Foreign Birth Registration

[BlimeyOReilly]

I have only just submitted my application and had it received in Dublin so not in the boat yet of expecting any sort of result anytime soon. I am just curious as to what the complex process is the FBR team go through when they start working on an application that it takes so long. Does anyone know? Do they actually have to somehow cross check every document you have provided back to its source to ensure it is genuine? If it was just a case of checking your paperwork to ensure it matched and all details added up I can't see why it would be such a lengthy process. Obviously there has to be a lot more to it given the timescales involved. I would just love to understand what that is.

[BrexitEscapee]

...I am just curious as to what the complex process is the FBR team go through when they start working on an application that it takes so long. Does anyone know? Do they actually have to somehow cross check every document you have provided back to its source to ensure it is genuine?

Similar questions have been asked on this forum many times and the bottom line is that nobody knows - freedom is information is a thing, but no Government department releases information as detailed as what individual tasks staff get up to. However, you can be 100% certain that a good proportion, if not all, of the documents included in applications are fully cross-checked with the issuing country or utility companies etc. Citizenship is a very big thing, especially for places like the US and EU member states, so Ireland can't risk letting bogus applications get through, or they'd then be swamped with fraudulent applications. (Think of the money and effort that goes into people-smuggling etc. - if there were a way to short-cut all that risk and effort by faking a few documents, then organised crime would be all over it.)

My guess would be that when your application is received, it first goes into a queue. Then, when someone's ready to process it, it will go through preliminary checks to verify that all the required documents are there and that these, if genuine, demonstrate your link back to your Irish grandparent. If it passes that, then the primary documents would be checked by direct contact with the state issuing authorities. Finally, the proof-of-address and proof-of-ID etc. would be checked (although I know these aren't all checked as the witness who verified my application wasn't contacted.) At each of these stages, given the large numbers involved, I'd imagine a large number of information will be sent for verification to the appropriate place, e.g. a country's embassy, or records office. That place will then probably take some time to do the verification, and there is evidence from this forum that some embassies will sit on all these until they've got a full load of completed checks to send back to Ireland. (This caused a lot of controversy on here when applicants from these countries found out about this as it delayed their applications for several months.) All of this takes as long as it takes, and even if the FBR staff were sitting around with nothing to do, they couldn't process your application whilst they're still waiting for documents to come back from another country. I don't think they will be sitting around with nothing to do though - it's batch admin work where, once you've processed one set of applications as far as you can, there'll always be plenty of other batches waiting to do.

[ripforreallldo]

Hello all. I live in the US and was a lurker on this thread for a few months last year. At some point around August/September, some users commented that the FBR office appeared to be processing applications despite the website still saying they weren't accepting documentation, and that if you had your documents ready you might as well send them.

Potentially bad advice, but I submitted my online application at the end of September and my documents about a week later. Stupidly, I didn't get a tracking number from the US Postal Service, but I did write my application number on the envelope. I never received the email confirming receipt of my documents either. Last month I tried to find a phone number for someone at the FBR office who might be able to look up my application number to confirm that my documents were received. I didn't want to call the emergency number since my situation was not an emergency, but I managed to speak with someone who said there wasn't another direct line to the FBR office and that they would be setting up a webchat sometime soon.

The webchat still isn't functional, so I can't seem to get in touch with anyone outside of the emergency phone/email. I kind of regret mailing my documents at this point, but since they weren't returned to me, I assume they were received. Does anyone have a recommendation for how to confirm they received my documents? Should I just call/email the emergency options and hope I don't get yelled at for submitting when they said not to?

please don’t sweat not hearing from them. i sent mine in march 2020, they didn’t receive it until may. i never got an email saying the received the documents either. i have contacted the passport webchat and they have confirmed that my documents were received, it’s just a reallly long wait.

[jdh174]

Hi everyone,

I thought I would write to update you on my application.

Documents posted from UK: 1-Oct-2019
Confirmation of receipt of docs email: 7-Oct-2019
Email requiring further documents: 10-Jan-2022

I was missing the marriage certificate for my Grandparents, which I was advised I required from the FBR department. They were very patient waiting 3 weeks for me to track down my certificate. I was advised the following:

"You can appreciate, from a security perspective, in order to ensure the integrity of the FBR process, as well as compliance with citizenship law, that vital documents (birth certs/marriage and death certs if applicable) prove entitlement to Irish citizenship as well as support identity. Marriage certificates, in particular, provide vital links to names and provide evidence of name changes".

I was subsequently advised:

"As soon as all the requested documents are received, your Application will be dealt with promptly."

I tracked down the marriage certificate which was located at the Irish Anglican Church ​RCB Library: https://www.ireland.anglican.org/about/rcb-library

I paid a 20 EUR search fee and an additional 10 EUR to make a copy of the certificate and send this to me.

