Foreign Birth Registration

[Mr_Knight]

I do not like the indifferent way these applications are handled. The tedious delays are compounded by an almost total absence of communication that is unacceptable. They are working with virtually no sense of urgency and are utterly disconnected from the lives they are ruining as they take the art of procrastination to a higher plane. Frankly they are taking the p i s s! FBR is not of act of charity, it is a legal entitlement for those who qualify and a not insignificant fee is paid, not to mention the expense of researching and obtaining the necessary documents.

You applied for FBR 2 weeks ago in the hope of taking up a job offer you'd already got which would require you to have Irish/EU citizenship. You are now very upset that they're not going to allow you to jump in front of everyone else in the queue on the grounds that your paperwork was exceptionally neat, complete and well-presented. The fact is: other than working yourself into a fury, you're not going to change anything by whining - you left it way too late and there was never any chance you were going to be able to take that job. However, there are two positives you can take from this: (1) you would never have got that job even if Brexit or Covid had never happened - expecting a citizenship claim to be processed in a few weeks is just unrealistic, regardless of which country or by which route (2) The staff at DFA are, thankfully, not as disorganised/entitled as you are, i.e. leaving your application disastrously late and then writing to the Queen of England and expecting us to sign a petition to allow you to jump the queue. If they were, then the waiting time for FBR would be more like 20 years, if they hadn't already accidentally burned down their offices.

Your comments betray ignorance and attempt at personal antagonism - and I will not dance to that tune. If you wish to deliberately misconstrue what I have written, go right ahead.

How’s it going, Julius? Any word? What did the Queen have to say about your plight?

It is possible she is personally going herself to voice her outrage that a British person must wait in line like everyone else. The audacity of the Irish government not to drop everything for this one person is shocking to say the least.

[Mandino55]

Has anyone heard ANYTHING about when the FBR offices are to open? Anything at all? Ideally with some sources posted.

THANKS

[Flatcap_Julius]

Has anyone heard ANYTHING about when the FBR offices are to open? Anything at all? Ideally with some sources posted.

THANKS

Up until recently it was stated on the DFA website that processing would resume when Ireland is at Level 3, however I believe this may have been taken down - at least I can't seem to find it - otherwise I would post a link. I glean that there is currently a skeleton staff operating at the Balbriggan site and that they are prioritising FBR claims for expectant parents to help their children avoid losing the right to hereditary Irish citizenship.

Given the effect the so-called Delta variant has had in the UK insofar as increasing COVID infection rates and hospitalisations, and that a lower percentage of the Irish population have been vaccinated I would expect the Irish government will likely take a cautious approach and delay the downgrading from Level 5 for a further 6-8 weeks. This will likely stall any significant return to work that might otherwise have happened sooner. Although I quite understand why the Irish government would deprioritise FBA processing to some extent I object to the lack of transparency and communication. Sometimes it's not so much the situation in life that causes stress and despondency but not knowing a time frame for when that situation will resolve, and I believe that clear communication plays a crucial part in this. I have immense respect for how the Irish government have handled some things - for example their recent report on Vitamin D and COVID was intelligent, insightful and cogent. Insofar as FBR goes, there is an almost total wall of silence and this does not sit well with me, as I am sure it does not for many. I realise that my plans will have to again be put on hold - which is fine, however I want to see clear communications and a defined timescale for returning to normality. We cannot continue in the current vein, waiting indefinitely. People should be able to track their applications and should not have to wait any longer than 12-18 months for their case to be processed. I want this not just for me, but for everyone. Rather than sit languishing I am trying to do something about it. I do not subscribe to the mindset that puts certain institutions on a pedestal and accepts whatever they tell us - the NHS for example - is excremental in many areas. Going back to FBR, I maintain that it is a legal right and a paid service, and that the Irish government should ramp up service levels and make steps to improving communication.

