Foreign Birth Registration

[dolewhip]

I asked the dfa officer for a tracking number and copied it into my usps informed digest and make sure I was around

Great idea, thank you! However long it takes to get that address confirmation email (could be next week; could be in five months), will keep this in mind.

[anthonydoh]

May 2019 applicant here.

This morning (Sunday, by the way) I received the confirmation of address email. Over 25 months since original applications and 9 months since I sent in updated photographs of my children.

I hope things move faster from here on and I hope this is encouraging for others who have been waiting a similar length of time.

[dolewhip]

May 2019 applicant here.

This morning (Sunday, by the way) I received the confirmation of address email. Over 25 months since original applications and 9 months since I sent in updated photographs of my children.

I hope things move faster from here on and I hope this is encouraging for others who have been waiting a similar length of time.

That's so wild (both the 25-month wait and the fact that your email came on a Sunday!). Good to know.

Sitting at 21+ months since my application went in (7 Oct. 2019) and just under that since documents were received (24 Oct), holding out hope it won't be a 24-25 month wait. Good luck to everyone else in the May - October range.

[Angelo_2019]

On the address confirmation letter I got, it says:

If no notification of a new address is received within 5 working days, your Foreign Birth Registration Certificate and all documents will be sent to the address noted on your application.

So it appears that the answer to your question is yes they will.

Thanks for the information.

[Luna2019]

May 2019 applicant here.

This morning (Sunday, by the way) I received the confirmation of address email. Over 25 months since original applications and 9 months since I sent in updated photographs of my children.

I hope things move faster from here on and I hope this is encouraging for others who have been waiting a similar length of time.

That's so wild (both the 25-month wait and the fact that your email came on a Sunday!). Good to know.

Sitting at 21+ months since my application went in (7 Oct. 2019) and just under that since documents were received (24 Oct), holding out hope it won't be a 24-25 month wait. Good luck to everyone else in the May - October range.

This is actually very encouraging for me. Next month (August 2021), we will be at 2 years since sending in the applications. I had received a confirm of address email in December 2020 and no word since. I am beginning to get worried that our applications, and approvals, are simply lost. I am going to try to contact someone today even though this particular office is close. But it is good to know that others have similar waits. Thank you so much for posting.

[Luna2019]

May 2019 applicant here.

This morning (Sunday, by the way) I received the confirmation of address email. Over 25 months since original applications and 9 months since I sent in updated photographs of my children.

I hope things move faster from here on and I hope this is encouraging for others who have been waiting a similar length of time.

That's so wild (both the 25-month wait and the fact that your email came on a Sunday!). Good to know.

Sitting at 21+ months since my application went in (7 Oct. 2019) and just under that since documents were received (24 Oct), holding out hope it won't be a 24-25 month wait. Good luck to everyone else in the May - October range.

This is actually very encouraging for me. Next month (August 2021), we will be at 2 years since sending in the applications. I had received a confirm of address email in December 2020 and no word since. I am beginning to get worried that our applications, and approvals, are simply lost. I am going to try to contact someone today even though this particular office is closed. But it is good to know that others have similar waits. Thank you so much for posting.

[dolewhip]

May 2019 applicant here.

This morning (Sunday, by the way) I received the confirmation of address email. Over 25 months since original applications and 9 months since I sent in updated photographs of my children.

I hope things move faster from here on and I hope this is encouraging for others who have been waiting a similar length of time.

That's so wild (both the 25-month wait and the fact that your email came on a Sunday!). Good to know.

Sitting at 21+ months since my application went in (7 Oct. 2019) and just under that since documents were received (24 Oct), holding out hope it won't be a 24-25 month wait. Good luck to everyone else in the May - October range.

This is actually very encouraging for me. Next month (August 2021), we will be at 2 years since sending in the applications. I had received a confirm of address email in December 2020 and no word since. I am beginning to get worried that our applications, and approvals, are simply lost. I am going to try to contact someone today even though this particular office is closed. But it is good to know that others have similar waits. Thank you so much for posting.

Best of luck - you’re not alone among people who reached “confirmation of address” in December, then nothing, but that doesn’t make it any better.

Let us know if you get anywhere!

[DKCalifornia]

Can't believe you're still waiting. Seven months after your confirmation of address. There's something not right about that. Frustrating that there's no one to speak to. Surely it can't be that much longer.

LOL....that's what I thought a month ago when people started getting emails! Thanks for the positive thoughts. I've told my cousins I may not be able to relocate this year now. Oh, and property values have risen so buying a place will now cost 5-10% more from what I've read.
I'm guessing they'll finally pop me an email one day and say I need to do something else!

