I sent my application (which was received 31st April 2020) I've been waiting 2.5 years and there is still no sign or communication form them. I'm going mad with worry as they have all my original documents, but cannot get hold of them to see whats going on.

 

Thats the way it works , I sent my application which was received (email conformation) 16/03/20 heard nothing for over 2.5 years and today (20/09/22) received a call and email asking me to confirm my address as my application will soon be approved, the lady who called said all my documents are in order. So Id hazard a guess that a feb 22 application wont be looked at until 2024 at the earliest. And an April 20 application should be within the next month or so going by my wait time. Hope that helps

 

Question: Once they tell you that your application has been approved, how long does it take before you receive your certificate (and all your original documents) in the mail?

 

My sister and I applied (Irish Grandmother) in January, 2021. Yesterday I received an email requesting clarification on a document. So they are looking at it. It is almost the expected two years. 22 months.

 

Bobbi, did you mean 2020? On another board I'm ed on they're still on December 2020 approvals, so 2021 would be amazing!!

 

January, 2021. That's only a month later. No approvals yet, they're seeking clarification on a document.

 

That's really exciting Bobbi as it's the first Jan '21 application assessment that I've read about. Maybe you'd like to the forum at Foreign Birth Registration - Page 219 - Immigrationboards.com and post there too. It will give everyone lots of encouragement while they wait.

Question: Did you apply online in Jan '21 or send in your documents then?

 

We mailed our documents then, ed mail. It was received in the Dublin office January 13, 2021.

 

I applied April 2020. I received my Foreign Birth Registry Certificate in the mail on December 2 2022. Now for the port! They seem to have cleared much of the covid/brexit backlog from the forums I have been on but I suspect its still a 2 year wait. Good Luck! The time will go by anyway. During our wait we bought and renovated a home in Italy! So my recommendation is keep living life until the day you become official.

 

Application Nov 9, 2021, response from dfa.ie Jan 4, 2023, to confirm address. I applied with my brothers. I wonder how long it will take from this point to approval. FYI - According to Oireachtas, as of Nov 22, 2022, applications received on or after Dec 7, 2021 (a specific application) continued to be stored until they can be checked for entitlement.

 

I was notified yesterday that my application for the Foreign Birth Registry has been approved. I had applied in February, 2022. So, it took a little less than a year despite that they had advised me to expect a decision in two years. The FBR will mail me my certificate along with the return of my documents after which I will apply for an Irish port.

So that was a pleasant surprise.

 

Can anyone please confirm that the ORIGINAL birth certificate of the Irish grandparent needs to be sent? Website says this...

• Original civil birth certificate of Irish born grandparent (showing parental details)

However, it seems odd to send the original version when it may take years to get it back... Not sure my Dad will be keen on that!
Can it not be a certified copy?
Thanks.

 

Not necessary to send the original. I have my mother's original birth certificate from 1924, but sent a more recent official copy, which was accepted.

 

I’ve now received my FBR and have applied for my Irish port.

I mailed the port application, USPS ED, to port Services on May 19, 2023. It is now July 1, 2023 and the USPS tracking system indicates that the envelope is still in transit, even though it arrived in Dublin on June 2.

Has anyone else had this issue? What could be the cause of the delay? Is it possible that my paperwork could be stuck in customs for this long? Or should I just hold tight?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

 

My experience with international ed mail is that it only gets tracked to the point where it enters the receiving country's postal system. Once your application got to the Irish postal service, it's up to the Irish postal service to report on its progress - and they aren't the ones who consider the mailing "ed." If you know that the application arrived in Dublin on June 2, I think that's as "delivered" as it's going to be.

 

Thank you so much!!! Very helpful.

 

I just recently received my first time Irish port. Although they advised that it would take eight weeks, mine was ready in about four. I have just now applied for the Irish port card which which is done entirely online and very easy to do. That process is supposed to take five to ten days.

 

My sister and I applied (Irish Grandmother) in January, 2021. Yesterday I received an email requesting clarifi't know if I need to provide all of her birth, marriage and death certificate as well ascation on a document. So they are looking at it. It is almost the expected two years. 22 months.

