Foreign Birth Registration

[Paddystarni]

First post - today is the day the congrats email landed

Timeline:-

Application submitted online - 25/01/2023
Documents received: 15/03/23 (posted around 3 weeks before)
Address check: 05/12/23
Address confirmation sent via email: 05/12/23
Congratulations email: 03/01/24

The congrats email goes on to say my certificate has been printed and posted

A huge thanks to those on here for the valuable information and insight to the FBR process and the best of luck to those still on their FBR journey

Mark B

Congrats!! Ahhh you receive the congratulation email once it’s actually printed and posted then! So I suppose I got a heads up on it being approved and then the time line for printing and posting.. Funny how each application varies a little

[Robbiekeane]

Hi everyone. I just got my congrats email so thought I’d add my timescales which will hopefully help someone.

Application submitted online - 31/08/2022
Documents sent: 23/09/22
Documents received: 03/10/22
Additional documents request: 15/07/23
Additional documents sent: 18/09/23
Address check: 22/11/23
Address confirmation sent via email: 25/11/23
Congratulations email: 13/12/23

Thanks to you all for your advice and help on this forum. Now I’m just waiting for the certificate and then passport application time. Does anyone have a good resource for passport applications and information on whether we can apply with photocopies confirmed by our witness of our current passports instead of sending the originals?

NB. the additional documents were a divorce certificate from my grandparents first marriage through which I claim descent (they later remarried).

As an update to this, my certificate arrived today 18/12/23. Thanks to everyone for the help and if anyone can post a link to a good resource for full details of how to apply for a passport I would appreciate it.

WOW ! 5 days after the congrats email! Did you get the email
About it being printed and a tracking number? My email said I must wait for this in the next 2-4 weeks

Paddy, you received an email about approval and then an estimate of 2-4 weeks until printing you mean? I’ve seen such variation in printing time (on the Facebook page I saw someone was given an 6-8 week timeline for printing and posting!) please update when yours is posted so we know where it’s at!

Will do.. nothing yet! Keep checking the tracking number provided but it’s not active yet.

This was the email received on 15/12/13 a day after I sent her my proof of address.



Your children’s applications have been approved and will move on to the printing section. This could take 2 to 4 weeks for the certificates to be printed. You will be notified by the printing section so keep an eye on your email.

The certificates will be printed and sent out to you in the following Registered Post envelope with the tracking number “…”. When the printing section print your certs you will be notified by email and then your certificates should be posted out to you within a couple of days. You will then be able to track it on the following website – www.anpost.ie. All the documents you submitted will also be returned to you in the same envelope.
Kind Regards
Ciara

Very interesting to see the variations in process. I’ll post my timeline shortly but I received an email on 18th December saying “thanks for confirming your address, your application for entry into the FBR has been approved and is currently in a queue for printing of certificate. You will receive an email when printed and dispatched….”

Note - i did NOT confirm my address as I’ve actually recently moved out. Good job my friend took over my lease so okay to still have it mailed there because when i followed up to query if i could change address they said no its already been actioned.

But still, great news so hard to be to miffed about that! Not heard anything since and the tracking number not live yet

[Robbiekeane]

Following on from above:

Application submitted online - 22/06/2022
Documents received: 23/09/22
Additional documents request: 18/7/2023 *
Additional documents sent: 5/10/23**
Address confirmation/confirmation email: 18/12/23***
Congratulations email:
Certificate received:



*Additional document request was actually the start of an 8 week back and forth because they weren’t happy with my witness. Fair enough, the witness lied to me about their professional status. I posted here for any advice but didn’t receive any response.
** In the end, i got it all re-witnessed including all photocopies, and the original application form.
*** So the email i got is below. Between sending my re-witnessed documents and following up with a few emails to see if they’ve been received, and then the email below, i provided no address confirmation:

————
“ Dear Mr ABC

Thank you for your reply and for verifying your current postal address.

Your application for entry into the Foreign Births Register has been approved and it is currently in a queue for printing of your Foreign Birth Registration Certificate.

You will receive a confirmation email when your FBR certificate has been printed & dispatched from this office.

Please note that your documents will be sent via Registered post to your address and someone will need to be available to sign for the envelope.

The envelope tracking number is 12334 and this will be trackable after you receive the email confirming your FBR certificate has been printed and your documents have been dispatched from this office.

Kind Regards

FBR Team ABC”

———
So - great news! I am assuming from the date of that email i am officially an Irish citizen. However, not really clear on when ill get the certificate or if there’s a more formal congrats email coming or not…

The good news is my friend took over my lease, as they said they weren’t unable to change the delivery address.