Good Luck to All--JGClancy over & out
[/quote]

Have you tried sending a query via the passport team? Perhaps they can give you a contact on the FBR team to follow up with as that seems to be an issue with the printing/dispatching team rather than the approvers.
[/quote]

Here's what happened with my Chat via passport team today:
Xxxxx: Hi! How can I help you today?
Me: (Waiting for FBR since June 2019...can you tell me if there's something wrong with our application? I see that others are being processed submitted much later than ours.
Xxzz: The FBR office is closed due to Covid and we cannot answer any questions about it. They are not processing any applications until they reopen.
Me: But... I see others are getting approval emails and certificates as well as documents returned by post. I'm worried something is possibly wrong with our application and would like to fix it to avoid further delay.
Xxxxz: ( disconnected the chat) Have a good day!

So- trying to get support via Passport chat is not an option. heavy sigh.

[Luna2019]

Thank you so much for these replies. I had been trying to reach the passport office but it looks like that will not do any good so I will just sit and wait. It is good to know that others received confirm of address emails in December and then nothing. The website says that they are working through applications based on when they came in, but I can imagine that this is probably not strictly the case since these applications may be batched together, with some groups being slower than others.

It is frustrating but I hope, for all of us, that we do get some resolution soon. I think for all of us it is mainly the concern that our applications are lost forever. It seems that, hopefully, that is not the case.

Again, that you so much for the replies. I feel a bit better.

[dolewhip]

And with that, today I made it to the next stage. Heard from Team 1:

Application submitted online: 7th October 2019
Email acknowledging receipt of documentation Balbriggan: 24th October 2019
Confirmation of address email: 13th July 2021
Congrats / added to FBR: pending
Certificate received: pending

I hope this is a good sign for some of the others who've been on slower / redirected teams.

[Nodrick]

Thank you so much for these replies. I had been trying to reach the passport office but it looks like that will not do any good so I will just sit and wait. It is good to know that others received confirm of address emails in December and then nothing. The website says that they are working through applications based on when they came in, but I can imagine that this is probably not strictly the case since these applications may be batched together, with some groups being slower than others.

It is frustrating but I hope, for all of us, that we do get some resolution soon. I think for all of us it is mainly the concern that our applications are lost forever. It seems that, hopefully, that is not the case.

Again, that you so much for the replies. I feel a bit better.

You're not alone. And not the only one frustrated and having concerns.

I'm in that December confirmation of Address too, as is JG Clancy. I was May 2019 applicant, and pre-second close down, some who had applied after me had been approved.
I have emailed confirmation back to them a couple of times since and heard nothing back. I know from JGClancy's post - they have been sending further confirmations in and heard nothing also.

Let me guess - you're with team 1 looking at your application

[temuni]

Hi all -

Hoping to run into someone here who's been pregnant during the Level 5 FBR office closure and made it through the process. I applied for FBR and mailed in my materials late 2020 when the office was open briefly in December, but have not yet gotten confirmation that the materials were received. Since then (found out yesterday!) I got pregnant, and I want to make sure I am entered on the FBR before the birth in 8 months or so. I contacted the passport office webchat today, and the representative I spoke with said there was nothing to do but wait for the FBR office to reopen in the next few months. Have read stories of some folks on this board making it through the process despite the closure - wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks for getting in touch with someone who can help.

Thanks!!

[Frallen2]

Here's my timeline:

Application submitted online: September 2019
Email acknowledging receipt of documentation Balbriggan: 30 September 2019
Request for supplementary documents: 16th December 2020
Confirmation of address email: 30 March 2021
Congrats / added to FBR: 7 July 2021
Certificate received to UK address: 14 July 2021

The supplementary material was related to my mother's adoption (born to Irish mother, adopted in the UK to Irish parents). They didn't actually need further documents just to affirm whether it was through her adoptive or biological parents that I was applying (I had sent every certificate I had which I think confused them).

A long road, but patience is a virtue and very happy to be (officially now) an Irishman. Good luck to you all.

[cdfly]

Hi all -

Hoping to run into someone here who's been pregnant during the Level 5 FBR office closure and made it through the process. I applied for FBR and mailed in my materials late 2020 when the office was open briefly in December, but have not yet gotten confirmation that the materials were received. Since then (found out yesterday!) I got pregnant, and I want to make sure I am entered on the FBR before the birth in 8 months or so. I contacted the passport office webchat today, and the representative I spoke with said there was nothing to do but wait for the FBR office to reopen in the next few months. Have read stories of some folks on this board making it through the process despite the closure - wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks for getting in touch with someone who can help.

Thanks!!

