Witnesses for Foreign Birth Register application

Muscat · Post by **Muscat** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:26 pm

Hello all, first post for me...

I am applying to be added to the foreign births register on the basis that my grandfather was Irish born. I have all the certificates etc. My problem is that I’m a bit confused about who can sign a)the form and b)the photographs. There are two lists of suitable people, one long and one short, but on the website it gives the long list for both the photos and the form.

Can anyone please tell me who can sign? I’m finding that doctors, bank managers etc are not allowed to do this any more.

Thank you in advance

jgclancy · Post by **jgclancy** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:23 pm

Muscat wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:26 pm
Hello all, first post for me...

I am applying to be added to the foreign births register on the basis that my grandfather was Irish born. I have all the certificates etc. My problem is that I’m a bit confused about who can sign a)the form and b)the photographs. There are two lists of suitable people, one long and one short, but on the website it gives the long list for both the photos and the form.

Can anyone please tell me who can sign? I’m finding that doctors, bank managers etc are not allowed to do this any more.

Thank you in advance

The witness who signs your application is the same person who signs the photos(make sure they are correct size). As for the witness list - I compared the DFA.ie website to the list on my application and they were the same professions. No idea why you think they are not allowed.That's the list! Try to get someone with a stamp or at least a business card.The witness can't be related to you either.I also had my witness have his application signature notarized as well as him signing & notarizing a copy of my passport.
jgclancy

Muscat · Post by **Muscat** » Wed Oct 30, 2019 10:56 pm

Thank you for your reply

. I filled in the application form and saved the doc to my google drive so I have the check list handy. For the place where you sign and attach the photos there is a list of only 7 professions...

“I certify that the applicant is personally known to me, OR She/he has been identified to me by
_______________________________________________________
who is personally known to me (delete as applicable) and has signed Section D in my presence. I also certify that the photographs (on the reverse of which I have Signed my name and written the date) supplied with this application are a true likeness of the applicant.

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

Then, as you say, on the website it’s just the long list. This is why I’m confused. I’m hoping my mum’s vicar, who is signing her passport copy, will also sign my form and photos. She has met me and has known my mum (who is my Irish citizen parent) very well for several years. I do understand that my mum cannot witness as she is related to me.

jgclancy · Post by **jgclancy** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:34 am

Muscat wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 30, 2019 10:56 pm
Thank you for your reply . I filled in the application form and saved the doc to my google drive so I have the check list handy. For the place where you sign and attach the photos there is a list of only 7 professions...

“I certify that the applicant is personally known to me, OR She/he has been identified to me by
_______________________________________________________
who is personally known to me (delete as applicable) and has signed Section D in my presence. I also certify that the photographs (on the reverse of which I have Signed my name and written the date) supplied with this application are a true likeness of the applicant.

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

Then, as you say, on the website it’s just the long list. This is why I’m confused. I’m hoping my mum’s vicar, who is signing her passport copy, will also sign my form and photos. She has met me and has known my mum (who is my Irish citizen parent) very well for several years. I do understand that my mum cannot witness as she is related to me.

Interesting--- I'd stick to the short list to be safe. I went with a police officer myself. The kicker is that once any witness is introduced they technically know you! But you can say introduced through your mum so her names on the application. As I said previously _ I had the witness sign my passport copy as well with a short paragraph saying it was indeed me,how long he knew me and that we weren't related. Can't hurt to do it.

jgclancy

Muscat · Post by **Muscat** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:06 am

That’s great, thank you very much. I have met the vicar as she did my dad’s (sort of) funeral. So it sounds like she’s ok to be my witness anyway. Just need to work out how to get to see her without adding a long delay. I have to work overseas for a month and was hoping to get this all sent off before going. Ho hum.

Muscat · Post by **Muscat** » Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:42 pm

Just to update, in case anyone else has a query about suitable witnesses. I asked a local solicitor to sign my form, as one of her colleagues had prepared our will recently. She was, rightly, very cautious as she had not met me before, although the person who did our will introduced us. In the end I suggested she phone the Irish office directly to check, which she did, and they said it was fine for her to sign. She charged £20!

MKCG · Post by **MKCG** » Mon Jun 01, 2020 1:47 pm

I used a solicitor/notary I know

He used a notary seal stamp. Which from my reading & research etc, the FBR office seem to prefer

LKB · Post by **LKB** » Sat Aug 15, 2020 8:55 pm

Muscat wrote: ↑
Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:42 pm
Just to update, in case anyone else has a query about suitable witnesses. I asked a local solicitor to sign my form, as one of her colleagues had prepared our will recently. She was, rightly, very cautious as she had not met me before, although the person who did our will introduced us. In the end I suggested she phone the Irish office directly to check, which she did, and they said it was fine for her to sign. She charged £20!

Hi I am also looking for a suitable witness, can I ask if you are applying from England, just wondering if there are different lists of approved witnesses for different county’s.
The list on the application seems so much shorter than the website.
Any input really appreciated.

LA8887 · Post by **LA8887** » Mon Aug 17, 2020 2:16 pm

The long list is the relevant one. The short one is an old list on the form which they never changed. I rang the office myself when doing my application and they confirmed this. My witness was from the long list and not on the short list (she's an accountant) and my application was approved with no hiccups.

Just make sure the same person signs the form and photos and preferably has a stamp or business card. My witness had a generic business card that just had HQ and the switchboard number on it and wrote her own name and number on the back and it was still fine.

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Witnesses for Foreign Birth Register application

Witnesses for Foreign Birth Register application

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