Foreign Birth Registration?

[greenlove12]

Hi all!

Longtime lurker, first time poster! I wanted to start by thanking everyone on the board for contributing detailed information on the process and personal experiences with wait times from various locations. Best resource for getting some insight into the process

First, I am curious as to how long it's been taking everyone to actually receive their passport after being entered into the FBR, especially those of you who have been entered within the last year and are part of this Brexit backlog. 3-4 months seems like a ridiculously long time for a first time passport, wondering if it's ending up on the shorter end of 8-12 weeks or more/less?

Another silly question that has no real value, just wondering; on your Irish passport, what exactly does it say for Place of Birth? Curious as to whether it just says United States of America/Canada/Australia (or wherever it may be) or something like New York, USA (as does the American passport) or does it go so far as to say Brooklyn, New York, USA (or whatever town/province it shows on your birth certificate). Just genuinely curious, I know it doesn't really matter but I'm interested to find out because I just can't wait

Thanks in advance and good luck to all still waiting!

[Moggy]

The London embassy received my documents on 28 November 2016. I received an email yesterday confirming that I am now on the FBR and that they are just waiting for Dublin to print and send my certificate on.

It's taken a long time, but that's the Brexit effect. I am very happy that it has now all been approved!!

[ashconnor]

I'm completing my application for my dad and I need somebody to validate the application in one of the following professions...

Who can be a witness?
The witness must either know you personally or know a third party who knows you personally.

Your witness can be one of the following:

Member of the Clergy
Medical Doctor
School Principal
Bank Manager
Solicitor/Lawyer
Police Officer
Magistrate/Judge

My dad doesn't know anyone in any of those professions. We do know a registered nurse. Would this be ok?

[MickByNameAndNature]

I'm completing my application for my dad and I need somebody to validate the application in one of the following professions...

Who can be a witness?
The witness must either know you personally or know a third party who knows you personally.

My dad doesn't know anyone in any of those professions. We do know a registered nurse. Would this be ok?

He doesn't need to know one personally, just know someone that knows one. If your dad has a friend that knows one, the friend vouches for your dad to the witness.

[ashconnor]

I'm completing my application for my dad and I need somebody to validate the application in one of the following professions...

Who can be a witness?
The witness must either know you personally or know a third party who knows you personally.

My dad doesn't know anyone in any of those professions. We do know a registered nurse. Would this be ok?

He doesn't need to know one personally, just know someone that knows one. If your dad has a friend that knows one, the friend vouches for your dad to the witness.

That might work. I'll ask the nurses if they know a doctor that can sign this.

[Moggy]

I'm completing my application for my dad and I need somebody to validate the application in one of the following professions...

Who can be a witness?
The witness must either know you personally or know a third party who knows you personally.

Your witness can be one of the following:

Member of the Clergy
Medical Doctor
School Principal
Bank Manager
Solicitor/Lawyer
Police Officer
Magistrate/Judge

My dad doesn't know anyone in any of those professions. We do know a registered nurse. Would this be ok?

I asked my GP to witness it for me. I rarely go to see the doctor and had never met my GP before but he was happy to complete it for me.

[acf165]

Hi all, I'm a UK citizen applying from the USA. Still waiting, but here's my timeline:

March 2, 2017: Submitted application online
March 20, 2017: Documents received in Dublin
May 5, 2017: E-mailed FBR office to check on status
June 13, 2017: Response to e-mail received, application will be finalised within six weeks

[happilychilled]

It seems to be so much quicker if you apply from outside of the UK

[happilychilled]

After me sending an update request email yesterday I've had a response confirming receipt of my application in London on 27th Feb and that my case had been sent to Dublin. They advised it's taking 6 months which is in line with other people experience on here.
You never know, it might be quicker

[Newlondonirish]

Hi all

Another longtime viewer of this thread, but having received my FBR today thought I would share my dates and circumstances with others as I've greatly appreciated others updates.

Late November 2016 - Online submission
2nd December 2016 - Documents hand delivered to Irish embassy in London
6th June 2017 - FBR date of entry on certificate
7th June 2017. - Date of covering letter
17th June - FBR certificate received in post (London)

I've checked my emails and I don't think I ever received any email in the meantime. I had emailed the embassy earlier in the week to check progress but I doubt it would have even been viewed yet so probably not linked to me receiving it all today.

In regards to my application, I applied through my deceased maternal grandfather who was born in what is now Northern Ireland pre 1920 . In the process of trying to find documents, we think he was never issued a birth certificate but we managed to get his baptism certificate from his village church. We submitted this to the General Register Office of Northern Ireland (GRONIN) who issued him a posthumous birth certificate which has obviously been accepted. His date of birth was also out by one day on all his other documents (marriage, death certificates) which doesn't seem to have been a problem.

