Registering a foreign birth, question about marriage cert

Hi all,

Looking to get your advice about the marriage license below.

I'm am Adult applicant applying on the basis of an Irish born Grandparent. (I have 3 of 4 Irish Grandparents and am applying through my Paternal Grandfather).

Do I need to provide my marriage certificate? There was no name change. I have the marriage certificates for my Father and my Grandfather.

Thanks, all the best and good luck to all.

John



Adult applicant applying on the basis of an Irish born Grandparent

Documents relating to the applicant (unless stated, originals must be submitted):

Completed, signed and witnessed application form (see list of witnesses at 1 above)
Original civil birth certificate (showing parental details)
Original civil marriage certificate (if applicable) OR other change of name document (if applicable)
Photocopy of current state-issued ID document (i.e. passport, drivers licence, national identity card) certified as a true copy of the original by application form witness
2 separate original proofs of address
4 colour photographs (2 of which to be witnessed) – do not attach these to the application form

Documents relating to the Irish citizen parent (unless stated, originals must be submitted):

Original civil birth certificate of Irish citizen parent (showing parental details)
Original civil marriage certificate of Irish citizen parent (if applicable) OR other change of name document (if applicable)
Photocopy of current state-issued ID document (i.e. passport, drivers licence, national identity card) certified as a true copy of the original by a professional from the list of witnesses OR original civil death certificate (if applicable)

Documents relating to the grandparent born in Ireland (unless stated, originals must be submitted):

Original civil birth certificate of Irish born grandparent (showing parental details)
Original civil marriage certificate of Irish born grandparent (if applicable) OR other change of name document (if applicable)
Photocopy of current state-issued ID document (i.e. passport, drivers licence, national identity card) certified as a true copy of the original by a professional from the list of witnesses OR original civil death certificate (if applicable)

Can someone please answer this for me?

I don't believe you need to include your marriage certificate if your name did not change. It does not alter the chain of documents needed to prove you qualify by descent. At worst they would ask for it down the road but I doubt it.

jgclancy

JohnL wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:18 pm

Can someone please answer this for me?

Original civil marriage certificate (if applicable) OR other change of name document (if applicable)

My interpretation of this line is that's about tracking surname changes in the line of descent.

In my case, I am claiming citizenship through my maternal Irish grandfather. Therefore I included my mother's marriage certificate to establish the link between my grandfather's surname (her maiden name) and her married name (my surname). I didn't include my grandfather's marriage certificate since his name was on my mother's birth certificate. I also did not include my marriage certificate since my surname did not change when I married. I might be proven wrong when the DFA gets around to processing my application but I think I included enough paperwork proving the link to my grandfather.

Thank you both for your replies, that's very helpful. All the best.

John

If the DFA website's list of required documents is saying 'Original civil marriage certificate (if applicable) OR other change of name document (if applicable)' then it's not unreasonable to interpret this as DFA expecting you to post your marriage certificate if you're married. In the UK, it costs £11 to get an original marriage certificate. Once you've posted your application, you'll be waiting for a very long time without any feedback from DFA. I'd rather spend the £11 and make certain I'd provided every document on that list, even if it wasn't clear whether all of them were required, rather than spend 2 years with a nagging doubt and the possibility that my application will be delayed.

Thanks BE, I appreciate your input. That's a good point.

John