Foreign Birth Registration

Hi everybody! New here, so figured I'd share.

Online App: 08 Dec 2023
Docs Received: 10 Jan 2024
Address Check: ???
Congrats Email: ???
Cert Received: ???

I have two questions:

1. My family submitted four applications together, yet we all live in different places so we had our applications witnessed by different people. When we all got together for the holidays, I had a notary friend notarize copies of all our passports (so we all have our photos/applications witnessed by one person and copies of passports notarized by another). Will that be an issue?
2. We didn't put the application numbers on the back of our photos, should we preemptively send in more photos with the application numbers on the back?

NinthElement wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 23, 2024 11:05 am

simonmaskell wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 21, 2024 8:47 am

Thanks to everyone who has helped, I got my email approval email yesterday but there is no tracking number for the delivery of the certificate, not sure how to know when to be in the house to sign for it. I live in England, does the certificate need to be signed for and if so do you know which company will deliver it?

Here is my timeline below

Online Application: Jan 15, 2023
Documents Received: Jan 31, 2023
Request for additional documents (Accidently sent a photocopy of a doc): Oct 26, 2023
Address confirmation: Feb 12, 2024
Approval email: February 20, 2024

Most likely it will be delivered by Royal Mail, I would guess on Monday judging by the date of your confirmation email. If you miss them they should put a card through your letterbox giving you some options. I'll be able to confirm next week when I return home, as I think they already tried to deliver mine earlier this week (Royal Mail will keep it for up to 17 days after the date of the initial delivery).

For info the certificate was delivered on Monday, I wasn't in but they still just posted it through the letter box, I didn't sign for anything!

huw-mungus wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 22, 2024 2:08 pm

UPDATE

I have switched the grandparent on which my FBR application is based from my paternal to maternal grandfather as the latter's documents are completely consistent, unlike the former's documents.

All of the documentation is consistent for this application aside from my mother's middle and maiden name changes between her birth and marriage certs. I am able to corroborate the maiden name change through my grandmother's 2nd marriage cert. However, I can't provide a document showing her middle name switch, but I know the why, when and where for this name change, if that makes sense.

I am thinking to provide a notarized affidavit of name change, in addition to the affidavit of parental estrangement. Is this overkill considering my mother list's my grandfather on her marriage cert, despite her name changes?

I thought I'd put the question to this forum before proceeding with the name affidavit.

Hello! Just reaching out as I am in a very similar position. Applying from the UK and need to possibly get a notarised affidavit, but it really confusing as the name confusion persists in different ways across multiple documents. I am hoping the affidavit can be somewhat 'encompassing'. Anyway - happy to talk about it with you on DMs if you want some solidarity! One thing I am wondering is if I need to ask for some of my documents back for the affidavit?

Hi

when you say "address confirmation" does this come via e mail and if yes, what is the email address it comes from? I ask because a bunch of my e mails went missing due to a computer glitch and I am worried it may be one of them !!

IntravenousTea wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:41 pm

mrnorman01 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:08 pm

Hiya, when people talk about 'documents received' is that confirmation from FBR themselves?

I've had my 'item delivered' confirmation from anpost.com but nothing from FBR officially?

Hi! In my case it was an e-mail titled something like "Application for FBR [your application number] received" from noreply(at)dfat.ie

Hopefully you get a message shortly, but if not I'd give the usual advice (check spam folder etc.) Anpost confirmed it arrived safely to them, so confirmation should be coming once they've opened it.

Yesterday was 2 weeks since An Post confirmed delivery of my documents to the PO Box, and I have not yet received email confirmation of receipt, so I called to see if I could get verbal confirmation and pretty much struck out. The person who answered told me the email goes out after they scan in the documents, and that's all she was willing to do for me. I'm sure they have them, but given the importance of the documents that were shipped, it would be nice to get that confirmation.

She also quoted me an average of 12 to 15 months for processing, but I assume they are padding it as to not overcommit.

Well, that's a coincidence/relief. Just received an email from dfa.ie, stating they received my docs.

And now the long wait begins.

SteveVA wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 6:11 pm

Well, that's a coincidence/relief. Just received an email from dfa.ie, stating they received my docs.

And now the long wait begins.

Well, that worked out I'd say. Now hope they don't need anything else and you get an email before years end.