[Paddystarni]

Following on from above:

Application submitted online - 22/06/2022
Documents received: 23/09/22
Additional documents request: 18/7/2023 *
Additional documents sent: 5/10/23**
Address confirmation/confirmation email: 18/12/23***
Congratulations email:
Certificate received:



*Additional document request was actually the start of an 8 week back and forth because they weren’t happy with my witness. Fair enough, the witness lied to me about their professional status. I posted here for any advice but didn’t receive any response.
** In the end, i got it all re-witnessed including all photocopies, and the original application form.
*** So the email i got is below. Between sending my re-witnessed documents and following up with a few emails to see if they’ve been received, and then the email below, i provided no address confirmation:

————
“ Dear Mr ABC

Thank you for your reply and for verifying your current postal address.

Your application for entry into the Foreign Births Register has been approved and it is currently in a queue for printing of your Foreign Birth Registration Certificate.

You will receive a confirmation email when your FBR certificate has been printed & dispatched from this office.

Please note that your documents will be sent via Registered post to your address and someone will need to be available to sign for the envelope.

The envelope tracking number is 12334 and this will be trackable after you receive the email confirming your FBR certificate has been printed and your documents have been dispatched from this office.

Kind Regards

FBR Team ABC”

———
So - great news! I am assuming from the date of that email i am officially an Irish citizen. However, not really clear on when ill get the certificate or if there’s a more formal congrats email coming or not…

The good news is my friend took over my lease, as they said they weren’t unable to change the delivery address.

It’s nice to know we all don’t receive automated emails, but this does explain why the whole process takes so long as they are all writing to each applicant personally. At first I wondered if mine was automated but I replied and had a few exchanges with someone and we wished eachother a Merry Christmas.

I believe we will receive the congrats email once they are officially printed but yes you are a citizen now I got my Irish passport last year by auto citizenship, having a parent born on the Isle of Ireland so didn’t haven’t to go down this route, but I’m so happy I’ve done this for my children and that it wasn’t a 2 year wait as originally predicted!

We drove to Ireland not long after I got my passport and when the Irish border guy asked if we were Irish and we said yes, it was the proudest feeling in the world! He didn’t even ask to look at the passports though

[Tell32]

Can anyone from the US weigh in on their experience with USPS and this new Landed Cost/Customs Fee? (A $24 fee that the recipient has to pay, not the sender) Will the FBR Office accept my mail envelope? reject it?

This is for USPS Priority Mail International.

[Robbiekeane]

Following on from above:

Application submitted online - 22/06/2022
Documents received: 23/09/22
Additional documents request: 18/7/2023 *
Additional documents sent: 5/10/23**
Address confirmation/confirmation email: 18/12/23***
Congratulations email:
Certificate received:



*Additional document request was actually the start of an 8 week back and forth because they weren’t happy with my witness. Fair enough, the witness lied to me about their professional status. I posted here for any advice but didn’t receive any response.
** In the end, i got it all re-witnessed including all photocopies, and the original application form.
*** So the email i got is below. Between sending my re-witnessed documents and following up with a few emails to see if they’ve been received, and then the email below, i provided no address confirmation:

————
“ Dear Mr ABC

Thank you for your reply and for verifying your current postal address.

Your application for entry into the Foreign Births Register has been approved and it is currently in a queue for printing of your Foreign Birth Registration Certificate.

You will receive a confirmation email when your FBR certificate has been printed & dispatched from this office.

Please note that your documents will be sent via Registered post to your address and someone will need to be available to sign for the envelope.

The envelope tracking number is 12334 and this will be trackable after you receive the email confirming your FBR certificate has been printed and your documents have been dispatched from this office.

Kind Regards

FBR Team ABC”

———
So - great news! I am assuming from the date of that email i am officially an Irish citizen. However, not really clear on when ill get the certificate or if there’s a more formal congrats email coming or not…

The good news is my friend took over my lease, as they said they weren’t unable to change the delivery address.

It’s nice to know we all don’t receive automated emails, but this does explain why the whole process takes so long as they are all writing to each applicant personally. At first I wondered if mine was automated but I replied and had a few exchanges with someone and we wished eachother a Merry Christmas.

I believe we will receive the congrats email once they are officially printed but yes you are a citizen now I got my Irish passport last year by auto citizenship, having a parent born on the Isle of Ireland so didn’t haven’t to go down this route, but I’m so happy I’ve done this for my children and that it wasn’t a 2 year wait as originally predicted!

