Foreign Birth Registration Ireland

What Is Foreign Birth Registration in Ireland?

Foreign Birth Registration is the legal process through which an eligible individual born outside the Republic of Ireland (also referred to as the State) can become an Irish citizen provided they meet the eligibility criteria and fulfil other stipulated requirements. It is actually a part of the wider Irish citizenship by descent process.

Ireland is one of the few European Union (EU) countries that uphold the notion of claiming citizenship based on bloodline. The Foreign Births Register (FBR) is an official register of people who have been born abroad and obtained citizenship in the State through their Irish ancestors (i.e., parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents in rare cases).

Who Can Apply for Foreign Birth Registration?

If a child meets the criteria to automatically be an Irish citizen, the Foreign Birth Registration process will not be required in their cases. For example, if a child is born in Ireland and at least one of their parents has been an Irish citizen (or entitled to be an Irish citizen) at the time of their birth, they will automatically become an Irish citizen.

Likewise, if at least one of the parents was born in Ireland and was an Irish citizen (or entitled to be so) at the time of their birth, the child will automatically be an Irish citizen even if they were born abroad. However, if a child was born abroad to Irish parent(s), who themselves were born outside Ireland, the child will have to enter themselves into the FBR to become an Irish citizen.

Similarly, if you were born abroad to non-Irish parents but at least one of your grandparents was born in Ireland, you can claim Irish citizenship through the Foreign Birth Registration process. You may also obtain Irish citizenship by descent through an Irish great-grandparent, provided that:

• The said great-grandparent was born in Ireland
• Your parent themselves became an Irish citizen by descent through their grandparent (i.e., the said great-grandparent)
• Your parent entered their details into the FBR by the time of your birth (if you were born after 1986) or between 1956 and 1986 (if you were born before 1986)

So, if you are expecting a child, and are required to register through the Foreign Birth Registration process to become an Irish citizen yourself, you must do so without further delay to ensure they are entitled to citizenship in Ireland when they are born.

Registering a Foreign Birth in Ireland

The application for Foreign Birth Registration is an online process. However, the actual process begins much before filling up the online application form. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how you can register yourself with the FBR:

1. You must first check whether you are eligible, as well as required, to register with the FBR. Adult applicants must apply themselves, while parent(s) or legal guardian(s) can on behalf of a minor applicant
2. Once you have confirmed your or the minor applicant’s (if you are applying on their behalf) eligibility for the Foreign Birth Registration process, start arranging for the required supporting documents. Required documents may vary depending on your circumstances (e.g., adult applicants vs minor applicants, applicant’s parent became an Irish citizen through naturalisation vs through entry on the FBR, etc.)
3. Fill up the online application form on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website, and submit electronically when complete. You need an email address to apply
4. Pay the required fees
5. Print a paper copy of the submitted application form and sign the same
6. Have your signed form, supporting documents, and two of your passport photos witnessed by an appropriate person
7. Send the form, supporting documents and photos to the relevant office (which will either be a specific Irish embassy/consulate or a PO Box address in the State), the full address of which will be printed on the top right-hand corner of your application form

Irish embassies in the UK, the US, Canada and Australia do not process Foreign Birth Registration applications any more, so if you are applying from any of these countries, your application will be processed in Dublin. Also, note that if you are claiming Irish citizenship via an Irish grandparent, you will need to file your application through the Department of Justice, and the final decision in your cases will be at the discretion of the Irish Minister for Justice.

Adult Applicant Registration: Required Documents

As an adult applicant, the supporting documents you will need to submit along with your Foreign Birth Registration application will vary based on whether:

• Your parent became an Irish citizen through naturalisation
• Your parent became an Irish citizen through entry on the FBR
• Your parent became an Irish citizen through Post Nuptial Citizenship Declaration
• Your parent was born abroad and became an Irish citizen post adoption (i.e., adopted by an Irish citizen under Irish law)
• You are applying on the basis of an Irish-born grandparent

For the applicant, submit the following documents in all of the above scenarios:

• A printed copy of the Foreign Birth Registration application form filled in and submitted online, (must be duly signed and dated by the applicant as well as signed, dated and stamped by an appropriate witness)
• Original civil birth certificate that must show their parental details
• Original civil marriage certificate or any other document proving change of name if different from that in the birth certificate
• A photocopy of your current state-issued photo ID (e.g., your passport, driving licence, national ID card, etc.), certified by the same witness
• Two original proofs of residential address
• Four recent, passport size, colour photos, two of which must be signed by the witness (do not attach the photos with the application form)

In addition, you must submit the following documents of your Irish citizen parent (as applicable in your circumstances):

