Irish Citizenship through Descent/Foreign Birth Registration Notes

Irish Citizenship through Descent/Foreign Birth Registration

Notes for Residents in Great Britain

Disclaimer: The following information is intended for guidance only and does not constitute a formal

interpretation of Irish Law.

Entitlement to Irish Citizenship through Descent /Foreign Birth Registration:

If you have one or both parents born on the island of Ireland you are automatically deemed to be an Irish

Citizen. You do not have to apply for Irish Citizenship through Foreign Birth Registration. You may

apply directly for an Irish Passport at the Passport and Visa Office .

Go online to: https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/great-britain and check the passport section of our website

for further information. The passport Office is based in 114A, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 4ES.

Application for Irish Citizenship through Descent / Foreign Birth Registration

If one or more of your Grandparents were born on the Island of Ireland you may acquire Irish Citizenship

in accordance with the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts, 1956 and 2004.

Application Forms for Citizenship through Descent/Foreign Birth Registration

Application forms for Foreign Birth Registration are now computerised and are required to be done

online at https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/great-britain. There are two separate forms depending on the

age category of the applicant.

(a) FB1A Form for applicants over 18 years:

A fully completed application form and two passport size photographs is required for each applicant.

Section D and E of this form must be completed together in front of the person witnessing the

application and on the same day. The witness must also sign and date the reverse of both

photographs as well as the application form.

(b) FB1B Form for applicants under 18 years :

(i) Where the applicant is under 18 years the Irish Parent must complete sections A, B and C of the application

form on behalf of the applicant. The Irish parent must then witness Section D and sign and date the reverse of the

applicant’s two photographs in the presence of the person witnessing Section E, this must all be done on the

same day.

(ii) The witness must sign and date the reverse of the two photographs of the parent and applicant.

Fees for Foreign Birth Registration in the U.K.

(a) £231.00 per application for persons 18 Years and over

(b) £124.00 per application for persons under 18 Years

Payment to be made by one of the following methods : Bank Draft, Postal Order made Payable to

Embassy of Ireland – We do not accept personal/third party cheques ,bank/credit cards or cash.

Applications in England, Wales, Isle of Man and The Channel Islands must be

submittted by post to:

Embassy of Ireland

(Citizenship Section)

17, Grosvenor Place

London SW1X 7HR

Applications in Scotland must be submitted by post to:

Consulate General of Ireland

16, Randolph Crescent

Edinburgh EH3 7TF

Scotland

For the safe return to applicants of their Foreign Birth Registration Certificate and

all Original Certificates and Documents submitted:

Applicants MUST include: A self addressed pre-paid registered/special delivery envelope for the return

of their FBR Certificate and safe return of all original Certificates and supporting documentation.

Incorrect Applications will be returned to applicants and will have to be resubmitted

with full documentation and fee. Please note we do not retain copies of previous

applications or documents.

Applying for an Irish Passport after Foreign Birth Registration

Application for an Irish Passport may only be made after Foreign Birth Registration has taken place and

Irish citizenship has been granted to the applicant.

Please read the following guidelines (sections 1- 9) carefully before completing your

application on line.

FBR Application Form Guidelines (1-9)

Please note:

(a) Original Civil Certificates/ documents issued by the relevant State Authorities must be

submitted with your application - Photocopies or laminated documents will not be accepted

(b) Civil Certificates/documents not in English must be accompanied by an official translation and

certified by the relevant Embassy/High Commission/Consulate in the UK.

acceptable if a “Search Certificate” is also provided by the General Registrar’s Office in

Ireland stating there is no Civil record.

(d) Applications are only valid for six months from the date they are witnessed.

(e) The Embassy of Ireland London and the Consul General of Ireland Edinburgh will only

accept applications from applicants who are resident in the UK. If the applicant is under 18

years both the applicant and the Irish parent must be resident in the UK.

Documents required for persons named in Sections A,B and C on the application

form

1. Section A - Documents relating to the Applicant

 Original Long form Civil Birth Certificate showing full details including parents details

 Original Civil Marriage Certificate if married

 Original Divorce Decree (final) if Divorced at any time and

 Current Civil Marriage Certificate if remarried.

 Copy of current EU Passport

 Copy of non EU Passport must be certified by relevant Embassy/High Commission in

the UK

 If over 18 years - Three separate documents showing proof of Residence in the UK e.g.

phone bill, gas/electricity bill, council tax, water rates , bank statements etc.

 If under 18 years – A school report/Doctor’s letter showing proof of residence in the UK

of applicant and three separate proofs of residence in the UK for the applying Irish parent.