We drove to Ireland not long after I got my passport and when the Irish border guy asked if we were Irish and we said yes, it was the proudest feeling in the world! He didn’t even ask to look at the passports though

Amazing, such a great gift for your children! And I imagine that felt great driving there as a citizen

When you did your two children, did you do them in one packet/application? Also, how will that work in later years when they have a really young photo on their certificate (I assume it has a photo), and as adults they want to apply for their children?

Asking as we are hoping to start a family in the next year so want to be prepared

[Paddystarni]

Following on from above:

Application submitted online - 22/06/2022
Documents received: 23/09/22
Additional documents request: 18/7/2023 *
Additional documents sent: 5/10/23**
Address confirmation/confirmation email: 18/12/23***
Congratulations email:
Certificate received:



*Additional document request was actually the start of an 8 week back and forth because they weren’t happy with my witness. Fair enough, the witness lied to me about their professional status. I posted here for any advice but didn’t receive any response.
** In the end, i got it all re-witnessed including all photocopies, and the original application form.
*** So the email i got is below. Between sending my re-witnessed documents and following up with a few emails to see if they’ve been received, and then the email below, i provided no address confirmation:

————
“ Dear Mr ABC

Thank you for your reply and for verifying your current postal address.

Your application for entry into the Foreign Births Register has been approved and it is currently in a queue for printing of your Foreign Birth Registration Certificate.

You will receive a confirmation email when your FBR certificate has been printed & dispatched from this office.

Please note that your documents will be sent via Registered post to your address and someone will need to be available to sign for the envelope.

The envelope tracking number is 12334 and this will be trackable after you receive the email confirming your FBR certificate has been printed and your documents have been dispatched from this office.

Kind Regards

FBR Team ABC”

———
So - great news! I am assuming from the date of that email i am officially an Irish citizen. However, not really clear on when ill get the certificate or if there’s a more formal congrats email coming or not…

The good news is my friend took over my lease, as they said they weren’t unable to change the delivery address.

It’s nice to know we all don’t receive automated emails, but this does explain why the whole process takes so long as they are all writing to each applicant personally. At first I wondered if mine was automated but I replied and had a few exchanges with someone and we wished eachother a Merry Christmas.

I believe we will receive the congrats email once they are officially printed but yes you are a citizen now I got my Irish passport last year by auto citizenship, having a parent born on the Isle of Ireland so didn’t haven’t to go down this route, but I’m so happy I’ve done this for my children and that it wasn’t a 2 year wait as originally predicted!

We drove to Ireland not long after I got my passport and when the Irish border guy asked if we were Irish and we said yes, it was the proudest feeling in the world! He didn’t even ask to look at the passports though

Amazing, such a great gift for your children! And I imagine that felt great driving there as a citizen

When you did your two children, did you do them in one packet/application? Also, how will that work in later years when they have a really young photo on their certificate (I assume it has a photo), and as adults they want to apply for their children?

Asking as we are hoping to start a family in the next year so want to be prepared

Yes both applications in one envelope and they’ve been processed together. I have no idea what the FBR cert actually looks like tbh. Does it have their photo?

When I apply for their Irish passport I’ll update the photo though.

Its great you’ve got yourself on the FBR before having children

[jro86]

Long time lurker, here's my timeline:

Online application: 14/8/22
I didn't send the documents until March 23.
Application received: 27/3/23
Address check ("CLARIFICATION REQUIRED"): 14/11/23

Haven't heard anything since, though I have seen somebody else mention they never got the congratulations email, and others that have had address checks after mine have already got their congratulations email. I am in Australia so it can take a good 3-4 weeks for mail to get here from Ireland, unless they use express post, which I doubt. I may give them a call on Wednesday when the offices are open to see if I have been added yet.

Just called them up and was told there are no updates and it's still processing. Asked if there was anything wrong with it and the operator said he couldn't say. All he said is that I'm looking at March this year. I'm a bit perplexed as others that are of similar date (and later) have the congrats email and their fbr in hand already, so who knows.

[GoingBackBackToEire]

Just realised I never received a 'Document received' email, just the 'Application Received' email despite sending them over back in September. I assumed the 'Application Received' must have meant they got the docs in the post.

Should this be of concern or it's normal to not get the 'Documents received' email? A little concerned now !

Online Application: August 9, 2023
Application Received: September 6, 2023
Documents Received: ------

I checked my email, and (in Sep 2020) the email was:

Application for Foreign Birth Registration [number redacted] Received
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.