[Chaotic-Neutral]

I do not like the indifferent way these applications are handled. The tedious delays are compounded by an almost total absence of communication that is unacceptable. They are working with virtually no sense of urgency and are utterly disconnected from the lives they are ruining as they take the art of procrastination to a higher plane. Frankly they are taking the p i s s! FBR is not of act of charity, it is a legal entitlement for those who qualify and a not insignificant fee is paid, not to mention the expense of researching and obtaining the necessary documents.

You applied for FBR 2 weeks ago in the hope of taking up a job offer you'd already got which would require you to have Irish/EU citizenship. You are now very upset that they're not going to allow you to jump in front of everyone else in the queue on the grounds that your paperwork was exceptionally neat, complete and well-presented. The fact is: other than working yourself into a fury, you're not going to change anything by whining - you left it way too late and there was never any chance you were going to be able to take that job. However, there are two positives you can take from this: (1) you would never have got that job even if Brexit or Covid had never happened - expecting a citizenship claim to be processed in a few weeks is just unrealistic, regardless of which country or by which route (2) The staff at DFA are, thankfully, not as disorganised/entitled as you are, i.e. leaving your application disastrously late and then writing to the Queen of England and expecting us to sign a petition to allow you to jump the queue. If they were, then the waiting time for FBR would be more like 20 years, if they hadn't already accidentally burned down their offices.

Your comments betray ignorance and attempt at personal antagonism - and I will not dance to that tune. If you wish to deliberately misconstrue what I have written, go right ahead.

How’s it going, Julius? Any word? What did the Queen have to say about your plight?

It is possible she is personally going herself to voice her outrage that a British person must wait in line like everyone else. The audacity of the Irish government not to drop everything for this one person is shocking to say the least.

[Flatcap_Julius]

Has anyone heard ANYTHING about when the FBR offices are to open? Anything at all? Ideally with some sources posted.

THANKS

Up until recently it was stated on the DFA website that processing would resume when Ireland is at Level 3, however I believe this may have been taken down - at least I can't seem to find it - otherwise I would post a link. I glean that there is currently a skeleton staff operating at the Balbriggan site and that they are prioritising FBR claims for expectant parents to help their children avoid losing the right to hereditary Irish citizenship.

Given the effect the so-called Delta variant has had in the UK insofar as increasing COVID infection rates and hospitalisations, and that a lower percentage of the Irish population have been vaccinated I would expect the Irish government will likely take a cautious approach and delay the downgrading from Level 5 for a further 6-8 weeks. This will likely stall any significant return to work that might otherwise have happened sooner. Although I quite understand why the Irish government would deprioritise FBA processing to some extent I object to the lack of transparency and communication. Sometimes it's not so much the situation in life that causes stress and despondency but not knowing a time frame for when that situation will resolve, and I believe that clear communication plays a crucial part in this. I have immense respect for how the Irish government have handled some things - for example their recent report on Vitamin D and COVID was intelligent, insightful and cogent. Insofar as FBR goes, there is an almost total wall of silence and this does not sit well with me, as I am sure it does not for many. I realise that my plans will have to again be put on hold - which is fine, however I want to see clear communications and a defined timescale for returning to normality. We cannot continue in the current vein, waiting indefinitely. People should be able to track their applications and should not have to wait any longer than 12-18 months for their case to be processed. I want this not just for me, but for everyone. Rather than sit languishing I am trying to do something about it. I do not subscribe to the mindset that puts certain institutions on a pedestal and accepts whatever they tell us - the NHS for example - is excremental in many areas. Going back to FBR, I maintain that it is a legal right and a paid service, and that the Irish government should ramp up service levels and make steps to improving communication.

Yeah they've taken out the bit about Level 3 - perhaps because they are planning changes - or that they simply don't know when they will return. Anyways, here it the link and I have quoted the relevant part:

https://www.dfa.ie/passports/updates/

"Foreign Birth Registrations

The routine processing of Foreign Birth Registrations is currently paused.

If you have an urgent query, such as you are an expectant parent, please contact us through our Customer Service Hub".

The problem is that their Customer Service Hub deals mainly with passports and not FBR - leaving those not in the "expectant parent" category without any tangible information.

