certificate in early December 2021. Great news to get the passport, a shame it wasn't a week earlier as i have just come to France and will need to go back to the UK before my 90 days runout, reentering using my Irish documentation. p.s. the passport office accepted an uncertified photocopy of my British passport.

[chelsearob77]

At long last I am now an Irish Citizen

Documents received by the DFA: 10th February 2020

Address confirmation email received from the DFA: 31st March 2022

Congratulations email received the DFA: 4th April 2022

Documents and Foreign Birth Registration Certificate received: 8th April 2022

Almost a 26 month wait in my case, I just hope I don't have as long a wait when I apply for my Irish passport

[JohnFBR]

First successful Feb 2020 application!! Congrats!

[jgclancy]

At long last I am now an Irish Citizen

Documents received by the DFA: 10th February 2020

Address confirmation email received from the DFA: 31st March 2022

Congratulations email received the DFA: 4th April 2022

Documents and Foreign Birth Registration Certificate received: 8th April 2022

Almost a 26 month wait in my case, I just hope I don't have as long a wait when I apply for my Irish passport

Congrats!!!

jgclancy

[duffy1867]

Congratulations, chelsearob77 - this is an exciting update for many of us in the Feb 2020 Club

[TInFE]

excellent news - congratulations. Roll on March 2020

[duffy1867]

I think we know this, but on Kildare Street today

Simon Coveney

Since the reopening of the FBR Service in November 2021, there have been 17 staff assigned to FBR entitlement checking. Three thousand applications have been processed to date in 2022. The Entitlement Team are currently processing applications for which supporting documents were received in January 2020

They have also used different wording on waiting times

...due to necessary Covid-19 restrictions, applicants should allow over 2 years from the receipt of supporting documentation for processing of FBR applications at this time

It says this update was on the 5th April - however I am fairly sure it was not published on the website until this morning

[Dalton_Trumbo]

I think we know this, but on Kildare Street today

Simon Coveney

Since the reopening of the FBR Service in November 2021, there have been 17 staff assigned to FBR entitlement checking. Three thousand applications have been processed to date in 2022. The Entitlement Team are currently processing applications for which supporting documents were received in January 2020

They have also used different wording on waiting times

...due to necessary Covid-19 restrictions, applicants should allow over 2 years from the receipt of supporting documentation for processing of FBR applications at this time

It says this update was on the 5th April - however I am fairly sure it was not published on the website until this morning

wait, so they have 17 people working through a backlog of 30,000 applications?!

It also appears they removed the live chat link from its usual location. I can't find it at all anymore.

[walter3ca]

Hopefully, this means that if an application isn't perfect, they will still let it through as opposed to having to deal with it again.

[brainiacghost]

FBR Certificate arrived today. I'm going to be sending off everything for a passport next week or the week after (depends on how quickly I can get together with someone to have everything witnessed!)

[bramarcan]

FBR Certificate arrived today. I'm going to be sending off everything for a passport next week or the week after (depends on how quickly I can get together with someone to have everything witnessed!)

Woohoo! Congrats!

[northernmma]

Hi all, I filed my application online in 2020 just as they stopped accepting supporting documents. So now two years later I am ready to send in my documents, however I am going to be getting married this July now and am worried about how this will change the process.

Will my marital status changing affect the process? I am unsure if I should send the documents in now as an unmarried applicant, wait until I am married, or if I need to restart the whole online application after I am married and file with the marriage documents. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Mr_Knight]

Will my marital status changing affect the process? I am unsure if I should send the documents in now as an unmarried applicant, wait until I am married, or if I need to restart the whole online application after I am married and file with the marriage documents. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

So long as you meet the requirements as an adult applicant I think you should just send your documents as soon as possible. Then if any details have changed during your wait that can be addressed later. Get your foot in the door first.