Good Luck

jgclancy

simonmaskell wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 9:42 am

NinthElement wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 23, 2024 11:05 am

simonmaskell wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 21, 2024 8:47 am

Thanks to everyone who has helped, I got my email approval email yesterday but there is no tracking number for the delivery of the certificate, not sure how to know when to be in the house to sign for it. I live in England, does the certificate need to be signed for and if so do you know which company will deliver it?

Here is my timeline below

Online Application: Jan 15, 2023
Documents Received: Jan 31, 2023
Request for additional documents (Accidently sent a photocopy of a doc): Oct 26, 2023
Address confirmation: Feb 12, 2024
Approval email: February 20, 2024

Most likely it will be delivered by Royal Mail, I would guess on Monday judging by the date of your confirmation email. If you miss them they should put a card through your letterbox giving you some options. I'll be able to confirm next week when I return home, as I think they already tried to deliver mine earlier this week (Royal Mail will keep it for up to 17 days after the date of the initial delivery).

For info the certificate was delivered on Monday, I wasn't in but they still just posted it through the letter box, I didn't sign for anything!

Hi the "address confirmation" you received on Feb 12th 2024, can you tell me the email info that was received from please? Thanks !!

SteveVA wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:38 pm

IntravenousTea wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:41 pm

mrnorman01 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:08 pm

Hiya, when people talk about 'documents received' is that confirmation from FBR themselves?

I've had my 'item delivered' confirmation from anpost.com but nothing from FBR officially?

Hi! In my case it was an e-mail titled something like "Application for FBR [your application number] received" from noreply(at)dfat.ie

Hopefully you get a message shortly, but if not I'd give the usual advice (check spam folder etc.) Anpost confirmed it arrived safely to them, so confirmation should be coming once they've opened it.

Yesterday was 2 weeks since An Post confirmed delivery of my documents to the PO Box, and I have not yet received email confirmation of receipt, so I called to see if I could get verbal confirmation and pretty much struck out. The person who answered told me the email goes out after they scan in the documents, and that's all she was willing to do for me. I'm sure they have them, but given the importance of the documents that were shipped, it would be nice to get that confirmation.

She also quoted me an average of 12 to 15 months for processing, but I assume they are padding it as to not overcommit.

Hey tomorrow is 2 weeks since i got anpost confirmation as well... not yet heard anything official though. Hoping i'm the same boat as you.

I relate entirely on the anxiousness, given the importance of the documents!!

mrnorman01 wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 29, 2024 9:42 pm

SteveVA wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:38 pm

IntravenousTea wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:41 pm

mrnorman01 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:08 pm

Hiya, when people talk about 'documents received' is that confirmation from FBR themselves?

I've had my 'item delivered' confirmation from anpost.com but nothing from FBR officially?

Hi! In my case it was an e-mail titled something like "Application for FBR [your application number] received" from noreply(at)dfat.ie

Hopefully you get a message shortly, but if not I'd give the usual advice (check spam folder etc.) Anpost confirmed it arrived safely to them, so confirmation should be coming once they've opened it.

Yesterday was 2 weeks since An Post confirmed delivery of my documents to the PO Box, and I have not yet received email confirmation of receipt, so I called to see if I could get verbal confirmation and pretty much struck out. The person who answered told me the email goes out after they scan in the documents, and that's all she was willing to do for me. I'm sure they have them, but given the importance of the documents that were shipped, it would be nice to get that confirmation.

She also quoted me an average of 12 to 15 months for processing, but I assume they are padding it as to not overcommit.

Hey tomorrow is 2 weeks since i got anpost confirmation as well... not yet heard anything official though. Hoping i'm the same boat as you.

I relate entirely on the anxiousness, given the importance of the documents!!

Their email confirmation did not relieve mine. I didn't realize they were going to scan them in. I thought the adjudicator would be looking at the originals, so I put a post-it note on each document, explaining what it is. Now I'm wondering if the person scanning the docs took each one off before scanning the doc or if they just scanned the docs without noticing/caring, which would result in a 3"x3" section of each doc obscured.

Dang it, try to be helpful.

