Foreign Birth Registration

[meself2]

I was an Irish citizen (and passport holder) when my kids were born but I was not born in Ireland. My understanding is that they have to apply based on my parent (who was born in Ireland). Is that correct?

No, you could've applied based on yourself - https://www.dfa.ie/citizenship/born-abr ... ign-birth/

If you were born outside of Ireland, you can become an Irish citizen if:

One of your grandparents was born in Ireland, or;
One of your parents was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth, even though they were not born in Ireland.
In these cases, you can become an Irish citizen through Foreign Birth Registration.

[okcomputer]

I was an Irish citizen (and passport holder) when my kids were born but I was not born in Ireland. My understanding is that they have to apply based on my parent (who was born in Ireland). Is that correct?

No, you could've applied based on yourself - https://www.dfa.ie/citizenship/born-abr ... ign-birth/

If you were born outside of Ireland, you can become an Irish citizen if:

One of your grandparents was born in Ireland, or;
One of your parents was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth, even though they were not born in Ireland.
In these cases, you can become an Irish citizen through Foreign Birth Registration.

Thanks for your response. Ok good, then I guess my Dad's documents don't matter. It was a bit confusing tbh. fingers crossed!

[Rupertbrooke]

Hello
My application to join the register (through my late British mother) is pending with the Irish Foreign Births Register Department. My Irish grandfather changed his surname maybe before or after emigrating one hundred years from Co. Wicklow to England. All the documents I submitted are fine except that the Irish birth certificate has the original surname, whereas the UK death certificate has the changed surname. I was just wondering if Irish citizens really did that sort of thing long ago-just changing surnames quite randomly. My aunt (grandad's surviving child) can testify that he changed his surname but does that count for anything? The same query to the Registry agent hasn't produced a response after several weeks. Thank you.

[FrozenTundra]

Got the congratulations email today! This will thus be my penultimate update (ultimate update will be when certificate physically in hand).

As a reminder, I applied for FBR for my son when he was three months old and thus by the time they began processing his application his photos were too old (photos for those under the age of two must be from within the last six months). I submitted updated photos and then had radio silence for a long time.

Application submitted online: February 14th, 2021
Documents mailed: April 13th, 2021
Documents received in Ireland: April 26th, 2021 (according to the United States Postal Service tracking system; I never received any confirmation from the Irish authorities)
Email request for updated photos of infant child: November 29th, 2022
Updated photos sent by mail to FBR staff: November 30th, 2022
Confirmation of address email: April 17th, 2023
Congratulations/approval email: May 17th, 2023 (today!)

[ferocious12]

Congratulations !

I applied for my daughter in Sep 2022 when she was 2 months old. I am seeing they are processing Aug 2022 applications now. Do you think it is good idea to voluntarily send the updated photos to the department now? Thx

[FrozenTundra]

Congratulations !

I applied for my daughter in Sep 2022 when she was 2 months old. I am seeing they are processing Aug 2022 applications now. Do you think it is good idea to voluntarily send the updated photos to the department now? Thx

I wouldn't purely because I have a very low opinion of the FBR staff in terms of logistics. I think there would be a high chance of confusion if you sent them documentation before they asked for it. But I don't know that for a fact, simply my general impression. That said, they're going to ask for updated photos so you may want to go ahead and get that ready anyway but not send until they formally ask.

[ferocious12]

Thanks. At what address did you send the photos?

[FrozenTundra]

Thanks. At what address did you send the photos?

The email they send you will tell you what the address is. Here is what the email that was sent to me said:

Dear <redacted>,

I am dealing with your child's application to obtain Irish Citizenship through entry on to the Foreign Births Register. Unfortunately I cannot proceed with your application without the following:

Four new Passport photographs (Child under 2 years at time of application). NOTE: These are not required to be witnessed.

When the photographs are received and your child's application is reviewed, you may be contacted again for further clarification or documents if required.

Please return the photographs to the address below, clearly marking it with your child's name and application number:

Foreign Births Registration Returns Section
PO Box 13003
Balbriggan
County Dublin
Ireland

Best regards,

<redacted>

[ferocious12]

Many thanks

[Tell32]

Hello friends, I have finally gathered all the civil documents that I'll need. For anyone who is curious, I ordered my grandparents birth certificate from the HSE on March 26th, it was posted on April 14th, and arrived April 25th. I ordered the marriage certificate from the HSE on May 7th, it was posted on the 12th, and arrived today on the 18th.

The documents I ordered from the town municipalities here in the US were a pain in the butt, but I won't go into that here.

