Foreign Birth Registration?

[PasadenaTom]

Re Milkybeer:

The Irish DFAT specifies who needs to witness your FBR application, it can be:

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

The Post Office won't be any use.

And your mothers passport application will have no bearing on your FBR application.

Good luck.

The party certifying the passport (or drivers license) and the witness to the FBR application are two different things. I know this to be true because my passport copy was certified by a Notary Public in the U.S, and my (successful) application was witnessed by an attorney.

I am not a UK citizen, but according to this, the post office can certify such documents. So I think you are fine.

As noted, your mother's passport application will not have any bearing on your FBR application, as long as you both supply the requisite original certificates. Since both applications require your mother's birth certificate, you'll need two original certificates (at least if you are submitting the applications at the same time). A photocopy will not do.

[PMB123]

Thanks for your response but I think you misunderstood the question.

I have had a head teacher be the witness to the application but the British passports needed notorized or certified copies. I had ours certified by the post office in the UK but I now think this may not be accepted.

Oh I see. Why didn't/don't you just get the witness to certify the copies of the passport? That's what I did.

[PasadenaTom]

In my case, it may have been OK for my attorney/witness to certify my passport copy. But I wanted to be sure I got it right the first time. DFA states that the passport can be certified by a "Solicitor/Barrister", and the application can be witnessed by a "Solicitor/Lawyer/Commissioner for Oaths". But the first doesn't reference "Lawyer". Ireland and the UK distinguish between solicitors and barristers. In the States, both are called lawyers. It may be splitting hairs. But I didn't want anything to cause delay or rejection. Since I have work colleagues that are notaries and lawyers, it was easy for me to employ both.

But I think it is important for others to note that not everyone who is an acceptable application witness can certify documents, and not everyone who can certify documents can be a witness. For example, a medical doctor can witness your application, but can't certify your passport. Likewise, the post office can certify your passport, but can't witness your application.

There was a post here not long ago from someone who had forgotten to have his passport certified, and had been given a deadline by DFA to send one a certified one. He was stressed because he thought he had to have it done by the person who witnessed his application, and that person was not available. It has caused confusion. So, I think it's worth mentioning.

[Michael123]

Tom’s application was successful and he recived his FBR exactly 13 weeks from when it was recieved. As I approach my 12th week I am getting anxious. I had sent an inquiry a few weeks back and did not get a reply. I called and was told that my application was recieved and they had just started looking at applications that were recieved in the beginning of August, My application was revieved on 8/20 (fedex tracking) and the “documents revieved” email stated it was recieved on 8/21. Thus far, it appears that most applications are completed in the 13-14 week range, if there isnt any problem. I double checked my documents and requirements and I am fairly certain that I will not have any issues.

The wait is really getting me now.

The lady I spoke to in Dublin said Unless there is a problem, I wont hear anything until after Christmas, I am hoping she is just quoting a longer than reality time.


I don’t want to call again and annoy them, but I do want to call again and see if I have made any advancements. Maybe if I call weekly they will rush mine in an effort to stop me from calling them and annoying them

[brawn401]

If it helps, michael123 my application was received on the 2nd July, so I technically have a month on you and I had an email from the DFA 2 weeks ago saying they were extremely busy and that my application would be processed in due course.

Hold in there! I’m sure it will come soon enough! I just enjoy reading this board in lieu of actually getting the email from the DFA to say I have my FBR

[Michael123]

Thank you, where in the world are you located?

[brawn401]

Thank you, where in the world are you located?

I'm in the UK. This does appear to mean however, that my application will take longer than yours as the trend does seem to be that applications from the USA are being handled quicker than those from the US currently.

We shall wait and see! Whilst the wait seems like it takes forever, it is quite exciting actually

[Michael123]

I have noticed that, the UK applications must go through the embassy. In USA, we apply online, pay fee and send documents and printed application directly to Dublin.


I think I am closest to JPauls application timeline as he is in USA also with a date of 7/12 and I am 8/20

Jpauls, has Dublin recieved the new documents?

[jpauls]

Jpauls, has Dublin recieved the new documents?

Tracking says it was processed through customs today so hopefully it will be delivered tomorrow or Wednesday. The woman processing my application said she would email me once she receives them, so I'll be on the lookout for that this week. Hoping for good news within the next 2 weeks!

[sean015]

Just in case this is helpful for anyone who is anxiously keeping track of timelines, the DFA confirmed that they received my application and supporting documents on August 3rd, and I have not heard anything since that time. I am in the USA.

[jpauls]

Well guys....today is the day!

I got an email about an hour ago from the woman processing my application saying she received the birth certificates. A couple of minutes ago, I received my final email from the DFA. "Congratulations you are now an Irish Citizen. Your recent application for Foreign Birth Registration has been successful and your certificate is currently awaiting printing."

Start to finish, four months and one day from receipt of my application in Dublin to approval. Can't wait to see that certificate in person!