[youthinkunoe]

Has anyone heard ANYTHING about when the FBR offices are to open? Anything at all? Ideally with some sources posted.

THANKS

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id ... gistration

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id ... log#g317.r

[Flatcap_Julius]

Has anyone heard ANYTHING about when the FBR offices are to open? Anything at all? Ideally with some sources posted.

THANKS

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id ... gistration

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id ... log#g317.r

Thanks for this. It is interesting to read and gives some idea of what they are doing, at least insofar as the passport side of things is concerned. It doesn't mention FBR though - and until we get something tangible along these lines in relation to FBR, we all remain pretty much in the dark.

[Flatcap_Julius]

Has anyone heard ANYTHING about when the FBR offices are to open? Anything at all? Ideally with some sources posted.

THANKS

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id ... gistration

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id ... log#g317.r

Thanks for this. It is interesting to read and gives some idea of what they are doing, at least insofar as the passport side of things is concerned. It doesn't mention FBR though - and until we get something tangible along these lines in relation to FBR, we all remain pretty much in the dark.

I've just gone onto Kildare St now and found this:

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id ... FBR#g804.r

"The processing of Foreign Births Registration (FBR) applications has been temporarily paused as a result of COVID-19 related restrictions.

There are nearly 31,000 applications in the Foreign Births Registration (FBR) system that await processing at present. Prior to COVID-19 it took twelve to eighteen months to process applications. This was due to the complex nature of FBR applications and the very high volume of applications due to Brexit.

The Passport Service will resume processing FBR applications as soon as the COVID Passport backlog is fully cleared. In cases of exceptional urgency the applicant may contact the Passport Service directly."

This a a direct quote from Simon Coveney and is dated 22/06/2021

I suppose it gives us a vague indication of their plans and tells us that they are prioritising passports - which I suppose is quite understandable - however it doesn't give us an idea of the timescale, either for clearing the backlog of passports or making inroads to the processing of the backlog of FBR applications. He states that people can contact the Passport Service directly "in cases of exceptional urgency" however many people's situations, my own included, are not "exceptionally" urgent, but merely urgent, and we would like to know a time frame that they appear to be declining to give. Let's see if Mr Coveney can spill some beans on this. I can't wait to go to Ireland! I keep going on Street View and Google Earth and checking out certain places but it's not the same. I suppose I should be thankful that my ancestry affords me the eligibility in accordance with the law. I just wish I knew a timescale, that's all. I am so sick of all this, I think I am starting to crack up and I just want to hold it together.

[Ausderordnung]

I applied for the FBR last year for my son, aged 16, now 17. I'm wondering whether there could be an issue if the staff finally get round to processing his application sometime after his 18th birthday, since the application we had to submit was for a minor, and at age 18 he would normally apply via an adult application. Do any of you have any insight into this?

[Muscat]

I just wish I knew a timescale, that's all. I am so sick of all this, I think I am starting to crack up and I just want to hold it together.

I’ll tell you about my circumstances. We’re lucky enough to have a holiday home in France, as well as a UK home. In early March 2020 we came on holiday to France. My husband was having medical investigations in the UK which got cancelled due to Covid. In early April 2020 he was diagnosed here in France with anaplastic thyroid cancer (google it, and see how you’d feel about being diagnosed with that). The French health service has kept him alive thus far. With no option, other than certain death, to return to the UK we became French residents. My husband happens to have dual French/British nationality. Luckily I had already applied to the FBR in December 2019 as before all this I simply wished to remain European with the right to come and live in France for my retirement (some 10 years from now). And now, all I really care about is getting my Irish nationality sorted out so that, should the worst happen to my husband, he knows I am safe to stay here as a European. However, if someone told me I could renounce my claim to Irish nationality In exchange for keeping him alive I would do that without a second thought. We don’t have a timescale - his cancer decides that one for us.

And with even all this shit in my life I’m still happy for expectant parents to leapfrog the queue.

Just be glad you don’t have terminal cancer to add to the mix and stop your whining.