Once the FBR office received this copy of the certificate, my application was processed in 5 working days.

Congratulations email: 07-Feb-2022
Certificate will arrive within 10 working days.

Thanks to all those on this forum who supported me through this. My advice to anyone else waiting, is just wait and don’t lose faith. It was taken just shy of 2 and a half years! Good luck!

[stone_panda]

Once the FBR office received this copy of the certificate, my application was processed in 5 working days.

That's great news, congratulations! It's also reassuring for me to hear as I suspect I sent the wrong version of a document and someone will be in contact for me to send the correct one. I was worried that once that happened it would take a while for someone to start processing the application again.

For anyone else that suspects they may need to send additional documents, I emailed the FBR department shortly after the new year asking if I should send the document to them now or wait until someone got in contact for me to request it. They advised me to wait and see whenever someone starts processing my application. I applied Jan 2020 btw.

[Rinefitz]

Hi guys,

November 2019 applicant here Documents received email 16th December 2019.

Just had my address confirmation email, never thought I'd be seeing it after all this time. Hopefully not too long for me now!!

[Muscat]

Just received an email from someone on Team 8 to say my application will be approved soon. I’ve moved home so I need to send new proof of address.it’s been a long time but tbh I was prepared for another few months of waiting, so this is a lovely surprise . I’ll try to update the doc but having trouble logging in on my laptop (currently on my phone)

Date of application 19/12/2019
Documents received 23/12/2019
‘Approval soon’ email 8/2/2022

[JeremyNYC]

Documents received 23/12/2019
‘Approval soon’ email 8/2/2022

Wow, congrats! Finally, after 2+ yrs of watching this forum, they are processing apps at or later than my doc received date (Dec 19, 2019). Now I will be checking email even more frequently than before.

[Muscat]

Hi guys,

November 2019 applicant here Documents received email 16th December 2019.

Just had my address confirmation email, never thought I'd be seeing it after all this time. Hopefully not too long for me now!!

They’ve been busy today! Congrats to you too.

[pfw]

Hello all. I live in the US and was a lurker on this thread for a few months last year. At some point around August/September, some users commented that the FBR office appeared to be processing applications despite the website still saying they weren't accepting documentation, and that if you had your documents ready you might as well send them.

Potentially bad advice, but I submitted my online application at the end of September and my documents about a week later. Stupidly, I didn't get a tracking number from the US Postal Service, but I did write my application number on the envelope. I never received the email confirming receipt of my documents either. Last month I tried to find a phone number for someone at the FBR office who might be able to look up my application number to confirm that my documents were received. I didn't want to call the emergency number since my situation was not an emergency, but I managed to speak with someone who said there wasn't another direct line to the FBR office and that they would be setting up a webchat sometime soon.

The webchat still isn't functional, so I can't seem to get in touch with anyone outside of the emergency phone/email. I kind of regret mailing my documents at this point, but since they weren't returned to me, I assume they were received. Does anyone have a recommendation for how to confirm they received my documents? Should I just call/email the emergency options and hope I don't get yelled at for submitting when they said not to?

please don’t sweat not hearing from them. i sent mine in march 2020, they didn’t receive it until may. i never got an email saying the received the documents either. i have contacted the passport webchat and they have confirmed that my documents were received, it’s just a reallly long wait.

That's a bit of a relief. Thanks! So the webchat is working? Maybe I need to use a different browser. Or do they only have it open at certain times during the day?

[bronaghds1]

Got an email yesterday saying they needed a copy of my passport...don't know why that wasn't in my application- how annoying! Have emailed it and that's my December 2019 application being processed! They've been hard at work catching up this week!!

[bronaghds1]

Got an email yesterday saying they needed a copy of my passport...don't know why that wasn't in my application- how annoying! Have emailed it and that's my December 2019 application being processed! They've been hard at work catching up this week!!

[Rinefitz]

Hi guys,

November 2019 applicant here Documents received email 16th December 2019.

Just had my address confirmation email, never thought I'd be seeing it after all this time. Hopefully not too long for me now!!

Have now received the following email - woo things are moving this week for sure!

I am happy to inform you that your Foreign Birth Registration application has now been approved. It will go into a queue for printing and can take up to 4 weeks for delivery

[Dalton_Trumbo]

Just received an email from someone on Team 8 to say my application will be approved soon. I’ve moved home so I need to send new proof of address.it’s been a long time but tbh I was prepared for another few months of waiting, so this is a lovely surprise . I’ll try to update the doc but having trouble logging in on my laptop (currently on my phone)

Date of application 19/12/2019
Documents received 23/12/2019
‘Approval soon’ email 8/2/2022

Wow, this is great news to see a bunch of applications from December 2019!! Looks like at least in some cases they are getting closer to the 2 year processing time they quoted, rather than the 2 1/2 year+ times we've seen in the past.