A few questions:
Are the 2x2 inch passport photographs used here in the US fine for the FBR application?
Do you guys know if there is a "best" original proofs of address document to use?

[Coachman]

Hello friends, I have finally gathered all the civil documents that I'll need. For anyone who is curious, I ordered my grandparents birth certificate from the HSE on March 26th, it was posted on April 14th, and arrived April 25th. I ordered the marriage certificate from the HSE on May 7th, it was posted on the 12th, and arrived today on the 18th.

The documents I ordered from the town municipalities here in the US were a pain in the butt, but I won't go into that here.

A few questions:
Are the 2x2 inch passport photographs used here in the US fine for the FBR application?
Do you guys know if there is a "best" original proofs of address document to use?

I used my passport photos for the FBR. I also used generic items mailed to me as proof of address. They match my iD and address on the FBR. I guess I'll be finding out soon if they both were good enough. My documents were received in Aug '22.

[Coachman]

Got the address clarification email today.

Application date: 16 July 22
Documents received: 18 Aug 22
Address clarification email: 19 May 23

[MisterHiggins]

Long time lurker here. Thanks to everyone who has shared intel and kept us informed with dates and the like. Just had my congrats email through this morning, so thought I'd add in my dates.

Application submitted: 08/07/2022
Application received: 04/08/2022
Address check: 23/04/2023
Congratulations email: 19/05/2023

Timelines are definitely improving - that's just over 10 months! Best of luck to everyone still waiting.

[okcomputer]

Long time lurker here. Thanks to everyone who has shared intel and kept us informed with dates and the like. Just had my congrats email through this morning, so thought I'd add in my dates.

Application submitted: 08/07/2022
Application received: 04/08/2022
Address check: 23/04/2023
Congratulations email: 19/05/2023

Timelines are definitely improving - that's just over 10 months! Best of luck to everyone still waiting.

Congrats to you! That seems relatively efficient. May I ask did you apply based on parent or Grandparent?

[Coachman]

Just sharing updated Passport information as posted Minister of Foreign Affairs on 10 May 2023 and as seen in KildareStreet. I've seen some recent questions regarding documentation requirements for obtaining a first passport:

Micheál Martin (Leader of the Opposition; Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

My Department is currently in the busiest season for passport applications, as citizens prepare for their upcoming summer travel plans. Thanks to operational and staffing plans implemented by my Department, the Passport Service is successfully responding to the current high demand, and has issued over 403,000 passports to date this year. All turnaround times are at their target level and there are no backlogs. The Customer Service Hub is responding to over 3,000 queries per day.

As outlined on the cover sheet that applicants receive with their new passport, where original documents have been submitted to the Passport Service in support of an application, the Passport Service will return these documents separately to the new passport, within 15 working days after the passport application is processed. Currently, supporting documents are being returned within 10 working days of the issuance of the new passport. There are no delays in returning original documentation.

The Passport Service also has a system in place whereby applicants who require their supporting documents to be returned urgently can request this. In such a case, the applicant can receive their documents back even in advance of their new passport being issued.

Over the past 18 months, the Passport Service has been actively working to reduce the number of original documents required for a passport application, and very positive changes have been introduced in this regard. Parents are no longer required to submit their original Irish passport for a child's application, as photocopies are accepted. Certified copies are now accepted for naturalisation and Foreign Birth Registration certificates, meaning these original documents also no longer need to be submitted. Applicants applying on the basis of naturalisation or Foreign Birth Registration are no longer required to submit their original passport from their country of origin, provided they can submit another form of government issued photographic identification, such as a certified copy of their driver's licence or a copy of their Public Services Card. Since 1st April this year, thanks to an integration with the General Register Office (GRO), a significant cohort of first time applicants born in Ireland no longer need to submit their original birth certificate. Since then over 8,000 birth records have been retrieved digitally.

Considering that we are in the peak season for passport demand, I am satisfied with the current turnaround time for the return of supporting documents, and that there is a facility in place for those who require their documents urgently. The Passport Service will continue to consider ways in which to enhance this essential citizen service.

[Jareth442]

Got the congratulations email today! This will thus be my penultimate update (ultimate update will be when certificate physically in hand).

As a reminder, I applied for FBR for my son when he was three months old and thus by the time they began processing his application his photos were too old (photos for those under the age of two must be from within the last six months). I submitted updated photos and then had radio silence for a long time.