Now on the Almighty Spreadsheet (see link in my signature below) we track the Application Date (the day you apply on the website) and Documents Received date, the day you get the above mentioned Application Received email.
I had never noticed the discrepancy in the naming. (In my defense, I didn't make the spreadsheet, I only maintain it.)
So that would explain all the posts here of people saying "Documents received" vs "Application received"

Also, I've been away from this thread for a few months after an accident. But I'm on the mend and catching up with the posts here.

[mm514]

Application Date: Jan 4th, 2023
Documents Received: Jan 16th, 2023
Address Check: Oct 9th, 2023

I thought this was a great sign! But....

Request for additional documents: Oct 11th, 2023 (new witness form and 2 signed photos requested)
Additional documents sent: Oct 12th, 2023

Anyone know if this means I will now be put at the back of the queue and have to wait several more months? I have a job offer pending this citizenship and it's really disheartening!

*Update*

Application Date: Jan 4th, 2023
Documents Received: Jan 16th, 2023
Address Check: Oct 9th, 2023
Request for additional documents: Oct 11th, 2023 (new witness form and 2 signed photos requested)
Additional documents sent: Oct 12th, 2023
Address Check #2: Dec 12th, 2023
Approval Email: Jan 8th, 2023 (confirming that FBR has been printed + sent, NOT simply in the queue)
FBR Received: TBD

[wiivile]

A friend of mine had their photos rejected because they didn't write the application number on the back of the two witnessed photos. I don't see this on the application instructions or checklist. Has anyone heard of this? I don't think I did this when I sent my documents in last month.

[Paddystarni]

A friend of mine had their photos rejected because they didn't write the application number on the back of the two witnessed photos. I don't see this on the application instructions or checklist. Has anyone heard of this? I don't think I did this when I sent my documents in last month.

I can’t recall doing this neither can your friend counter this as it’s not in the checklist? Doesn’t seem fair

[wiivile]

A friend of mine had their photos rejected because they didn't write the application number on the back of the two witnessed photos. I don't see this on the application instructions or checklist. Has anyone heard of this? I don't think I did this when I sent my documents in last month.

I can’t recall doing this neither can your friend counter this as it’s not in the checklist? Doesn’t seem fair

Apparently it is in the part of the application the witness signs: "I certify that the applicant who has signed Section D above in my presence, is personally known to me. I also certify that the four photographs (the back of two of which I have signed, stamped and entered the application number) supplied with this application are a true likeness of the applicant."

[GoingBackBackToEire]

A friend of mine had their photos rejected because they didn't write the application number on the back of the two witnessed photos. I don't see this on the application instructions or checklist. Has anyone heard of this? I don't think I did this when I sent my documents in last month.

I don't recall if my witness and I did this or not, and my application went through fine.
It's in section E.

[jgclancy]

A friend of mine had their photos rejected because they didn't write the application number on the back of the two witnessed photos. I don't see this on the application instructions or checklist. Has anyone heard of this? I don't think I did this when I sent my documents in last month.

I don't recall if my witness and I did this or not, and my application went through fine.
It's in section E.

I just checked and yes, indeed, that is on the actual application. The bad part is that on the three pages of instructions that come with the application it does NOT mention application number. Just name, date & stamp instructions for witness but no mention of putting the application number!


Jgclancy

[wiivile]

Given that I haven’t seen anyone else’s photo be rejected on here for the witness not having written the application number on the back of the photos, I am going to guess that they are not strict about it (or that they have other ways around it like contacting the witness), or else they would not bury the requirement in the witness’s signature area and not mention it at all in the instructions.

[jgclancy]

P.S. - I looked on the DFA.ie website and it does not mention putting application number on the photographs either.

Jgclancy

[jgclancy]

Can we send notarised copies of the FBR certs?

My mistake. For the passport you can send a notarized color copy of the FBR ceftificate.

Per DFA.ie website:

Original FBR Certificate or a certified colour copy (certified by a solicitor or notary public)

Jgclancy

[laurab97]

Just realised I never received a 'Document received' email, just the 'Application Received' email despite sending them over back in September. I assumed the 'Application Received' must have meant they got the docs in the post.

Should this be of concern or it's normal to not get the 'Documents received' email? A little concerned now !

Online Application: August 9, 2023
Application Received: September 6, 2023
Documents Received: ------

I checked my email, and (in Sep 2020) the email was:

Application for Foreign Birth Registration [number redacted] Received
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.

