Criteria for Foreign Birth Register

Hi! Both my grandparents were Irish so I can apply to be on the FBR but haven't yet. My query is regarding my children, my Mum is Irish but wasn't born in Ireland. Can I apply for my children to be on the FBR? Also if they are on the register, can they then apply for an Irish passport in the future? Basically I want them to have the choice in the future if they meet the criteria. Thanks.

I'm assuming you're not Irish and kids were born abroad.

If you weren't Irish by the time of their birth, assuming you live abroad, that's it - they can't be registered.
Ref: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/m ... -register/

If you were born outside Ireland, and you are not an Irish citizen by birth, you can become an Irish citizen if:

One of your grandparents was born in Ireland
or

One of your parents was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth but was not born in Ireland. Your parent may have claimed citizenship through the Foreign Births Register themselves, or become a citizen by naturalisation.

If you satisfied the criteria, you can put them on the register and not apply for a passport, but that would be slightly pointless - their ability to register won't go away (only for their children, if they won't be registered before their birth).

Thank you! I'm not Irish and was born in England. My grandparents were both Irish and my Mum is Irish but wasn't born in Ireland. So basically I should have considered this before they were born?

So from my understanding of what you've said, they can still go on the register? But not apply for a passport?

Kind regards

Net2379 wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 30, 2023 10:25 am

So basically I should have considered this before they were born?

Yes. If you were on FBR before they were born, they would be able to register as well.

Net2379 wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 30, 2023 10:25 am

So from my understanding of what you've said, they can still go on the register? But not apply for a passport?

No.
What I was saying is that being on the register is the reason to apply for a passport - if you wanted to give them a choice, you could've let them wait to make a decision to be on the register, as right to be registered for FBR doesn't expire (if they qualify, they don't have a deadline to apply).

But all of this is irrelevant as they don't qualify.

So basically I meet the criteria but I haven't applied to be on the register before they were born. Does that mean that they cannot go on the register and therefore can't apply for an Irish passport?

Net2379 wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 30, 2023 10:40 am

So basically I meet the criteria but I haven't applied to be on the register before they were born. Does that mean that they cannot go on the register and therefore can't apply for an Irish passport?

Yes.

Thank you so much for your help! I thought that was the case but I wasn't certain. Glad I know the answer now.