Application submitted online: February 14th, 2021
Documents mailed: April 13th, 2021
Documents received in Ireland: April 26th, 2021 (according to the United States Postal Service tracking system; I never received any confirmation from the Irish authorities)
Email request for updated photos of infant child: November 29th, 2022
Updated photos sent by mail to FBR staff: November 30th, 2022
Confirmation of address email: April 17th, 2023
Congratulations/approval email: May 17th, 2023 (today!)

Hi @frozentundra did you need to get your child's updated photos signed and dated by your witness again or could you just send them blank?

[harry0H3]

Just sharing updated Passport information as posted Minister of Foreign Affairs on 10 May 2023 and as seen in KildareStreet. I've seen some recent questions regarding documentation requirements for obtaining a first passport:

Micheál Martin (Leader of the Opposition; Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

My Department is currently in the busiest season for passport applications, as citizens prepare for their upcoming summer travel plans. Thanks to operational and staffing plans implemented by my Department, the Passport Service is successfully responding to the current high demand, and has issued over 403,000 passports to date this year. All turnaround times are at their target level and there are no backlogs. The Customer Service Hub is responding to over 3,000 queries per day.

As outlined on the cover sheet that applicants receive with their new passport, where original documents have been submitted to the Passport Service in support of an application, the Passport Service will return these documents separately to the new passport, within 15 working days after the passport application is processed. Currently, supporting documents are being returned within 10 working days of the issuance of the new passport. There are no delays in returning original documentation.

The Passport Service also has a system in place whereby applicants who require their supporting documents to be returned urgently can request this. In such a case, the applicant can receive their documents back even in advance of their new passport being issued.

Over the past 18 months, the Passport Service has been actively working to reduce the number of original documents required for a passport application, and very positive changes have been introduced in this regard. Parents are no longer required to submit their original Irish passport for a child's application, as photocopies are accepted. Certified copies are now accepted for naturalisation and Foreign Birth Registration certificates, meaning these original documents also no longer need to be submitted. Applicants applying on the basis of naturalisation or Foreign Birth Registration are no longer required to submit their original passport from their country of origin, provided they can submit another form of government issued photographic identification, such as a certified copy of their driver's licence or a copy of their Public Services Card. Since 1st April this year, thanks to an integration with the General Register Office (GRO), a significant cohort of first time applicants born in Ireland no longer need to submit their original birth certificate. Since then over 8,000 birth records have been retrieved digitally.

Considering that we are in the peak season for passport demand, I am satisfied with the current turnaround time for the return of supporting documents, and that there is a facility in place for those who require their documents urgently. The Passport Service will continue to consider ways in which to enhance this essential citizen service.

I'm currently in the process of sending away for my Irish passport as a first-time applicant through FBR, so thanks for posting this info! I note that this statement says that FBR applicants no longer need to provide their original passport. However, my application cover page says that while I can send a certified copy/original of my drivers licence, I must also still send my country of origin passport (It states this in a separate bullet point). Does anyone know if this has changed with this recent statement, or is sending my original passport still necessary regardless? I'll be in need of my passport in just less than a month so I can't risk sending it away with the current turnaround times. If it's still the case that my british passport must be sent, could I possibly send an expired passport?
Thanks, Harry.

[Paddy399]

The application from hell continues:

Application submitted 13/10/20
Documents received 18/12/20
Address confirmation email 16/11/22

Email FBR for update 20/3/23 (no reply)
Called FBR 9/5/23 They told me to email the same address I did in March.
Email apologizing for the delay 17/5/23

It has now been 29 months. All I can do is wait.

[Mr_Knight]

I'm currently in the process of sending away for my Irish passport as a first-time applicant through FBR, so thanks for posting this info! I note that this statement says that FBR applicants no longer need to provide their original passport. However, my application cover page says that while I can send a certified copy/original of my drivers licence, I must also still send my country of origin passport (It states this in a separate bullet point). Does anyone know if this has changed with this recent statement, or is sending my original passport still necessary regardless? I'll be in need of my passport in just less than a month so I can't risk sending it away with the current turnaround times. If it's still the case that my british passport must be sent, could I possibly send an expired passport?
Thanks, Harry.

Certified copy of valid passport of country of birth is fine. (Personally I got passport, driving licence & Citizen card all certified from the Post Office for 12 pounds)

[MisterHiggins]

Congrats to you! That seems relatively efficient. May I ask did you apply based on parent or Grandparent?

@okcomputer Thanks! I applied via my Grandmother.

[rmoto]

A very niche question but wondering if anyone has gone through something similar...