2. Section B - Documents relating to the Parent linked to the Irish born Grandparent.

 Original Long form Civil Birth Certificate showing full details including parents details

 Original Civil Marriage Certificate if married.

 Original Divorce Decree (final) if Divorced at any time and

 Current Civil Marriage Certificate if remarried.

 Copy of current EU Passport

 Copy of non EU Passport must be certified by relevant Embassy/High Commission if

living in the UK or Commissioner for Oaths/ Solicitor if resident outside the UK

 Original Death Certificate if Deceased

3. Section C – Documents relating to the Grandparent born in Ireland

 Original Long form Civil Birth Certificate showing full details including parents details

 Original Civil Marriage Certificate if married

 Original Divorce Decree (final) if Divorced at any time and

 Original of current Civil Marriage Certificate if remarried.

 Copy of current EU Passport

 Copy of non EU Passport must be certified by relevant Embassy/High Commission if living in the

UK or Commissioner for Oaths/ Solicitor if resident outside the UK

 Original Death Certificate if Deceased.

4. Sections D and E (Must be completed together) Applications cannot be processed if the

signing and witnessing requirements are not fully complied with.

 The Applicant or the Irish Parent of an applicant if under 18 years, should bring the

application form with only sections A, B and C completed, to the Witness.

 The Irish Parent of an applicant who is under 18 years, must sign and date section D of the

form in the presence of the person witnessing section E of the form.

 The Irish Parent must also witness and date the reverse of the two photographs if an

applicant is under18 years in the presence of the witness.

 The witness must personally know the applicant or the parent if applicant is under 18

years.

 If applicant /parent is being identified to the witness by a third party, the third party must

be personally known to both witness and applicant/ parent

 The witness must complete (in full) section E of the form including the witnessing and

dating of the reverse of all photographs accompanying each application. The witness

should also place their official stamp (if available) on the application form.

 The witness must only give their work address and work telephone number – they

may be contacted by this office for further information.

5. The witness must be from one of the following professions only and :

(a) Must be Currently residing and practicing in the UK

(b) Must not be related in any way to the Applicant

 Police Officer (including collar number and Station Stamp if available)

 Members of the Clergy (We define a member of the Clergy as a person who can

officiate at Ceremonies e.g. Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals etc.)

 Medical Doctor (Must be registered with the General Medical Council)

 Solicitor (Must be registered with the Law Society)

 Bank Manager/Building Society Manager

 School Principal / Head Teacher

 Head of Department at University/College

 Magistrate /Judge

6. Deed Poll on Change of Name

Where a change of name is involved for any of the persons in sections A, B or C the original

Deed Poll must be submitted and must have been valid for at least two years.

Three documents showing proof of usage in the newly acquired name - e.g. Bank Statements,

Utility Bills that are at least two years old must also accompany the deed poll.

7. South African Applicants Resident in UK – Please note:

South African Certificates submitted must be a Vault Copy or the Unabridged Computerised

Version only. Laminated Certificates will not be accepted.

8. Nigerian Applicants Resident in UK – Please Note

Original Nigerian Certificates / documents submitted for Foreign Birth Registration may have to

be verified by the relevant Authorities in Nigeria. Applicants resident in the UK should contact

this Embassy/Consulate Edinburgh who will give them further details before submitting their

application. Laminated Certificates will not be accepted

9. Parents of applicants who acquired Irish Citizenship through:

 Foreign Birth Registration

 Post Nuptial Citizenship

 Naturalisation Citizenship

 Foreign Adoption

If the parent of the applicant acquired Irish Citizenship through one of the above before their child was

born, the child may be eligible to apply for Foreign Birth Registration.

The documentation required to prove the line of descent in these circumstances is as follows:

(i) All of the documents applicable to the person named in section A of application form

(ii) All of the documents applicable to the person named in Section B of application form

(iii) The original - FBR Certificate, Post Nuptial Certificate , Naturalisation Certificate or

Foreign Adoption Certificate issued from the Irish Adoption Board for Irish Parent.

(iv) Three proofs of current residence in the UK for the parent and proof of residence for the child

in the UK.

(v) Citizens who acquired Irish Citizenship via Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship only,

must have completed a Declaration of Intention to Retain Irish Citizenship and received an

acknowledgement letter from the Department of Justice in Ireland. This form is accessible at:

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Form%205%20(Ver%205.0%20Jan%202014).pdf/Files/Form

%205%20(Ver%205.0%20Jan%202014).pdf .

The acknowledgement letter issued by the Department of Justice in Ireland on receipt of the

above declaration of intention to retain Irish Citizenship must accompany the FBR application.