Hi all: currently stepping through the process for my daughter, posting dates if of value to anyone who trails - or anyone nostalgic of their journey:

Application & payment: 22nd Jan 2024
Documents sent via USPS: 1st Feb 2024
Documents delivered to DFA: 9th Feb 2024
Documents "received" email from DFA: 28th Feb 2024
Additional document request: ?
Address confirmation: ?
Approval email: ?
Certificate received: ?

Application & payment: 31/5/23
Documents "received" email from DFA: 23rd June 23

Hopefully not too long to wait now. Is the "Address Check" just a request for proof of address?

Thanks to the organisers of this board, it's really helpful.

My FBR certificate was waiting for me when I got home, Royal Mail had pushed it through the letterbox on the second delivery attempt— all good with me as it saved me some hassle.

Timeline for my whole application:

Documents sent in late August 2021
Email requesting more information received December 2022
First missing document submitted April 2023
Email acknowledgement and reminder for other document received September 2023
Remaining document sent October 2023 (took me a while to figure out how to get it, as it was from Italy). I also confirmed my new address at the same time
Congratulations email received February 2024
FBR certificate arrived at my house the following week

Hi there! New here and wanted to share:

Online application submitted Jan 19, 2024
Documents mailed Feb 2, 2024
Documents and application received email Feb 28, 2024

I’m hoping that I’ve been thorough and that my application will be processed and approved by the end of the year *fingers crossed*

I have a question for anyone who knows. Reading through this message board I noticed that people are getting their certificates in the mail and that seems to be the end of it. I spoke with someone at the Foreign Births Registry helpline and they stated that citizenship isn’t considered official until the applicant attends the naturalization ceremony in Dublin. Anyone have any comments or experiences with that? Thank you and good luck all and congrats to everyone who received their citizenship!

FBRhopeful wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 04, 2024 6:12 pm

I spoke with someone at the Foreign Births Registry helpline and they stated that citizenship isn’t considered official until the applicant attends the naturalization ceremony in Dublin. Anyone have any comments or experiences with that?

The person that told you that is an "eejit"

Mr_Knight wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 04, 2024 7:13 pm

FBRhopeful wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 04, 2024 6:12 pm

I spoke with someone at the Foreign Births Registry helpline and they stated that citizenship isn’t considered official until the applicant attends the naturalization ceremony in Dublin. Anyone have any comments or experiences with that?

The person that told you that is an "eejit"

mrnorman01 wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 29, 2024 9:42 pm

SteveVA wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:38 pm

IntravenousTea wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:41 pm

mrnorman01 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:08 pm

Hiya, when people talk about 'documents received' is that confirmation from FBR themselves?

I've had my 'item delivered' confirmation from anpost.com but nothing from FBR officially?

Hi! In my case it was an e-mail titled something like "Application for FBR [your application number] received" from noreply(at)dfat.ie

Hopefully you get a message shortly, but if not I'd give the usual advice (check spam folder etc.) Anpost confirmed it arrived safely to them, so confirmation should be coming once they've opened it.

Yesterday was 2 weeks since An Post confirmed delivery of my documents to the PO Box, and I have not yet received email confirmation of receipt, so I called to see if I could get verbal confirmation and pretty much struck out. The person who answered told me the email goes out after they scan in the documents, and that's all she was willing to do for me. I'm sure they have them, but given the importance of the documents that were shipped, it would be nice to get that confirmation.

She also quoted me an average of 12 to 15 months for processing, but I assume they are padding it as to not overcommit.

Hey tomorrow is 2 weeks since i got anpost confirmation as well... not yet heard anything official though. Hoping i'm the same boat as you.

I relate entirely on the anxiousness, given the importance of the documents!!

I have today had the documents received email (3 weeks after posting from the UK)

FBRhopeful wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 04, 2024 6:12 pm

Hi there! New here and wanted to share:

Online application submitted Jan 19, 2024
Documents mailed Feb 2, 2024
Documents and application received email Feb 28, 2024

I’m hoping that I’ve been thorough and that my application will be processed and approved by the end of the year *fingers crossed*

I have a question for anyone who knows. Reading through this message board I noticed that people are getting their certificates in the mail and that seems to be the end of it. I spoke with someone at the Foreign Births Registry helpline and they stated that citizenship isn’t considered official until the applicant attends the naturalization ceremony in Dublin. Anyone have any comments or experiences with that? Thank you and good luck all and congrats to everyone who received their citizenship!