Good luck to the rest of you still waiting! Hopefully yours is on its way soon.

[Koolboy]

Well guys....today is the day!

I got an email about an hour ago from the woman processing my application saying she received the birth certificates. A couple of minutes ago, I received my final email from the DFA. "Congratulations you are now an Irish Citizen. Your recent application for Foreign Birth Registration has been successful and your certificate is currently awaiting printing."

Start to finish, four months and one day from receipt of my application in Dublin to approval. Can't wait to see that certificate in person!

Good luck to the rest of you still waiting! Hopefully yours is on its way soon.

Congratulations!
You guys are lucky that your documents directly go to Dublin. I also applied on 16th July though London Embassy but haven't heard anything. Good luck for everyone.

[Koolboy]

Well guys....today is the day!

I got an email about an hour ago from the woman processing my application saying she received the birth certificates. A couple of minutes ago, I received my final email from the DFA. "Congratulations you are now an Irish Citizen. Your recent application for Foreign Birth Registration has been successful and your certificate is currently awaiting printing."

Start to finish, four months and one day from receipt of my application in Dublin to approval. Can't wait to see that certificate in person!

Good luck to the rest of you still waiting! Hopefully yours is on its way soon.

Congratulations!
You guys are lucky that your documents directly go to Dublin. I also applied on 16th July though London Embassy but haven't heard anything. Good luck for everyone.

[Michael123]

Congratulations!!! With your successful application, this means that I am the next US applicant here.

Let us know when it arrives and the progress of your passport. Thank you for keeping us updated!

[brawn401]

Awesome news jpauls, congratulations!

Let’s see how long the UK based application (about 3 weeks after yours) takes now!

I kept a tally of how long on average applications from the UK are taking based on people’s timelines on this board, and if everything is running without delay, I *might* hear something email wise by the end of November based on a beginning of July application date

Michael, good luck with yours!

[Michael123]

Thank you. Have you been keeping notes on US applications also?

[Michael123]

I think I will call Dublin tomorrow for a status update.

[PasadenaTom]

"Congratulations you are now an Irish Citizen. Your recent application for Foreign Birth Registration has been successful and your certificate is currently awaiting printing."

Congratulations! If you haven't already obtained a passport application, I'd suggest contacting your local consulate. Dublin did not include one with my FBR certificate. So you may save a few days of waiting for that. It took a bit over 10 weeks - from date of application mailing to date of passport receipt -- for my passport to be processed.

[Michael123]

My error, I just saw a post that I had missed earlier.

I am not the next one up to bat, it appears that Sean015 is next. Sean015, please keep us updated as to your progress?

Thanks

[Michael123]

I called Dublin this morning. The man said “we are currently reviewing applications that were recieved on 8/9 and yours was recieved on 8/21, there are about 100 ahead of you. So, I would give it about a months time.”

So, it appears that Sean015 is being reviewed now maybe even the 2nd stage.

[Koolboy]

My documents were received on 16th July in London Embassy. I called Dublin today to get any update. They told me that they received my documents on 2 November and now it will take upto 6 months after receiving. I was shocked to hear that. I think, London Embassy do nothing after receiving the documents. They just keep them in their storage boxes and after 3,4 months they send them off to Dublin where main process starts

[156Nathan]

First time poster, but have been watching this forum for a while

Application for FBR submitted 14/06/2018.
Documents submitted 15/06/2018.
Tracked (Royal Mail) documents received 16/06/2018 at London Embassy.
15/10/2018 - I emailed London Embassy and asked for a general update was told “Application has recently been sent to Dublin for final processing”

Application was on the basis of Irish born grandparent, the waiting game continues for now.

In relation to what has been mentioned above regarding sending your current Passport off with your Irish Passport Application, I did send an email and received this reply;

“In relation to your query regarding your application, if you are submitting your British passport, you will have to submit the original.

You can request it be returned to you once it has been checked but it would be at the discretion of the checker if it can be returned separately rather than with the Irish passport.”

Hope this helps!

Hi all, received email today saying my application has been successful, and the London embassy is waiting to receive my certificate from Dublin which will be mailed out to me Special Delivery.

From day of submission to today it’s been exactly 5 months, which seems to be inline with the average processing times for the U.K.

Will let you know when my certificate arrives hopefully in the next 2 weeks.

[Michael123]

Sorry to hear that Koolboy. At least your documents are there. Imagine how shocked you would have been if you called and they said “who? We dont have any documents here for you! When did you send them?”

[Koolboy]

Michel123
That's true. Something is better than nothing. Good luck for you and all of us.

[sean015]

I called Dublin this morning. The man said “we are currently reviewing applications that were recieved on 8/9 and yours was recieved on 8/21, there are about 100 ahead of you. So, I would give it about a months time.”

So, it appears that Sean015 is being reviewed now maybe even the 2nd stage.

Thanks for the info! I will let you know when I get any further news. It sounds like it won't be too much longer for either of us.