[Flatcap_Julius]

I just wish I knew a timescale, that's all. I am so sick of all this, I think I am starting to crack up and I just want to hold it together.

I’ll tell you about my circumstances. We’re lucky enough to have a holiday home in France, as well as a UK home. In early March 2020 we came on holiday to France. My husband was having medical investigations in the UK which got cancelled due to Covid. In early April 2020 he was diagnosed here in France with anaplastic thyroid cancer (google it, and see how you’d feel about being diagnosed with that). The French health service has kept him alive thus far. With no option, other than certain death, to return to the UK we became French residents. My husband happens to have dual French/British nationality. Luckily I had already applied to the FBR in December 2019 as before all this I simply wished to remain European with the right to come and live in France for my retirement (some 10 years from now). And now, all I really care about is getting my Irish nationality sorted out so that, should the worst happen to my husband, he knows I am safe to stay here as a European. However, if someone told me I could renounce my claim to Irish nationality In exchange for keeping him alive I would do that without a second thought. We don’t have a timescale - his cancer decides that one for us.

And with even all this shit in my life I’m still happy for expectant parents to leapfrog the queue.

Just be glad you don’t have terminal cancer to add to the mix and stop your whining.

I am sorry to hear about your husband, however I am not "whining" and I would thank you to be a little more mindful of the fact that you do not know me. Not that it anything to do with you I lost all my family within 6 months of each other and have nobody. I lost my job too and was homeless. I never took a penny from anyone and eeked out an existence living in hostels and doing temp work and translations until I could find something more permanent. I had to deal with having knives held to my throat and having my things stolen and countless other unpleasant and degrading situations when I was already cut-up inside, but do you know what, I got on with it. By my own strength I got through it and bought my own home. I try to maintain a positive outlook and to do good for people. That is why I didn't apply for FBR sooner - because 3 weeks after the Referendum my world fell apart. I have continued to work throughout the pandemic and look forward to doing other things. I deeply resent having my European status taken from me by a narrow band of narrow-minded people. I too own a small house in France and now I am no longer European it worries me tremendously, for I can't live there for any great length of time. I want to get this sorted out once and for all. I believe that I, along with every other applicant, including you, deserve to be better informed. Please just be mindful that everyone has their own set of circumstances, whether they choose to share them with you or not. These days I am grateful that I wake up in the morning. I am grateful for the delightful blackbird that dances round my garden. There is much joy to be seen in life and I try to see it, however there are days where it is a challenge. I just wish I could go over to Luxembourg and sit in the little café I used to go to in the Old Town. My job would have enabled that, however it is not to be - yet. That will change, I am sure.

[CR001]

Can I remind members of page 1 of this topic and why the previous topic was locked.

ireland/foreign-birth-registration-t277641.html

[youthinkunoe]

Has anyone heard ANYTHING about when the FBR offices are to open? Anything at all? Ideally with some sources posted.

THANKS

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id ... gistration

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id ... log#g317.r

Thanks for this. It is interesting to read and gives some idea of what they are doing, at least insofar as the passport side of things is concerned. It doesn't mention FBR though - and until we get something tangible along these lines in relation to FBR, we all remain pretty much in the dark.

I've just gone onto Kildare St now and found this:

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id ... FBR#g804.r

"The processing of Foreign Births Registration (FBR) applications has been temporarily paused as a result of COVID-19 related restrictions.

There are nearly 31,000 applications in the Foreign Births Registration (FBR) system that await processing at present. Prior to COVID-19 it took twelve to eighteen months to process applications. This was due to the complex nature of FBR applications and the very high volume of applications due to Brexit.

The Passport Service will resume processing FBR applications as soon as the COVID Passport backlog is fully cleared. In cases of exceptional urgency the applicant may contact the Passport Service directly."