Not for getting citizenship via FBR. Which is called "citizenship by descent". Citizenship by naturalization is completely different .
Once they put you " In the Book" you are an Irish citizen on that date. No swearing in ceremony or anything via FBR route.

Jgclancy

Happy to finally be able to join this thread! It took a while to get the final document I needed to submit my application, but I finally shipped it all off last Friday. Thankful to everyone who's posted their timeline and advice here! Here's my timeline so far:

Online App: 17 Oct 2023
Application Mailed: 1 March 2024 (long story)
Docs Delivered by DHL: 4 March 2024
Docs Received Email:
Address Check:
Congrats Email:
Cert Received:

Applicants from US --Can someone please lmk what mail service is used to send the FBR Certificate and return original documents to a USA address? I got the congratulations email a week ago, and see messages saying the certificate was received within a week or less. Maybe that timeframe applies to sending to UK or Ireland addresses? Thank you.

Carole329 wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 08, 2024 8:04 pm

Applicants from US --Can someone please lmk what mail service is used to send the FBR Certificate and return original documents to a USA address? I got the congratulations email a week ago, and see messages saying the certificate was received within a week or less. Maybe that timeframe applies to sending to UK or Ireland addresses? Thank you.

Once it is in the USA it is delivered via the USPS.It can be delayed at customs. Big white envelope. When they send it is anyone's guess. Depends on the printing queue for FBR certificates.

Sign up for USPS free service - USPS Informed Delivery. Once in system it usually appears there as a package to be delivered. It is supposed to be signed for. Sometimes they just stick it in the mailbox.

jgclancy

Thanks for the info.

jgclancy wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 2:22 am

FBRhopeful wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 04, 2024 6:12 pm

Hi there! New here and wanted to share:

Online application submitted Jan 19, 2024
Documents mailed Feb 2, 2024
Documents and application received email Feb 28, 2024

I’m hoping that I’ve been thorough and that my application will be processed and approved by the end of the year *fingers crossed*

I have a question for anyone who knows. Reading through this message board I noticed that people are getting their certificates in the mail and that seems to be the end of it. I spoke with someone at the Foreign Births Registry helpline and they stated that citizenship isn’t considered official until the applicant attends the naturalization ceremony in Dublin. Anyone have any comments or experiences with that? Thank you and good luck all and congrats to everyone who received their citizenship!

Not for getting citizenship via FBR. Which is called "citizenship by descent". Citizenship by naturalization is completely different .
Once they put you " In the Book" you are an Irish citizen on that date. No swearing in ceremony or anything via FBR route.

Jgclancy

That makes sense! Thank you for clarifying!

It's finally my time:

Application submitted:     20/02/2023
Documents received:        27/06/2023
Address check:             None
Congrats email:            11/03/2024
Certificate delivery:      Pending

(Delay in post due to personal circumstances)

258 days total once documents received. Not bad. I included a cover letter explaining that my father was born in a country which has since ceased to exist, which I was worried would slow things down.

I've been provided a postal tracking URL by the hotline (So I can ensure I'm home) but it's not recognising it yet as valid. I assume I just need to be patient and wait a few days . Ironically this final stage feels like the longest of the wait

I have a EU trip on the 27th this month, and another trip on the 13th of next month. I'd have liked the EU passport before then but beggars can't be choosers.

Hello

Just wondering what the experiences have been like for folk going through this process when I stumbled across this forum.

I have applied for my daughter on the basis of her Irish grandfather. Both my parents are Irish and I honestly did not realise that automatically confers citizenship on me. Will be looking into getting myself a passport when I get all my documents returned!

Anyway, we are based in the UK and my daughter LOVES languages. She is looking to work in France and also looking at the possibility of studying in Ireland. We will get this sorted for her and then my other 2 children as there is no rush for them.

It took me sooo long to sort out getting my documents together etc that I am counting my application from March rather than Oct.

Applied online: October 23 ish!!!! (No option to pay though!
Application form & Docs posted: 05/03/2024
Application form & Docs Delivered: 12/03/2024
Confirmation email: ——
Address Verification: ——
Congrats email: ——-
Cert received: ——-