If you just tested positive yesterday, it may be a bit too early! My sister submitted a letter from her doctor on letterhead (… well printed out letterhead lol) as proof of pregnancy. We put our paperwork together in feb 2020 but didn’t mail until July 2020 because we mistakenly thought the post office would turn our paperwork away…. Whoops. She was due August 2020, so it got a bit stressful towards the end. DFA was able to turn her application around in less than 10 days to make sure it was done before the birth!
Originally I submitted a query asking for a contact to get in touch with regarding very pregnant applicants, and an officer was able to assist us and ensure her application was completed on time. They had us mail the proof of pregnancy in an envelope to Balbraggin with ‘PREGNANT!!!’ written in large sharpie all over it
I would go to your doctors appt and request a proof of pregnancy then query the DFA.

[jgclancy]

Here's my timeline:

Application submitted online: September 2019
Email acknowledging receipt of documentation Balbriggan: 30 September 2019
Request for supplementary documents: 16th December 2020
Confirmation of address email: 30 March 2021
Congrats / added to FBR: 7 July 2021
Certificate received to UK address: 14 July 2021

The supplementary material was related to my mother's adoption (born to Irish mother, adopted in the UK to Irish parents). They didn't actually need further documents just to affirm whether it was through her adoptive or biological parents that I was applying (I had sent every certificate I had which I think confused them).

A long road, but patience is a virtue and very happy to be (officially now) an Irishman. Good luck to you all.

Congrats!! jgclancy

[temuni]

Hi all -

Hoping to run into someone here who's been pregnant during the Level 5 FBR office closure and made it through the process. I applied for FBR and mailed in my materials late 2020 when the office was open briefly in December, but have not yet gotten confirmation that the materials were received. Since then (found out yesterday!) I got pregnant, and I want to make sure I am entered on the FBR before the birth in 8 months or so. I contacted the passport office webchat today, and the representative I spoke with said there was nothing to do but wait for the FBR office to reopen in the next few months. Have read stories of some folks on this board making it through the process despite the closure - wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks for getting in touch with someone who can help.

Thanks!!

If you just tested positive yesterday, it may be a bit too early! My sister submitted a letter from her doctor on letterhead (… well printed out letterhead lol) as proof of pregnancy. We put our paperwork together in feb 2020 but didn’t mail until July 2020 because we mistakenly thought the post office would turn our paperwork away…. Whoops. She was due August 2020, so it got a bit stressful towards the end. DFA was able to turn her application around in less than 10 days to make sure it was done before the birth!
Originally I submitted a query asking for a contact to get in touch with regarding very pregnant applicants, and an officer was able to assist us and ensure her application was completed on time. They had us mail the proof of pregnancy in an envelope to Balbraggin with ‘PREGNANT!!!’ written in large sharpie all over it
I would go to your doctors appt and request a proof of pregnancy then query the DFA.

Thanks!! Really appreciate the insight. I thought as much about it being early, but I really don't want to miss the boat on this ya know

That's comforting to hear they process it so quickly once they have everything in their hands. I'll be sure to get a letter from the OBGYN that I can forward on when I have an appointment. Thanks again!

[Luna2019]

Thank you so much for these replies. I had been trying to reach the passport office but it looks like that will not do any good so I will just sit and wait. It is good to know that others received confirm of address emails in December and then nothing. The website says that they are working through applications based on when they came in, but I can imagine that this is probably not strictly the case since these applications may be batched together, with some groups being slower than others.

It is frustrating but I hope, for all of us, that we do get some resolution soon. I think for all of us it is mainly the concern that our applications are lost forever. It seems that, hopefully, that is not the case.

Again, that you so much for the replies. I feel a bit better.

You're not alone. And not the only one frustrated and having concerns.

I'm in that December confirmation of Address too, as is JG Clancy. I was May 2019 applicant, and pre-second close down, some who had applied after me had been approved.
I have emailed confirmation back to them a couple of times since and heard nothing back. I know from JGClancy's post - they have been sending further confirmations in and heard nothing also.

Let me guess - you're with team 1 looking at your application

Hello, December confirm address people! It is good to find you here.

We are August 2019 applicants; confirmation of address email in December 2020. I have also emailed many times to confirm/check and have heard nothing.

I have no idea what team I am with actually. It would be interesting to know.

I will post if I receive anything further and would love to hear from you. It is very nice to be in touch.

[zelli]

Afternoon all.

Irish grandmother, British parents, and so I have applied for FBR.

Applied and paid in February 2020, no confirmation of address email so far, and for my own sanity I'm not putting any timeline on when I expect to receive such an email.

In the meantime, I've set up an email filter to send me a notification if I get any email from an .ie address, just to make sure that I don't miss any correspondence.

When (/if...) the email comes through, I'll post an update here

[duffy1867]

Afternoon all.

