Foreign Birth Registration

[heehaahiihuu]

Application Date: Dec 2020
Documents Received: Jul 2021
Request for additional documents: Dec 2022
Additional documents received: 21st of March 2023
Address Confirmation: 15th of September 2023
Congratulations & cert posted: pending!

Obviously, I'm not quite there yet, but finally hearing something today has been the best news I've had in a long time!

[AussieBiscuithead]

Finally got my congratulations email! 18.7month wait!

My timeline (which I updated in the google spreadsheet):
Online Application: 21-Feb-2022
Documents Received: 5-Apr-2022
Request for additional documents: 15-Feb-2023
Documents Received at FBR: 21-March-2023
Address Confirmation: 5-Sept-2023
Congratulations Email: 13-Sept-2023
FBR cert received: ***


Note, i never received an email from the FBR that they had received my additional documents.

Best of luck to those who are still in the process.

Best,
AussieBiscuit

Received my certificate today. Timeline updated.

My timeline (which I updated in the google spreadsheet):
Online Application: 21-Feb-2022
Documents Received: 5-Apr-2022
Request for additional documents: 15-Feb-2023
Documents Received at FBR: 21-March-2023
Address Confirmation: 5-Sept-2023
Congratulations Email: 13-Sept-2023
FBR cert received: 18-Sept-2023

[Dudleyconnell]

Hello All.
My application started in January 2022.
In February 2023, I was informed that my parents marriage certificate had gone missing so I had to send another......And I went to the bottom of the list again
18th September 2023, I just received my address verification email.
Fingers & toes my Irish passport will be with me soon.
Thank you Nana

[kiladre-sw]

What I did not include is updated ID for mother as that is not something I can obtain anymore. As I mentioned both in the documentation I sent and in the post I have gone no contact with my mother. Recently I even had a C&D delivered on my behalf.
I still just have fingers crossed that my application will be processed as I have seen other posts about individuals getting their applications approved even when being estranged from the parent or grandparent they are filing under. The lack of communication is disheartening though.

They will require you to send them an "Affidavit of parental estrangement" in place of ID. Signed/witnessed by a Notary or solicitor.

I have seen that mentioned before. If that is what they require I will happily try to obtain that document for them, but until they send me further correspondence I'm just in limbo waiting.

Just an update:
Received correspondence 25-08-2023 (7 months after they received updated documents last sent)
FBR is requesting updated notarized copy of Mother's photo id(drivers license). As the license itself was expired at the time of the original application however the notarization was made 6 days prior to the license becoming expired. So, the notarized copy was less than 6 months old at the time of FBR application. It seems that the person reaching out to me did not read the additional documentation that I had sent in back in January, as they did not address the "no contact"/estrangement part. I sent a reply message moments ago reiterating that I can not obtain an updated form of the document. Fingers crossed they reply to me in a timely manner and give me further guidance on options/documents that can further my application that do not require interaction with my Mother as that is not possible.

Additional Update:
Received correspondence replying to email I sent Saturday(26-08-2023). Today(28-08-2023) after further review of my documentation the FBR reviewers decided that they will indeed accept the notarized copy of my Mother's license that I sent with the original documentation given my specific situation.

The email doubled as the address confirmation email, so fingers crossed there are no other hangups with my application and I hear back soon to hopefully good news! Might manage to actually get this done within 3 years.

Excited to finally get some good feedback.

Final Update!
Received congratulations email on 07-09-2023
Received certificate on 18-09-2023

Certificate was in envelope marked as registered and requiring signature. However, I live in an apartment and it was simply left in my mailbox.

Final Timeline:
Application start December 2020
Documents received in Ireland January 2021
Request for additional documents November 2022
Documents received January 2023
Request for additional documents August 2023 (this thread)
Congratulations email September 2023
Certificate received September 2023

Thanks to everyone posting here for helping me keep my sanity over the long bouts of zero communication. Now off to get my passport.