This a a direct quote from Simon Coveney and is dated 22/06/2021

I suppose it gives us a vague indication of their plans and tells us that they are prioritising passports - which I suppose is quite understandable - however it doesn't give us an idea of the timescale, either for clearing the backlog of passports or making inroads to the processing of the backlog of FBR applications. He states that people can contact the Passport Service directly "in cases of exceptional urgency" however many people's situations, my own included, are not "exceptionally" urgent, but merely urgent, and we would like to know a time frame that they appear to be declining to give. Let's see if Mr Coveney can spill some beans on this. I can't wait to go to Ireland! I keep going on Street View and Google Earth and checking out certain places but it's not the same. I suppose I should be thankful that my ancestry affords me the eligibility in accordance with the law. I just wish I knew a timescale, that's all. I am so sick of all this, I think I am starting to crack up and I just want to hold it together.

It really does tell you alot though Read It One link says FBR will continue when the backlog of passport applications is done and that is planned to be on June 30th

[MKCG]

They really need to get back to work.
Organisations throughout the world have found ways of getting themselves back to work & being productive. I’m far from the front of the Q in my application but I’m sick of the Covid excuses, enough is enough.

It’s not as if we’ve all just paid a tenner for this, the cost is significant, it’s also a birth right to those who are eligible.

[Flatcap_Julius]

They really need to get back to work.
Organisations throughout the world have found ways of getting themselves back to work & being productive. I’m far from the front of the Q in my application but I’m sick of the Covid excuses, enough is enough.

It’s not as if we’ve all just paid a tenner for this, the cost is significant, it’s also a birth right to those who are eligible.

Exactly! I couldn't agree more. I've come in for a lot of hostility on here simply because I will not glibly accept what amounts to an awful service. I completely understand that there will be delays caused by Brexit-fuelled demand however and, to some extent, COVID - neither of which are the fault of the Irish government - however I do not accept the lack of communication and almost total deprioritisation of FBR. Most of us have already put our lives on hold for 2 years and the prospect of doing do so for another 2 or 3 is quite crushing when there no real justification for that level of delay. I find it quite insulting to be told to "stop whining" and "be glad I don't have terminal cancer" etc (as if I am not grateful for that already) from people who know nothing about me other than their own mind-made projections. Well I will never accept poor service from anywhere. I have pressed for changes that ultimately benefit everyone - all of whom have their own personal circumstances, life situation and reasons for applying. Can't we all just be mindful that, whatever our viewpoints, we are ultimately applying for the same thing - and have much the same goal. The Irish government are purporting that there is a line of contact via the Passport Webchat Team - well it is not fit for purpose. Most of the time the chat is unavailable and when it is the staff are rude and unhelpful. I will NOT glibly just sit here and accept the contempt that is shown to applications. I want some answers and I am going to get them.

[Nodrick]

A big thanks to everyone on this thread for the advice and reassurance during my FBR process over the past few years.

I just received my certificate in this morning's post (like others in the UK I didn't have to sign to receive the package it just got posted through)

In case it is useful, my FBR timeline was:

Application submitted: 08 July 2019
Application/docs received by DFA: 29 July 2019
Request for a further supporting document: 17 December 2020
Supporting document received by DFA: 24 December 2020
Confirmation of address email: 08 June 2021
Date added to FBR: 10 June 2021
Congrats email: 21 June 2021
FBR certificate received: 26 June 2021

Congrats nice1sunderland! Always good to see progress.
Can I ask which " Team # " sent address confirmation request on 08 June 2021 ?? My guess is it wasn't Team1! Tomorrow is my 2 year anniversary of documents received in Jun 2019 & 6-
1/2 months since mid Dec. address confirmation email./// they say they're doing them in date order yet ---they aren't...oh well----Congrats again and hope the passport comes quicker
now
jgclancy

You and me both jgclancy, you and me both.....

[Flatcap_Julius]

:

[ausswe]

An update on my application process.

Sent via mail: 17/10/19
FBR Application received: 22/10/19
Email confirming address: 15/6/21
Added to FBR/Certificate sent: 28/6/21
Received FBR certificate: waiting

My application was processed by Team #5, my application had no hiccups and was straight forward.

[Flatcap_Julius]

An update on my application process.