Likewise, we also discovered he had been married previously before marriage to my grandmother (big shock to the family but moving swiftly on). I never found evidence of him divorcing his first wife but I submitted my application anyway and hoped it would all be okay. I even forgot to send a covering letter explaining this, but it all seems to have gone through fine. It seems to me that you may only need to show evidence of divorce if it has led to a name change. As a male he never changed his name through marriage so it was easy to evidence he was my grandfather through my mother.

One final thing, I think they changed how they process FBR quietly sometime last November, I paid up front with a credit card and was never asked to include self addressed envelope as I think that was covered in a slightly higher processing fee.

I think someone also asked about place of birth. Don't know what passport will say, but my FBR is Town,County,Country (England)

Good luck to everyone else applying! 6 months certainly seems the standard processing time via the London embassy right now.

[bigdogjono]

congrats
my documents arrived at the embassy in london on the twelfth of december, i recieved a response yesterday to my email which says my application is in the 'final stage of the approval process', so hopefully it wont be much longer

[Elli]

Has anyone here had an application approved with a sworn affidavit instead of a notorized passport?

I was advised by the London embassey to get an affidavit sworn as I'm estranged from my father (and therefore paternal grandmother who I will be claiming citizenship by decent).

I want to make sure I have the right information in there before I take it to the solicitor and then send it off!
Is it enough to state I am estranged an therefore cannot obtain a notorized copy of his passport? Or Should I add details of the circumstances?

Wondering if anyone has had experience of what to write in the affidavit?
Many thanks.

[keithwymer]

I'm applying for FBR for my London born daughter who is under 18. I want to use my Irish mother as the provider of heritage. I'm not Irish but the online form keeps insisting I fill in my details as the parent.

The form forces me to fill in my own details as the parent and mentions "Citizenship of Parent Acquired by Virtue of : Birth to a Person Born in Ireland"

But I'm not Irish. Does anyone know if this part is normal and whether I have to supply my own paperwork in addition to my daughter's and mothers? Or have I made a mistake early in the form somewhere?

[BrexitHater]

I'm applying for FBR for my London born daughter who is under 18. I want to use my Irish mother as the provider of heritage. I'm not Irish but the online form keeps insisting I fill in my details as the parent.

The form forces me to fill in my own details as the parent and mentions "Citizenship of Parent Acquired by Virtue of : Birth to a Person Born in Ireland"

But I'm not Irish. Does anyone know if this part is normal and whether I have to supply my own paperwork in addition to my daughter's and mothers? Or have I made a mistake early in the form somewhere?

If your mother is Irish (due to being born on the Island of Ireland) then you're Irish You're automatically an Irish citizen if either of your parents was born in Ireland (including Northern Ireland). It's because of that that your daughter is able to claim citizenship and go on the FBR because of her Grandmother, via you.

So yes, that's all normal and correct You'll have to supply your own paperwork, too. My mother was born in the South West of England but I still submitted all her paperwork as well as my late grandmother's (who was born in Northern Ireland).

[keithwymer]

Thanks. That's very helpful!

[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.

Hi everyone, just an update - had an email two weeks ago from the Dublin office, (so clearly my application was one of those sent from London to Dublin) asking for a witnessed signed copy of my mothers and my passport (again)and a business card\business stamp from the witness, which I duly did and scanned back. Today I had an email saying that my application has now been submitted for decision.
I don't know how long that will take but so far it's been just over six months.

[Michjmc]

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.

Hi everyone, just an update - had an email two weeks ago from the Dublin office, (so clearly my application was one of those sent from London to Dublin) asking for a witnessed signed copy of my mothers and my passport (again)and a business card\business stamp from the witness, which I duly did and scanned back. Today I had an email saying that my application has now been submitted for decision.
I don't know how long that will take but so far it's been just over six months.

I sent mine off and was received in London 22 Dec 16,
I had email from London saying my application was at an advanced stage of approval.
I recently emailed Dublin and on 7th June received a reply that's it's been put forward for approval and due to backlog cannot give a timescale.

From wen it got sent off to now I'm waiting 6 1/2 months.. really hope it comes soon .

[Michjmc]

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.

Hi everyone, just an update - had an email two weeks ago from the Dublin office, (so clearly my application was one of those sent from London to Dublin) asking for a witnessed signed copy of my mothers and my passport (again)and a business card\business stamp from the witness, which I duly did and scanned back. Today I had an email saying that my application has now been submitted for decision.
I don't know how long that will take but so far it's been just over six months.

I sent mine off and was received in London 22 Dec 16,
I had email from London on 18th may saying my application was at an advanced stage of approval.
I emailed Dublin on 7th June for an update and on 7th June received a reply that's it's been put forward for approval and due to backlog cannot give a timescale.

From wen it got sent off to now I'm waiting 6 1/2 months.. really hope it comes soon .

[judgefredd]

Hi all,

Some great information on this thread, thank you to all who have posted. I have all my docs ready to go and am going to hand them over to the Irish embassy in London in person on Monday morning.