• Original civil birth certificate that must show their parental details
• Original civil marriage certificate or any other document proving change of their name if different from that in the birth certificate
• A photocopy of their current state-issued ID (e.g., their passport, driving licence, national ID card, etc.) certified by an appropriate witness, or their original civil death certificate (if applicable)
• Their original Irish Naturalisation Certificate/Foreign Birth Registration Certificate/Post Nuptial Citizenship Certificate, or original proof of Irish citizenship at the date their adoption came into effect

If your parent became an Irish citizen via adoption, or if you are applying on the basis of an irish grandparent, you must submit the following documents of your said grandparent:

• Original civil birth certificate that must show their parental details
• Original civil marriage certificate or any other document proving change of their name if different from that in the birth certificate
• A photocopy of their current state-issued photo ID (e.g., their passport, driving licence, national ID card, etc.) certified by an appropriate witness, or their original civil death certificate (if applicable)

Minor Applicant Registration: Required Documents

Similar to adult applicants, the supporting documents for a child applicant will also vary based on whether:

• Their parent became an Irish citizen through naturalisation
• Their parent became an Irish citizen through entry on the FBR
• Their parent became an Irish citizen through Post Nuptial Citizenship Declaration
• Their parent was born abroad and became an Irish citizen post adoption (i.e., adopted by an Irish citizen under Irish law)
• They are applying on the basis of an Irish-born grandparent

The common documents relating to the minor applicant that you must submit in all scenarios include:

• A printed copy of the Foreign Birth Registration application form filled in and submitted online, (must be duly signed and dated by the applicant as well as signed, dated and stamped by an appropriate witness)
• Original civil birth certificate that must show their parental details
• Any change of name document if their current name is different from the one in their birth certificate
• A photocopy of the child’s current state-issued photo ID (e.g., passport, driving licence, national ID card, etc.), certified by the same witness
• Any original document that shows the child’s residential address, such as a letter from their school, family doctor or any other relevant authorities on official letterhead
• Four recent, passport size, colour photos, two of which must be signed by the witness (do not attach the photos with the application form)

Plus, relevant documents for their Irish citizen parent (as applicable):

• Original civil birth certificate that must show their parental details
• Original civil marriage certificate or any other document proving change of their name if different from that in the birth certificate
• A photocopy of their current state-issued ID (e.g., their passport, driving licence, national ID card, etc.) certified by an appropriate witness, or their original civil death certificate (if applicable)
• Their original Irish Naturalisation Certificate/Foreign Birth Registration Certificate/Post Nuptial Citizenship Certificate, or original proof of Irish citizenship at the date their adoption came into effect
• Two original proofs of residential address
• Four recent, passport size, colour photos, two of which must be signed by the witness (do not attach the photos with the application form)

If the application is made by a legal guardian instead of the Irish citizen parent, who is not named as a parent on the child applicant’s birth certificate, proof of guardianship/parental responsibility must also be submitted, along with two original proofs of their residential address and four recent, passport size, colour photos (two of which must be signed by the witness).

If the application is made on the basis of the child’s grandparent (or if the child’s parent was adopted), the following documents relating to the said grandparent must be submitted:

• Original civil birth certificate that must show their parental details
• Original civil marriage certificate or any other document proving change of their name if different from that in the birth certificate
• A photocopy of their current state-issued photo ID (e.g., their passport, driving licence, national ID card, etc.) certified by an appropriate witness, or their original civil death certificate (if applicable)

Photo Requirements for Foreign Birth Registration

For the Foreign Birth Registration process, you must submit four passport-sized photos of yourself along with your application, two of which must be signed and dated by your witness. If you are applying on behalf of a minor, you will have to submit four passport photos of yourself as well as that of the child applicant, again verified by the concerned witness.

All photos must meet the following specifications:

• Colour photographs in .jpg format taken within six months prior to your application date
• Must be at least 951 pixels in height and 715 pixels in width
• Must not be digitally enhanced or changed, or a scanned photo
• Must not have compression, loss or compression artefacts
• Must not contain barrel or any other distortion
• Must not be larger than nine (9) MB in size

Witnesses Requirements for Foreign Birth Registration

An appropriate person, who knows you personally but is not a relative of yours, must verify your printed and signed application form, photos and supporting documents before you send the hard copies to the relevant authorities. They will also need to certify your state-issued photo ID as ‘a true copy of the original’.

The witness must sign and date the documents, and stamp your form with their official stamp. They should also include their contact telephone number and email address. If they do not have an official stamp, their business card must be sent along with your documents.