Congrats to all who got it this week!

[freewondering]

HI folks, some movement for me as well!

04/11/2019 - Online application submitted
02/12/2019 - Documents received
03/02/2022 - Confirmation of address

As yet no sight of any congratulations email....

[naamia]

Oh exciting news coming in today! Congrats everyone getting such good news.

Also need to ask, is anyone aware of an email address I could send an updated address and contact number to?

Ive moved (countries) and am worried that they'll try and call, but the phone number they have for me is now two years old and no longer in use. Ive tried searching the forum but its a hard one to search for. Also tried all mannor of contacting them... but... you know.

Thanks!

[freewondering]

Oh exciting news coming in today! Congrats everyone getting such good news.

Also need to ask, is anyone aware of an email address I could send an updated address and contact number to?

Ive moved (countries) and am worried that they'll try and call, but the phone number they have for me is now two years old and no longer in use. Ive tried searching the forum but its a hard one to search for. Also tried all mannor of contacting them... but... you know.

Thanks!

I'm unsure of the email, but my number has changed since. They emailed after not being able to get through on the phone. I updated my number as well via email.

[JeremyNYC]

I just got the conf of address email! Team 8 for those who are counting.

Conf of documents received: Dec 19, 2019
Address confirmation: Feb 10, 2022

[Dalton_Trumbo]

I just got the conf of address email! Team 8 for those who are counting.

Conf of documents received: Dec 19, 2019
Address confirmation: Feb 10, 2022

Congrats man! Nice to see some from Dec and Nov of 2019 getting processed. I assume that means can't be long for us Jan/Feb 2020 applicants!

[jgclancy]

I just got the conf of address email! Team 8 for those who are counting.

Conf of documents received: Dec 19, 2019
Address confirmation: Feb 10, 2022

Good to hear!!

jgclancy

[duffy1867]

We're so close to the first Jan 2020 approval - I can smell it...

[AymanG]

Updated.. second certificate received. Looking at passport application options, it doesn't seem to have instructions for what documents you need if you were not born in Ireland/NI and neither of your parents were born there either (in other words, you have a grand parent that was born in Ireland). What am I missing?

Updated

Hi

Couple of data points that might help others with their applications. My two children applied a month apart.

Child One:
Application submitted online: 06/08//2019
Email acknowledging receipt of documentation: 03/11/2019
Confirmation of address email: 16/10/2020
2nd Confirmation of address email: 01/12/2020 (missed the first one)
Congrats email: 15/12/2020
FBR certificate received: 24/02/2021

Child Two:
Application submitted online: 09/09/2019
Email acknowledging receipt of documentation: 11/11/2019
Confirmation of address email: 18/01/2022
Congrats email: 3/02/2022
FBR certificate received: 11/02/2022

Huge delay between two applications submitted a month apart... Ironically, child two is the one that really needs it most... hoping for news soon.

Good luck everyone.

[freewondering]

Updated.. second certificate received. Looking at passport application options, it doesn't seem to have instructions for what documents you need if you were not born in Ireland/NI and neither of your parents were born there either (in other words, you have a grand parent that was born in Ireland). What am I missing?

Updated

Hi

Couple of data points that might help others with their applications. My two children applied a month apart.

Child One:
Application submitted online: 06/08//2019
Email acknowledging receipt of documentation: 03/11/2019
Confirmation of address email: 16/10/2020
2nd Confirmation of address email: 01/12/2020 (missed the first one)
Congrats email: 15/12/2020
FBR certificate received: 24/02/2021

Child Two:
Application submitted online: 09/09/2019
Email acknowledging receipt of documentation: 11/11/2019
Confirmation of address email: 18/01/2022
Congrats email: 3/02/2022
FBR certificate received: 11/02/2022

Huge delay between two applications submitted a month apart... Ironically, child two is the one that really needs it most... hoping for news soon.

Good luck everyone.

Have a look here:
https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/alldfawebs ... ide-V2.pdf

They also say the list of stuff required will be on the form you have to print off and send to them by post (when applied online).

[AymanG]

Thanks freewondering

[wboy411a]

Hi guys,

November 2019 applicant here Documents received email 16th December 2019.

Just had my address confirmation email, never thought I'd be seeing it after all this time. Hopefully not too long for me now!!

Have now received the following email - woo things are moving this week for sure!

I am happy to inform you that your Foreign Birth Registration application has now been approved. It will go into a queue for printing and can take up to 4 weeks for delivery

Date of application 14 / 12 /2018
Documents Received Email 17 / 12/ 2019 (yes, one year to get my docs submitted).

Several around this date are reporting approvals / address confirmations this week. Hopeful that I may be close.