My issue is that my first child is due at the beginning of November (so 4 months away) and I am very concerned that it is almost certain that I will not be on the FBR before that time. Does anyone know either 1. Any exceptional circumstance route that can be used (unlikely I know) or 2. Whether the submission of the application can 'freeze' the date so to speak?

I am not hopeful either way but any tips or info are gratefully received at this stage.

F

[MickByNameAndNature]

Hi all,

My issue is that my first child is due at the beginning of November (so 4 months away) and I am very concerned that it is almost certain that I will not be on the FBR before that time. Does anyone know either 1. Any exceptional circumstance route that can be used (unlikely I know) or 2. Whether the submission of the application can 'freeze' the date so to speak?

I am not hopeful either way but any tips or info are gratefully received at this stage.

F

Unfortunately, I don't believe option 1 is available, although you should definitely mention the situation when you drop it off. Option 2 - submitting the application does not freeze the date:

"An application for Irish citizenship through Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) can be submitted by any person with a grandparent born in any part of Ireland or by any person whose parent received Irish citizenship or was deemed to be an Irish citizen prior to the birth of the applicant."

from the DFA website.

[judgefredd]

Hi all,

My issue is that my first child is due at the beginning of November (so 4 months away) and I am very concerned that it is almost certain that I will not be on the FBR before that time. Does anyone know either 1. Any exceptional circumstance route that can be used (unlikely I know) or 2. Whether the submission of the application can 'freeze' the date so to speak?

I am not hopeful either way but any tips or info are gratefully received at this stage.

F

Unfortunately, I don't believe option 1 is available, although you should definitely mention the situation when you drop it off. Option 2 - submitting the application does not freeze the date:

"An application for Irish citizenship through Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) can be submitted by any person with a grandparent born in any part of Ireland or by any person whose parent received Irish citizenship or was deemed to be an Irish citizen prior to the birth of the applicant."

from the DFA website.

Thank you for your response. I think you're right, my only shot at this stage is to make it clear when handing the docs over, although I'm not sure it is likely to help either. How frustrating - I only became aware of my eligibility a month ago.

I do wonder whether going to extremes and actually delivering them direct to Dublin might be better....

[MickByNameAndNature]

I do wonder whether going to extremes and actually delivering them direct to Dublin might be better....

I don't even think that's an option. I believe you have to submit them in the country of residence unless instructed otherwise. I know for US, the procedure is based on which state you are in. For my state, Georgia, even though there is a Consulate in Atlanta, we had to submit through the Embassy in New York. Even though the Embassy in Boston was processing months quicker, I didn't have that option. Luckily for me, by the time I was ready they had changed the policy to submit online from the US and send paperwork directly to Dublin as they would no longer accept it at the Embassy in New York.

Since they still direct you to submit to the Embassy in London if you live in the UK, I don't think you have the option of submitting directly to Dublin. I could be wrong on this point, but submitting them to Dublin if they have to go to London first will definitely add delays instead of removing them.

Mick

[judgefredd]

Hi all,

Just a quick update for you on my predicament (just in case anyone else is in a similar spot) - I went to the embassy this morning to be told that I should get a doctor's note confirming I am having a child in four months which apparently will expedite the process. My wife is getting a note shortly and I will have a copy of my wife's passport certified by my witness and attach both to my application. This should show a clear chain from me to my wife to my unborn child. I am hopeful this will get me there but with bureaucracy you just never know......

[porjuk]

Hi all,

Just a quick update for you on my predicament (just in case anyone else is in a similar spot) - I went to the embassy this morning to be told that I should get a doctor's note confirming I am having a child in four months which apparently will expedite the process. My wife is getting a note shortly and I will have a copy of my wife's passport certified by my witness and attach both to my application. This should show a clear chain from me to my wife to my unborn child. I am hopeful this will get me there but with bureaucracy you just never know......

Hi judgefredd,

I'm in exactly the same position as you, I've got a child due in mid November and only realised this week that my FBR needs to be processed before the child's birth for them to have the same entitlement. I've got everything ready to be sent off not but with the timescales detailed on this thread I'm not too optimistic. I was thinking of attaching a covering letter detailing my position as I haven't spoken to the London embassy direct. Did they say anything specific RE what should be on the doctors note? I assuming my wife's name, due date, address and DOB which would then tie up with the information on our wedding cert? Did they say the certified copy of her passport was also required? Any advice you could provide would be gratefully received. Good luck with your application.

[pryzm]

Hello,

Been following this thread closely over the last few months to keep track of how long the applications are taking everyone and have really appreciated all the responses.

I just got mine through this week, so here is how long it took:

Submitted to London office (UK Resident): Late November 2016
Date on certificate: 1 June 2017
Date certificate received: 24 June 2017.

I had no communication whatsoever in-between submitting and receiving.

Good luck to everyone