Hello Bobbi, I am applying based on my Irish Grandfather. My mother was born in Scotland and I don't know if I have to supply her Birth, Marriage and Death Certificate as well as my Grandfather's. Did you? Thanks, Catherine

 

Hello Bobbi, I am applying based on my Irish Grandfather. My mother was born in Scotland and I don't know if I have to supply her Birth, Marriage and Death Certificate as well as my Grandfather's. Did you? Thanks, Catherine

Yes, you will need to have birth, marriage, and death certificates for both your maternal grandfather, and your mother along with your own birth certificate, all of which certs have to be long form.

 

Yes, you will need to have birth, marriage, and death certificates for both your maternal grandfather, and your mother along with your own birth certificate, all of which certs have to be long form.

that’s fantastic, thank you so much.

 

 

Twenty months and still waiting.

I submitted my application in December 2021 but there was a system glitch which meant my money being taken but no application number. It took circa 6 weeks to sort out.

Late January 2022, I submitted all my documents and waited.

Late January 2023, my application was reviewed but a certificate that I had submitted was missing. Luckily I had ordered 2 of every certificate and could send another in February 2023

It’s now August 2023 and still no word although I was told that the processing department was up to December 2022 in of processing complete applications

My strong advice for anyone applying is to photograph your complete application so you can prove all documents were included

On the plus side, the staff at FBR are as helpful as they can be.

Fingers crossed, I’ll be Irish soon

 

Hi I sent my paperwork off and they received it end of march 23 and ed me to say I was short of a certificate which I sent to them beg nov they said on the 13th dec it was with the scanning and ing department now. Would you happen to know how long it takes with this department please? Thank you ☺

 

May I highjack the thread for a brief question about photos in the FBR application? Should the photos be black and white or color, and on 2 of them which have to be signed by the witness, does the witness sign on the back or accross the face... or how exactly? Thanks so much.

 

A full discussion of the photo requirements is here:

Photo Guidelines - Department of Foreign Affairs

What are the guidelines for port photographs

www.dfa.ie

Claim your Irish citizenship - everything you need to know to get your Irish port

There are a few ways in which you may be eligible to apply for an Irish port if you're an adult living in the US. Learn about what documentation you need to apply for an Irish port and how to apply here.

www.irishcentral.com

They prefer B&W, but color is acceptable. The witness signs on the back with his or her professional stamp, if available.

Also, if you submit your dossier in person to an Irish Embassy, the staff will review your documents on the spot to determine any deficiencies.

 

Very helpful information, thank you.

 

I've read the information posted in "Photo Guidelines, Department of Foreign Affairs" posted above, and this information is excellent but also about port photos specifically and only. I am not applying for a port, but instead I am applying to be added to the Foreign Birth Registry for citizenship. Does anyone have published information or specific experience on any difference in requirements between photos submitted for port applications in contrast to photos submitted for applicants for the Foreign Birth ? Thank you,
John

 

The requirements are the same.

 

Thank you Chrissippus, do you have a source stating that the requirements are the same? The government websites for the Foreign Birth Registry are very vague about photographs, and provide no links or resources for either the technical requriements for the photos themselves, or for how they should by signed by the "witness", except that the witness should sign two of the photos with his/her name, the date, and the application number.

 

Does anyone here have recent experience with technical photograph requiements to apply for citizenship via the FOREIGN BIRTH and specifically not including information about photographs to apply for the IRISH PORT? Thank you.

 

Howdy everyone. I have ordered all of my documents and just need to obtain the 4 port-sized photos/get them certified. I know this process can take a long time and want to make sure I get them right the first time around. Did you all submit 4 different photos, or 4 copies of the same photo? I'm applying for the Foreign Births Registry.

 

Four copies of the same photo. If you can submit your application in person to an Irish embassy or consulate the staff will review it for you and alert you to any issue. At least the Irish Embassy here in Bangkok was willing to do that.

 

Hi all, just happened upon this forum and wanted to provide my experience. I sent my FBR application and received a confirmation email on January 10, 2023. Although as previously stated I had read the process could take up to 2 years, I am very happy to report that after a short wait of just 9 months I received an email last week October 5th stating that my documentation is being reviewed and asked me to confirm my mailing address.