Sent via mail: 17/10/19
FBR Application received: 22/10/19
Email confirming address: 15/6/21
Added to FBR/Certificate sent: 28/6/21
Received FBR certificate: waiting

My application was processed by Team #5, my application had no hiccups and was straight forward.

Congratulations Ausswe!

[denzimart]

I applied for the FBR last year for my son, aged 16, now 17. I'm wondering whether there could be an issue if the staff finally get round to processing his application sometime after his 18th birthday, since the application we had to submit was for a minor, and at age 18 he would normally apply via an adult application. Do any of you have any insight into this?

In exactly the same situation. Submitted for my daughter in March last year when she was 16. She will be turning 18 in November which will be 20 months after submitting, but I don't expect it to have completed by then. I would hope they will go by her age when the application was made, or if she has to be treated as an adult applicant all documentation provided so far should still be valid so see no reason for them to reject it.

[Ausderordnung]

That's pretty much what my reasoning was, too. I know the photos for adults would not require a parent's signature, nor would the application, but if the documentation is essentially the same, I'd think/hope they just go by application date.

[Flatcap_Julius]

Seems like they're taking 18 months for FBR.

[nice1sunderland]

A big thanks to everyone on this thread for the advice and reassurance during my FBR process over the past few years.

I just received my certificate in this morning's post (like others in the UK I didn't have to sign to receive the package it just got posted through)

In case it is useful, my FBR timeline was:

Application submitted: 08 July 2019
Application/docs received by DFA: 29 July 2019
Request for a further supporting document: 17 December 2020
Supporting document received by DFA: 24 December 2020
Confirmation of address email: 08 June 2021
Date added to FBR: 10 June 2021
Congrats email: 21 June 2021
FBR certificate received: 26 June 2021

Congrats nice1sunderland! Always good to see progress.
Can I ask which " Team # " sent address confirmation request on 08 June 2021 ?? My guess is it wasn't Team1! Tomorrow is my 2 year anniversary of documents received in Jun 2019 & 6-
1/2 months since mid Dec. address confirmation email./// they say they're doing them in date order yet ---they aren't...oh well----Congrats again and hope the passport comes quicker
now
jgclancy

I've had a look through the emails and can't see anything anywhere telling me which team, how would I find out? All correspondence via email came from a named individual.

[Nodrick]

A big thanks to everyone on this thread for the advice and reassurance during my FBR process over the past few years.

I just received my certificate in this morning's post (like others in the UK I didn't have to sign to receive the package it just got posted through)

In case it is useful, my FBR timeline was:

Application submitted: 08 July 2019
Application/docs received by DFA: 29 July 2019
Request for a further supporting document: 17 December 2020
Supporting document received by DFA: 24 December 2020
Confirmation of address email: 08 June 2021
Date added to FBR: 10 June 2021
Congrats email: 21 June 2021
FBR certificate received: 26 June 2021

Congrats nice1sunderland! Always good to see progress.
Can I ask which " Team # " sent address confirmation request on 08 June 2021 ?? My guess is it wasn't Team1! Tomorrow is my 2 year anniversary of documents received in Jun 2019 & 6-
1/2 months since mid Dec. address confirmation email./// they say they're doing them in date order yet ---they aren't...oh well----Congrats again and hope the passport comes quicker
now
jgclancy

I've had a look through the emails and can't see anything anywhere telling me which team, how would I find out? All correspondence via email came from a named individual.

On mine, it was in the email heading for the confirmation of address as below. There was no reference within the main body of the email.
I've deleted my name and the team persons name.

"Foreign Births Registration, xxxxxxxxxxxx - Team 1(xxxxxx)"

[tommlennon]

Thanks to all posting here over the last several years. Here are my dates and I have my first question for the group.


- Oct 24 2019 - email notification, FBR application received
- Jun 14 2021- email; confirmation of address request
- Jun 28 2021- Congrats. FBR Certificate will be sent post...signature required.

Question: What service will be used to post the certificate to the United States? United States Postal Service? I didn't receive a tracking number. Should I expect another email? I'll be traveling and don't want to miss delivery!

Thanks-

Tom in North Carolina