I applied and paid in 2018 at the encouragement of my family, but then my mom and aunts and uncles (who were Irish citizens from birth - just needed to apply for passport but needed the same documents required for FBR) wanted to complete their process first before the grandkids sent theirs off. I never got to send in the documents. Shortly after that, COVID hit and processing was paused. By the time it resumed, I had contacted my nearest consulate in the US to inquire and they informed me my application had likely expired and that I'd need to re-apply and to contact FBR about a possible refund of my original fee. Around that time, though, DFA removed the chat option from the FBR site and the number listed is only for "urgent inquiries."

Is this a lost cause? I believe it's too late now to file a chargeback with my credit card company, and my new FBR application was just granted recently and certificate received a few days ago so in theory this money is so long gone and I'd be at peace with not getting it back....but given I've not really ever found an outlet through which to ask if this was possible I thought I'd try here...

Best of luck to all of you still waiting! Timelines seem to be getting shorter and the email will come when you least expect it!

All the best

[ReturningIrish]

Got the congratulations email today! This will thus be my penultimate update (ultimate update will be when certificate physically in hand).

As a reminder, I applied for FBR for my son when he was three months old and thus by the time they began processing his application his photos were too old (photos for those under the age of two must be from within the last six months). I submitted updated photos and then had radio silence for a long time.

Application submitted online: February 14th, 2021
Documents mailed: April 13th, 2021
Documents received in Ireland: April 26th, 2021 (according to the United States Postal Service tracking system; I never received any confirmation from the Irish authorities)
Email request for updated photos of infant child: November 29th, 2022
Updated photos sent by mail to FBR staff: November 30th, 2022
Confirmation of address email: April 17th, 2023
Congratulations/approval email: May 17th, 2023 (today!)

That's great to hear you've finally got the congratulations email, but that timescale is a little disheartening. I'm in a similar position, insomuch as I applied for my infant son last April and received a request for updated photos in February of this year. They signed for the new photos on 8th March, but I've heard nothing since. Going by your experience, I could be waiting until September!

[AussieBiscuithead]

I had posted previously about submitted additional documentation. I send the documents in early March with tracking; tracking indicated it was received 21st of March. I received no confirmation email saying the documents had been received, similar to confirmation email you first submit the application.

I emailed the urgent FBR email address asking if they will send a confirmation email, after waiting 1 and half months. I finally received a response to my email.....

"We are currently experiencing large volumes of post for incomplete applications. Additional documents are being registered and merged to their corresponding files in order of date received before being sent forward for entitlement checking.

The current lead time for incomplete applications is three / four months. Processing times remain indicative only, and it may be processed sooner or later than this depending on available processing resources."

Hope that helps other people who have submitted additional documents as part of their application.

Best,
AussieBiscuit

[Ozzy1986]

I had posted previously about submitted additional documentation. I send the documents in early March with tracking; tracking indicated it was received 21st of March. I received no confirmation email saying the documents had been received, similar to confirmation email you first submit the application.

I emailed the urgent FBR email address asking if they will send a confirmation email, after waiting 1 and half months. I finally received a response to my email.....

"We are currently experiencing large volumes of post for incomplete applications. Additional documents are being registered and merged to their corresponding files in order of date received before being sent forward for entitlement checking.

The current lead time for incomplete applications is three / four months. Processing times remain indicative only, and it may be processed sooner or later than this depending on available processing resources."

Hope that helps other people who have submitted additional documents as part of their application.

Best,
AussieBiscuit

Hi AussieBiscuit,

I sent my supporting documents approx 6 months ago and still haven't heard back so 3/4 months is being very generous. The waiting game is hard!

Ozzy

[FrozenTundra]

Got the congratulations email today! This will thus be my penultimate update (ultimate update will be when certificate physically in hand).

As a reminder, I applied for FBR for my son when he was three months old and thus by the time they began processing his application his photos were too old (photos for those under the age of two must be from within the last six months). I submitted updated photos and then had radio silence for a long time.

Application submitted online: February 14th, 2021
Documents mailed: April 13th, 2021
Documents received in Ireland: April 26th, 2021 (according to the United States Postal Service tracking system; I never received any confirmation from the Irish authorities)
Email request for updated photos of infant child: November 29th, 2022
Updated photos sent by mail to FBR staff: November 30th, 2022
Confirmation of address email: April 17th, 2023
Congratulations/approval email: May 17th, 2023 (today!)

Hi @frozentundra did you need to get your child's updated photos signed and dated by your witness again or could you just send them blank?

I didn't have them witnessed. The email they sent me (posted above, earlier in this thread) said not to. I sent the photos with his name and FBR application number.