Irish grandmother, British parents, and so I have applied for FBR.

Applied and paid in February 2020, no confirmation of address email so far, and for my own sanity I'm not putting any timeline on when I expect to receive such an email.

In the meantime, I've set up an email filter to send me a notification if I get any email from an .ie address, just to make sure that I don't miss any correspondence.

When (/if...) the email comes through, I'll post an update here

I'm Feb 2020 too and the same circumstances - Originally was expecting to hear back by around November 2020 (I seem to remember it was 6-8 months back then), but obviously that wasn't possible. Annoyed with myself if anything for taking the best part of a year to gather all the documents.

It seems they are slowly getting to the October/November applicants now, and they seem to be ramping up again - so wouldn't be too surprised to hear in September or October (Huge Fingers Crossed!)

[BigDaddy100]

The day has finally come! FedEx delivered my passport and docs this morning.
Best of luck to all who are waiting for FBR or passport.
Thanks for your comments over the past 2 years.

Not sure if there is an advantage to getting the passport card, but thinking about it...

Cheers,
BigDaddy100

My timeline:

FBR:
Application/docs received (Balbriggan): 01 July 2019
Confirmation of address email: 24 September 2020
Added to FBR: 25 September 2020
Congratulations email: 01 October 2020
FBR certificate/docs received: 20 October 2020

Passport:
Application/docs received by Consulate (SF): 18 January 2021
Passport processing: 21 June 2021
Passport issued: 3 July 2021
Passport dispatched: 5 July 2021
Passport/docs received: 15 July 2021

[jgclancy]

The day has finally come! FedEx delivered my passport and docs this morning.
Best of luck to all who are waiting for FBR or passport.
Thanks for your comments over the past 2 years.

Not sure if there is an advantage to getting the passport card, but thinking about it...

Cheers,
BigDaddy100

My timeline:

FBR:
Application/docs received (Balbriggan): 01 July 2019
Confirmation of address email: 24 September 2020
Added to FBR: 25 September 2020
Congratulations email: 01 October 2020
FBR certificate/docs received: 20 October 2020

Passport:
Application/docs received by Consulate (SF): 18 January 2021
Passport processing: 21 June 2021
Passport issued: 3 July 2021
Passport dispatched: 5 July 2021
Passport/docs received: 15 July 2021

Big CONGRATS for BigDaddy100 -the paperwork journey is complete.Happy you'vemade it through...Slainte

jgclancy

[BigDaddy100]

Big CONGRATS for BigDaddy100 -the paperwork journey is complete.Happy you'vemade it through...Slainte

jgclancy

Thanks, jgclancy! I'll reserve a pint for the day you receive your FBR cert.

[jamiepompey]

The day has finally come! FedEx delivered my passport and docs this morning.
Best of luck to all who are waiting for FBR or passport.
Thanks for your comments over the past 2 years.

Not sure if there is an advantage to getting the passport card, but thinking about it...

Cheers,
BigDaddy100

My timeline:

FBR:
Application/docs received (Balbriggan): 01 July 2019
Confirmation of address email: 24 September 2020
Added to FBR: 25 September 2020
Congratulations email: 01 October 2020
FBR certificate/docs received: 20 October 2020

Passport:
Application/docs received by Consulate (SF): 18 January 2021
Passport processing: 21 June 2021
Passport issued: 3 July 2021
Passport dispatched: 5 July 2021
Passport/docs received: 15 July 2021

Congrats! I didn't realise how close our timelines were for the FBR application. Really pleased for you.

[BigDaddy100]

The day has finally come! FedEx delivered my passport and docs this morning.
Best of luck to all who are waiting for FBR or passport.
Thanks for your comments over the past 2 years.

Not sure if there is an advantage to getting the passport card, but thinking about it...

Cheers,
BigDaddy100

My timeline:

FBR:
Application/docs received (Balbriggan): 01 July 2019
Confirmation of address email: 24 September 2020
Added to FBR: 25 September 2020
Congratulations email: 01 October 2020
FBR certificate/docs received: 20 October 2020

Passport:
Application/docs received by Consulate (SF): 18 January 2021
Passport processing: 21 June 2021
Passport issued: 3 July 2021
Passport dispatched: 5 July 2021
Passport/docs received: 15 July 2021

Congrats! I didn't realise how close our timelines were for the FBR application. Really pleased for you.

Thanks @jamiepompey

[Woody TS]

Hello,

There doesn't seem to be any way to get in contact with anyone on the website regarding foreign birth applications.

It might be worth trying to email the head of the foreign birth department as he may be able to give us some greater clarity.

His contact details are here:

Moderator edit: Personal contact details have been removed in accordance with the Board's Terms and Conditions.