[hb25]

Hi all, thanks for all your helpful insights. What is the normal timeframe for receiving an acknowledgement email that their application has been received? Mine was delivered 3 weeks ago Royal Mail is stating but haven’t received acknowledgement email yet. Thanks in advance

[Mr_Knight]

Hi all, thanks for all your helpful insights. What is the normal timeframe for receiving an acknowledgement email that their application has been received? Mine was delivered 3 weeks ago Royal Mail is stating but haven’t received acknowledgement email yet. Thanks in advance

The time frame is hit-and-miss unfortunately. Some get notified & others hear nothing until the application is being processed.

[ReturningIrish]

Update: Paper FBR certificate (complete with very cute photo of my son) arrived yesterday. We're delighted! I will be applying for his passport next. Thank you to the forum for your support and encouragement. I hope your all have your citizenships very soon.

Total time from online application to receipt of paper FBR certificate: 1 year, 5 months and 10 days

Application Date: 11/04/2022
Documents Received: 05/05/2022
Request for photos (new): 22/02/2023
Photos (new) received: 08/03/2023
Address Confirmation: 05/09/2023
Congratulations & cert posted: 14/09/2023
FBR certificate Received: 21/09/2023

[ReturningIrish]

A bit more info:

It was just 7 days from congratulations email to receipt of the paper certificate, much quicker than the time it took for my documents to arrive in Dublin (via France, rather eccentrically). It was delivered to me by Royal Mail and I was required to sign (I'm not sure what they would have done had I been out). Both certificate and documents were in the same envelope.

Update: Paper FBR certificate (complete with very cute photo of my son) arrived yesterday. We're delighted! I will be applying for his passport next. Thank you to the forum for your support and encouragement. I hope your all have your citizenships very soon.

Total time from online application to receipt of paper FBR certificate: 1 year, 5 months and 10 days

Application Date: 11/04/2022
Documents Received: 05/05/2022
Request for photos (new): 22/02/2023
Photos (new) received: 08/03/2023
Address Confirmation: 05/09/2023
Congratulations & cert posted: 14/09/2023
FBR certificate Received: 21/09/2023

[PeckhamAl]

Hello all,

I started my application in October 2022, documents received email November 2022, then heard nothing at all until address confirmation on 5th September 2023. I'd applied with two of my siblings and they got the address confirmation emails on the same day. None of us have heard anything since.

Did anyone else do a joint application, and did it confuse matters or cause a delay at all? I'm just a bit surprised there's such a wait between confirming the address and confirming the registration, especially seeing others getting both within a few days this month.

Thanks!

[Bluebird71]

Hi All

I applied for my son in Oct 2022 I was contacted 4 August about additional documents. I sent the documents within days and they took two weeks to process the documents. They replied to my follow up to say that the documents have been received but there is a backlog to verify ? Does anyone have a timeline as to how long this takes ?

[ESCJack]

Took me just over a year but my journey is now complete - I’ve received my Irish passport today! So happy

My timeline:

FBR
Applied online - 15 Sept 2022
Documents received - 23 Sept 2022
Address check - 5 July 2023
Email confirming I’m approved - 10 July 2023
Congratulations email / FBR posted - 21 July 2023
FBR certificate received - 26 July 2023

Passport
Applied online - 27 July 2023
Documents received - 11 Aug 2023
‘Estimated issue day’ - 8 Sept 2023
Witness contacted - 12 Sept 2023
Printing - 19 Sept 2023
Dispatched - 20 Sept 2023
Received - 25 Sept 2023

Best of luck to everyone who is still waiting. It really is the best feeling in the world

[manchesterirish]

Hello,

I made my application in August 2020. I contacted the DFA in May 2022 to inform them of a change to my address details, to which I received confirmation. Since then I have phoned the helpline and been advised to email in regards to an update. I have emailed three times asking for an update with no response.

I have waited over three years and even the gentlemen I spoke to on the phone agreed that it shouldn't have taken this long. I'm really at a loss at this point as to what to do next.

When they confirmed my change of address in May 2022 they advised they were processing applications received in January 2020. Almost 18 months later I still haven't received any communication from them which I find very strange.

Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[PeckhamAl]

Hello all,

I started my application in October 2022, documents received email November 2022, then heard nothing at all until address confirmation on 5th September 2023. I'd applied with two of my siblings and they got the address confirmation emails on the same day. None of us have heard anything since.

Did anyone else do a joint application, and did it confuse matters or cause a delay at all? I'm just a bit surprised there's such a wait between confirming the address and confirming the registration, especially seeing others getting both within a few days this month.

Thanks!

Hilariously I posted this because someone else had said they thought the office was reading the boards and as soon as they posted they got their email. So I posted this yesterday, and lo and behold, this morning all three of us siblings got our congratulations email first thing! So that's

Online application 31st October 2022
Documents received 11th November 2022
Address confirmation 5th September 2023
Congratulations email 26th September 2023

[Matt_UK]

Success finally

Application received: 14th April 2022
Request for further documents: 15th February 2023
Address confirmation: 18th September 2023
Congratulations email: 26th September 2023

[dogdayafternoon89]

Application submitted: July 10th 2022
Application received: August 4th 2022
Request for additional documents: April 26th 2023
Address confirmation: September 27th 2023
Congratulations email: September 27th 2023

At long last, I received the congratulations email today. Having originally told me that a letter of no trace for my late grandmother's birth certificate would be sufficient for my application, the FBR later informed me that I would, in fact, need to do a late registration of her birth—hence the five months of toing and froing since April. Delighted that it's all sorted now, though!

[Bluebird71]

I would like to understand where the 6 -9 month timeline has come from as looking through this thread and through my own experience ( 12 months now) this timeline doesnt seem remotely correct ? Does anyone know how long it takes to verify the additional documents as I was asked for a printed copy of my birth certificate and have provided coming now on nearly 2 months ?

[Matt_UK]

I would like to understand where the 6 -9 month timeline has come from as looking through this thread and through my own experience ( 12 months now) this timeline doesnt seem remotely correct ? Does anyone know how long it takes to verify the additional documents as I was asked for a printed copy of my birth certificate and have provided coming now on nearly 2 months ?

I first received the request for additional documents in February, I queried in March how long it would take for these to be reviewed and they quoted three months.

However, when I queried this after the three months had passed I was told around this was now six months, which it ended up being.

Unfortunately, having to send additional information really does set you back.

[Inishbofin]

Question about additional documents/clarification:

Original application June 2020 (during pandemic)
Documents received June 27, 2020 (confirmed from courier not FBR)
November 22, 2022 - requested proof of address documentation (yes, I included them in original package
and I have scanned copies of what I sent but I sent new documents)
Additional documents received January 11, 2023 (confirmed from courier not FBR)

I am seeing additional document inquiries being closed in 5-9 months. Just trying to get a feel as I am
losing hope at this point. It has been 39 months plus in total now and am beyond frustrated.

**This is for my son who was born AFTER I was an Irish citizen so as long as the paperwork submitted was
approved/correct should be fairly straightforward application**

Any advice, support is greatly appreciated!

[Big Boss Man]

Genealogist consulted because grandmother can't find grandfather's birth certificate: Sept. 28, 2020

Grandmother coincidentally finds grandfather's baptismal certificate: Oct. 3, 2020

But his birth wasn't officially registered, so...grandfather's birth officially registered: Dec. 2, 2020

Applied: Feb. 20, 2021

Received: Dec. 30, 2021

Address confirmation: Jan. 5, 2023

Additional docs received: March 20, 2023

Address confirmation: Sept. 5, 2023

Congratulations email: Sept. 14, 2023

Certificate received: Sept. 26, 2023

[manchesterirish]

Question about additional documents/clarification:

Original application June 2020 (during pandemic)
Documents received June 27, 2020 (confirmed from courier not FBR)
November 22, 2022 - requested proof of address documentation (yes, I included them in original package
and I have scanned copies of what I sent but I sent new documents)
Additional documents received January 11, 2023 (confirmed from courier not FBR)

I am seeing additional document inquiries being closed in 5-9 months. Just trying to get a feel as I am
losing hope at this point. It has been 39 months plus in total now and am beyond frustrated.

**This is for my son who was born AFTER I was an Irish citizen so as long as the paperwork submitted was
approved/correct should be fairly straightforward application**

Any advice, support is greatly appreciated!

Hi,

I know how you are feeling. I am closing in on 36 months myself despite multiple emails and phone calls. Frustrating is certainly the word; I feel like I am at a loss too. Especially when applications seem to be being turned around within less than 12 months now.

Fingers crossed we get some news soon! Feels like a lost cause at the moment!

[timfountain]

Question about additional documents/clarification:

Original application June 2020 (during pandemic)
Documents received June 27, 2020 (confirmed from courier not FBR)
November 22, 2022 - requested proof of address documentation (yes, I included them in original package
and I have scanned copies of what I sent but I sent new documents)
Additional documents received January 11, 2023 (confirmed from courier not FBR)

I am seeing additional document inquiries being closed in 5-9 months. Just trying to get a feel as I am
losing hope at this point. It has been 39 months plus in total now and am beyond frustrated.

**This is for my son who was born AFTER I was an Irish citizen so as long as the paperwork submitted was
approved/correct should be fairly straightforward application**

Any advice, support is greatly appreciated!

I can speak from recent experience. I got a request for additional docs on Feb 20th of 2023. Docs were sent by FEDEX from US to Ireland on Feb 22nd. I got confirmation of delivery March 17th!!! Congrats email on Sept 13th. So in my case it was ~7 months from the request. From what I've read it is extending the processing time by 6-9 months if additional docs are required. It's a bit disheartening as the doc they requested already had the notary stamp on it, as I scanned all of the docs before sending them off, but they asked for it again. Oh well, only another $70 in FEDEX mailing costs!!

[denisleaf]

Hi all,

Application submitted: 15/07/2023
Application received: 20/07/2023

I have a question about my address. I'm shooting ahead here as I know there will be some time for me left to wait.

But... I think I'm unlikely to be at my current address (which was submitted on the application) by the time it has been processed. I've been reading about the 'Address Check' email...

Does this just mean that the DFA check that you're still at the address you supplied and wants you to confirm it before they complete the application? Do they let you alter your address before posting the certificate if you have moved?

I want things to go as smoothly as possible. I hope that makes sense and can clarify further if not!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[dogdayafternoon89]

Does this just mean that the DFA check that you're still at the address you supplied and wants you to confirm it before they complete the application? Do they let you alter your address before posting the certificate if you have moved?

Yes, that's right. Here's an excerpt from my address confirmation email from the FBR:

To ensure your documents are dispatched to the correct address, you should confirm your address by return e-mail. 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, or government correspondence, dated within the last six months.

[denisleaf]

Does this just mean that the DFA check that you're still at the address you supplied and wants you to confirm it before they complete the application? Do they let you alter your address before posting the certificate if you have moved?

Yes, that's right. Here's an excerpt from my address confirmation email from the FBR:

To ensure your documents are dispatched to the correct address, you should confirm your address by return e-mail. 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, or government correspondence, dated within the last six months.

Okay, great. Thanks for the help!

[GoingBackBackToEire]

I keep seeing people say they updated a google spreadsheet, but I can't seem to find that to add my info. Can someone post a link to it please? Thank you for all of your help!

Link in signature of the user GoingBackBackToEire post in link below.

ireland/foreign-birth-registration-t277 ... l#p2123179

Thanks for sharing the link to the Google Sheet.

I have now just gone through the thread and updated the spreadsheet accordingly and fixed some errors.

The spreadsheet tracks 5 dates
Application date - the day you open the application on the website
Document Acceptance - the day you get the email from DFA saying they recieved your documents in the post.
Address Check - the day you get the email from the DFA asking if your address has changed
Congrats email - the day you get the email from the DFA saying your application has been approved
FBR Cert Received - the day you receive your FBR cert in the post.

There's also a "Notes" column for things like expectant parent, or additional documents requested, etc.

Feel free to add your data to the spreadsheet yourself. (But if you just post it here I'll probably end up adding it.)

Oh, and if you could put your dates in the format of "27-Jun-2023" please that would make my life a little easier

As always, spreadsheet link is in my signature below