The witness must be someone currently in any of the following professions:

• A Garda Síochána (i.e., police) officer
• A principal, vice principal, teacher, school secretary, pre-school manager, Montessori teacher, or lecturer
• A member of the clergy
• Medical professionals, such as a doctor, nurse, physiotherapist, speech therapist, pharmacist, or a dentist
• A lawyer
• A notary public or Commissioner for Oaths
• A Peace Commissioner
• A bank manager, assistant bank manager, or a Credit Union manager or assistant manager
• An accountant
• An elected public representative
• A veterinarian
• A chartered engineer

Foreign Birth Registration Fees

You will need to pay a fee while submitting your Foreign Birth Registration application online, covering the costs of registration and your certificate. An adult applicant will need to pay a fee of €278, while you will need to pay €153 for a minor applicant.

In both cases, the fees payable include a non-refundable postage and handling fee of €8.

Foreign Birth Registration Processing Time

All applications for Foreign Birth Registration are processed in strict date order. The processing time may vary depending on the numbers of applications in the pipeline. Incomplete applications also delay the processing of complete applications. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website regularly updates the processing time based on real-time data.

Currently, it is taking the authorities approximately nine months to process an application. If the authorities will need further clarification or more supporting documents in your case, the processing time will increase.

You may, however, make an urgent request for processing if:

• You are expecting a child who is due to be born before your application is processed in line with the current processing timeline
• You are a stateless person (or expecting a child who will be stateless since they don’t qualify for citizenship in the country they are to be born)

In such a scenario, get in touch with the Foreign Birth Registration Customer Service Hub either at +353 1 568 3331 or via WebChat during 9 AM – 4.30 PM, Monday to Friday.

What Happens After My Foreign Birth Registration Application Is Submitted

If your application is successful, you will receive your FBR certificate, which will have your name exactly as it is on your birth certificate. For people who have changed their birth name since, will be eligible to get an Irish passport in their current name by submitting appropriate supporting documents to the Irish passport authorities.

If your application is refused even though you have submitted a completed form and all required documents, you may appeal the refusal decision. The decision letter will clearly mention the reason(s) for refusal. You must address the same and submit a letter of appeal within six weeks from the date of refusal.

Applying for a Replacement Foreign Birth Registration Certificate 

In case you have lost your Foreign Birth Registration certificate or it has been stolen, you can apply for a replacement certificate via the relevant online form on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website. You must also provide supporting documents along with your application, which will vary depending on whether you are an adult applicant or are applying on behalf of a minor.

As an adult applicant, you must submit:

• Your original civil birth certificate with parental details
• A photocopy of your current state-issued ID (e.g., your passport, driving licence, national ID card, etc.), certified by an appropriate witness as discussed beforehand
• Your original civil marriage certificate or any other change of name document to link your birth certificate to your photo ID, if applicable
• Two original proofs of your residential address
• Two passport photos (verified by the same witness)

For child applicants, you must submit:

• The child’s original civil birth certificate with parental details
• A photocopy of the child’s current state-issued photo ID (e.g., passport, driving licence, national ID card, etc.), certified by an appropriate witness as discussed beforehand
• Any appropriate change of name document to link their birth certificate to their photo ID, if applicable
• Two passport photos (verified by the same witness)

AND

• A photocopy of your current state-issued photo ID (e.g., your passport, driving licence, national ID card, etc.), certified by an appropriate witness as discussed beforehand
• Two original proofs of your residential address

You will need to send all physical documents (i.e., signed and dated copy of your application form, supporting documents and photos) by mail to the below address:

FBR Replacement Certificates

Foreign Births Registration Section

PO BOX 13003

Balbriggan

Co. Dublin

Ireland

How Can IAS Help?

Foreign Birth Registration in Ireland can be a complex and time-consuming process, given that  depending on your personal circumstances and requirements, you may be required to submit original official documents relating to three generations (i.e., yourself/the applicant, their Irish parent, and even their Irish grandparent). The process gets more challenging where such documents are issued by different jurisdictions.

The registration application and the supporting documents are subject to rigorous scrutiny to prevent immigration system abuse. Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) thoroughly checks each application to rule out any reasonable doubt. So, even if you meet all eligibility requirements, you must pay due diligence while filling up the application form as well as arranging for supporting documentation, for your registration application to be successful.

Speak to IAS. If you are seeking overall advice with your Foreign Birth Registration application or would like an immigration lawyer to oversee your application on your behalf, we are here for you. We also offer document and application checking services if you just need a final check to confirm that your documents and application adhere to Irish citizenship policies and regulations.

Our team of specialist Irish immigration lawyers come with the required expertise, experience and empathy to understand your case and assist you, regardless of the complexity of your situation. To know more about the bespoke services we provide and how we can help you, please call us on +44 (0)333 414 9244 today to speak to a member of our team.