Now on the Almighty Spreadsheet (see link in my signature below) we track the Application Date (the day you apply on the website) and Documents Received date, the day you get the above mentioned Application Received email.
I had never noticed the discrepancy in the naming. (In my defense, I didn't make the spreadsheet, I only maintain it.)
So that would explain all the posts here of people saying "Documents received" vs "Application received"

Also, I've been away from this thread for a few months after an accident. But I'm on the mend and catching up with the posts here.

Thank you for your explanation! Glad to hear you are nearly back on your feet.

I'm sure others may have noticed and worried about the same detail many others had the sense to connect the dots on, but no bother, here's to hoping this convo helps any other fellow nervous irish citizens-to-be

Good luck all.

[MeganN]

Greetings All,

I am new to this page and have found it a life-saver in this sea of anxiety that is immigration.

I wanted to find out what the general response time is between getting a confirmation email after you have received an address check. Here is my timeline:

31/12/2022: Submitted online application
05/04/2023: Documents received email (it took me some time to submit originals hence the delay)
01/12/2023: Address check email received

From what I can tell some people get their confirmation of address email fairly quickly after the address check. I sent a response with my updated address proof on the 02/12/2023, but have not heard anything since. The wait (as you all know) is awful. Just wondering if this is normal given that it is the holiday season?

Thanks,

Megan

UPDATE: I still have not received a congratulatory email. I have called the help line and it seems that the standard response now is that it is taking 12 months to process. I did get confirmation that everything with the application looks fine, but that the processing time is longer than the 9months on the website. From this forum it seems that some are being processed in the 9months and some a little longer, but just for the sake of my sanity and anyone else who may find this helpful, I think that the times may be a little delayed over the 9 months depending on what Team you are in. I am in Team 9 for anyone else in the same boat.

[Paddystarni]

Woohoo!!! Received the congratulations email today! The certs have been printed and posted. I’ll check the tracking they provided tomorrow as it’s not updated yet!

Updated timeline


Application submitted: 03/09/22
Documents sent: 23/02/23
Application received: 20/03/23
Address confirmation: 9/12/23
Address confirmed 14/12/23
Confirmation applications have been approved 15/12/23
Congratulations email: 10/01/24

[jgclancy]

Woohoo!!! Received the congratulations email today! The certs have been printed and posted. I’ll check the tracking they provided tomorrow as it’s not updated yet!

Updated timeline


Application submitted: 03/09/22
Documents sent: 23/02/23
Application received: 20/03/23
Address confirmation: 9/12/23
Address confirmed 14/12/23
Confirmation applications have been approved 15/12/23
Congratulations email: 10/01/24

Congrats! Raising a pint for you.

Jgclancy

P.S. - I posted a correction on your question. You can send a notarized color copy of your FBR when doing passport. Read the DFA.ie website directions. It is included now.

[Paddystarni]

Thank you! That’s fantastic news!! We’ve waited so long for the certificate, I felt uneasy sending it away again

I’ve updated spreadsheet

[meself2]

Woohoo!!! Received the congratulations email today! The certs have been printed and posted. I’ll check the tracking they provided tomorrow as it’s not updated yet!

Updated timeline


Application submitted: 03/09/22
Documents sent: 23/02/23
Application received: 20/03/23
Address confirmation: 9/12/23
Address confirmed 14/12/23
Confirmation applications have been approved 15/12/23
Congratulations email: 10/01/24

Congrats! Raising a pint for you.

Jgclancy

P.S. - I posted a correction on your question. You can send a notarized color copy of your FBR when doing passport. Read the DFA.ie website directions. It is included now.

They can still ask for originals; naturalization folks are asked this pretty often.

[Robbiekeane]

Woohoo!!! Received the congratulations email today! The certs have been printed and posted. I’ll check the tracking they provided tomorrow as it’s not updated yet!

Updated timeline


Application submitted: 03/09/22
Documents sent: 23/02/23
Application received: 20/03/23
Address confirmation: 9/12/23
Address confirmed 14/12/23
Confirmation applications have been approved 15/12/23
Congratulations email: 10/01/24

I just received mine too! Excited to get my passport soon so starting to just gather everything thats needed. Do you (or anyone else) know if sending a colour copy notarised/witnessed of passport is okay? The passport application page says to send original passport but I feel like that is something I do not want to do at all as it has my US Visa in it…

Application submitted online - 22/06/2022
Documents received: 23/09/22
Additional documents request: 18/7/2023 *
Additional documents sent: 5/10/23**
Address confirmation/confirmation email: 18/12/23***
Congratulations email: 11/01/2024 (confirmed certificate has been printed and posted)
Certificate received: