Foreign Birth Registration?

[abundantbee]

Interesting. i am also applying via london. was yours a straight forward application or is there anything that could have made yours take longer?

Yes, it is a straight forward application. I think they've been inundated since the Brexit vote, so it's just being patient. If you email them for an update they are really quick to respond.

[wulfy]

Hi Has anyone applied for FBR via a parent who was adopted? My Mum was adopted in UK by Irish parents, we got all the paperwork together but now have been asked about a copy of the entry in the register of foreign adoptions. But further reading seems to say you only have to complete this register if the child is adopted abroad and brought back to Ireland which doesn't apply. Anyone know if this form is needed, I am planning to try and call the embassy tomorrow but I know how difficult it can be to get through.

[similarpreguntaz]

Hi Has anyone applied for FBR via a parent who was adopted? My Mum was adopted in UK by Irish parents, we got all the paperwork together but now have been asked about a copy of the entry in the register of foreign adoptions. But further reading seems to say you only have to complete this register if the child is adopted abroad and brought back to Ireland which doesn't apply. Anyone know if this form is needed, I am planning to try and call the embassy tomorrow but I know how difficult it can be to get through.

I'm in a similar situation. Did you end up calling the embassy? If so, what were you told?

[Louis2011]

I applied Nov 4th 2016 and have literally just received an email telling me that they have received my application and not to ask how long it would take. Got quite excited when I saw that the first waves of applications were being done in 4ish months. Would have been quicker to apply in the US

[kfj]

I am applying through my grandmother for FBR. I have all the documentation needed, but have one problem. The checklist calls for certified/notarized copies of my mother's and grandmother's license or passport. I have the originals of both, but as they are both deceased, I can't get it notarized. Is there another option? Could I have certified a statement that the copies are from the originals?

[abundantbee]

I am applying through my grandmother for FBR. I have all the documentation needed, but have one problem. The checklist calls for certified/notarized copies of my mother's and grandmother's license or passport. I have the originals of both, but as they are both deceased, I can't get it notarized. Is there another option? Could I have certified a statement that the copies are from the originals?

If they are both deceased then you use their death certificates. My husband's grandfather is deceased and that it what he has done.

[elampert]

Hey Everyone,

Exciting update, the office in Dublin charged my card for the application fee today! I sent my application directly to Dublin from my home in Boston, MA and it was delivered on December 21st so its been 3 1/2 months. Not sure what this means for the rest of my timeline but I'm still not expecting anything any time soon. Can't wait for it to finally arrive!

[roshambo]

For other people's reference, I just received my citizenship paperwork today. I sent my application in on Nov 30, and it was received by the consulate on Dec 12. I'm in the U.S. and sent it directly to the Dublin office.

[malibujohn]

My passport application was received at San Francisco's Irish Consulate today. Will let all know when passport is received. Webpage says 12 to 16 weeks for first time passports. We shall see.

[Hornet's Nest]

I have 2 paternal Irish grandparents and am gathering the certs and info needed at the moment. My father never held Irish citizenship and the first thing I've niticed is the online application asks me how he gained it, well he didn't.

Both my Irish born grandparents were born in the 1880s in Dublin and I'm finding getting the info challenging. I have their marriage cert and have exact details of my grandfather's birth so ordering a cert should be a formality. His death cert will be more difficult - he died in WW1and for some reason signed up to the army using his brother's name - you can tell by the DOBs and his father's name that it's the same person but it adds unnecessary confusion. I am struggling to get the right info to order my grandmother's birth cert and have ordered one using the best info I have to hand.

Early days...

[Wavey]

I have 2 paternal Irish grandparents and am gathering the certs and info needed at the moment. My father never held Irish citizenship and the first thing I've niticed is the online application asks me how he gained it, well he didn't.

Both my Irish born grandparents were born in the 1880s in Dublin and I'm finding getting the info challenging. I have their marriage cert and have exact details of my grandfather's birth so ordering a cert should be a formality. His death cert will be more difficult - he died in WW1and for some reason signed up to the army using his brother's name - you can tell by the DOBs and his father's name that it's the same person but it adds unnecessary confusion. I am struggling to get the right info to order my grandmother's birth cert and have ordered one using the best info I have to hand.

Early days...

If your paternal grandfather was born on the island of Ireland than your father automatically became a Citizen of Ireland the moment he was born. So he has always held Irish Citizenship.


W

[mfh5001]

Hey all,

Have an interesting situation and was wondering if anybody else had this. I recently discovered I may be entitled to citizenship through my paternal grandfather, born in Ireland. My father, paternal grandfather, and paternal grandmother are all deceased so I can't get specifics from them. However I believe I've located the individual who I believe is my grandfather and have begun the process of getting documents.

From stories my father has told me when I was younger, I am to believe that my father was born out of wedlock. My grandfather's name is on my father's birth certificate (and death certificate), but that's the only evidence I have. I remember hearing stories that my grandfather was never in the picture, and left the USA to go back to Ireland shortly after my father was born, and my grandmother never heard from him again. For all I know, he probably got married and started a family.

Will the FBR accept a sworn affidavit indicating this is what I believe is to be true? I don't have a marriage certificate to furnish between my grandparents, as they never were actually married. I believe I've located the correct grandparent's birth/death certificates, but I wonder if a marriage certificate will even be relevant seeing as how my grandmother never got married after having my father?

Look forward to your thoughts. Thanks!

[Hornet's Nest]

If your paternal grandfather was born on the island of Ireland than your father automatically became a Citizen of Ireland the moment he was born. So he has always held Irish Citizenship.
W

Many thanks.

I already have the marriage cert of my Irish grandparents and I have all the details required to get a copy of my Irish grandfather's birth certificate. The problem I have is that when he joined up for WW1 he used his brothers name so any death cert will be in the wrong name (he died in Aug 1917 in Belgium) - I even have the bronze plaque issued to his widow and the birth years of both are identical so unless they were twins or born in the same year it is the same person who was killed.

[TF101]

Just received a reply to my update request on my October application. The London Embassy has had so many applications that it has had to send some of them to Dublin for processing, including mine. They were unsure of what this might mean for processing time, but said the position would become clearer 'in a few weeks'.

[sammt]

Hi - I spoke to the Irish passport office on Friday as I needed to know the same thing, and they said they first time applications are currently taking up to 11 weeks. Hope that helps.

[helen31]

Hi Everyone,
My mother's father was born in Ireland in 1899, so have applied for my FBR, on the 17th January this year, in London. It's only been 3 months, and I understand London is particularly overwhelmed with applications, but I wondered what the email is or phone number to call that some of you are using to check on the status of the application. I won't use it yet, but in a month's time perhaps they would allow me an update on my application.

[bigdogjono]

after emailing for an update from the london embassy (to which i applied for my fbr) i was told my application was among those sent to Dublin to be processed,as london was experiencing a high volume of applications. i would appreciate it if anyone in the same boat would post an update here if their fbr certificate arrives as it is currently unclear what the effect of having them sent to Dublin will be on processing times.

[Louis2011]

Hi Everyone,
My mother's father was born in Ireland in 1899, so have applied for my FBR, on the 17th January this year, in London. It's only been 3 months, and I understand London is particularly overwhelmed with applications, but I wondered what the email is or phone number to call that some of you are using to check on the status of the application. I won't use it yet, but in a month's time perhaps they would allow me an update on my application.

I applied November 4th and still waiting - I did get an email 2 weeks ago saying that my application has been received. I guess that mine is one of the applications that has been sent to Dublin from London as they are so far behind. When I applied they did say about 6 months - at a couple of weeks off this mark I don't think this is going to happen.

[abundantbee]

Hi Everyone,
My mother's father was born in Ireland in 1899, so have applied for my FBR, on the 17th January this year, in London. It's only been 3 months, and I understand London is particularly overwhelmed with applications, but I wondered what the email is or phone number to call that some of you are using to check on the status of the application. I won't use it yet, but in a month's time perhaps they would allow me an update on my application.

I applied November 4th and still waiting - I did get an email 2 weeks ago saying that my application has been received. I guess that mine is one of the applications that has been sent to Dublin from London as they are so far behind. When I applied they did say about 6 months - at a couple of weeks off this mark I don't think this is going to happen.

My husband's application was received in London on 5th October and we're still waiting, so it's taking longer than 6 months.

[Simontse]

Many thanks for everyone who has contributed to this topic.

I submitted my FBR application to the Irish Embassy in London on 28 September 2016 and it was received the following day. I have just received a letter dated 4 April 2017 from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin and my FBR certificate dated 22 March 2017 (together with the supporting documents submitted with the application). So just under 6 months for the certificate to issue and a bit over 6 months for it to be received. My application was relatively straightforward and based on my maternal grandfather from Drogheda.

Now for the passport, the application form for which was included with the FBR certificate!

[damocov]

That sounds like good news simontse, mine went in on the 2nd November, so looking at how the timelines have stretched I'm expecting something in about May/June time.

I had a conversation with someone with contacts in the embassy, who said that they were swamped processing the applications in London, both due to the volume, but also because whilst they wanted to recruit more temporary staff to do some of the processing the temps had to be Irish citizens themselves (apparently it's been good weekend and Uni holiday work for the offspring of embassy employees!).

This might explain why they've had to bite the bullet and ship stuff across to Dublin to drop the backlog.

[abundantbee]

My husband has received an email from the London embassy telling him that his FBR application has been sent to Dublin, and is at an 'Advanced Stage' of processing. FYI he sent his application on 4 October and it was received on 5 October. Hopefully he might get his certificate by the end of April.

[nooni]

Hello, all!

I mailed my application to Dublin from the US at the end of January, so I've got a ways to go. I'm happy to submit data points as I encounter them!

In the meantime, it occurred to me to question the allowance for line of descent. My understanding has been that once past an Irish-born grandparent, Irish citizenship would have to be claimed preemptively through FBR in order to continue passing it down the line. But taking another look at the eligibility description, it almost reads like citizenship cannot be continued past great-grandchildren of the original citizen. So if I claim citizenship as a grandchild my future children will be eligible, but would my own grandchildren be ineligible even if their parents were fully registered first? Or has this citizenship policy not been in effect long enough for great-grandchildren to be having the next generation for Ireland to address it?

[TF101]

Hello, all!

I mailed my application to Dublin from the US at the end of January, so I've got a ways to go. I'm happy to submit data points as I encounter them!

In the meantime, it occurred to me to question the allowance for line of descent. My understanding has been that once past an Irish-born grandparent, Irish citizenship would have to be claimed preemptively through FBR in order to continue passing it down the line. But taking another look at the eligibility description, it almost reads like citizenship cannot be continued past great-grandchildren of the original citizen. So if I claim citizenship as a grandchild my future children will be eligible, but would my own grandchildren be ineligible even if their parents were fully registered first? Or has this citizenship policy not been in effect long enough for great-grandchildren to be having the next generation for Ireland to address it?

The citizenship continues as far as the unbroken chain. See this page, and particularly the following quote:

"If you are entitled to register, your Irish citizenship is effective from the date of registration. The Irish citizenship of successive generations may be maintained in this way by each generation ensuring their registration in the Foreign Births Register before the birth of the next generation."

I agree that the reference to great-grandparents is confusing. The simple way to put it (post-1986) is that you can become an Irish citizen if your parent was an Irish citizen when you were born.

If that parent was born in Ireland, you are automatically a citizen. If your parent was not born in Ireland, you need to register in the FBR, and will not be a citizen until you do so.

Edit: And if you aren't sure if your parent was an Irish citizen when you were born, go back and do the same analysis for them first!

[Ciaran123]

I don't have a marriage certificate to furnish between my grandparents, as they never were actually married. I believe I've located the correct grandparent's birth/death certificates, but I wonder if a marriage certificate will even be relevant seeing as how my grandmother never got married after having my father?

Look forward to your thoughts. Thanks!

I understand that where there's no marriage certificate for parents/grandparents they'll want a birth certificate for both individuals. So in your case that would mean furnishing them with your Grandmother's birth certificate as well as your Grandfather's. I'd note that you've done that in a suitable place on the application (or send with a cover letter). Otherwise it should be an application as normal.