Hi all — hoping for some practical, recent experiences.
I’m helping my father (elderly/ retired UK citizen) apply for Irish citizenship via the Foreign Births Register through the London Embassy. His application is complete and ready to submit.
Because he has international travel booked, we applied for a second UK passport on the basis that his main passport would be retained by the Irish Embassy during the FBR process. HM Passport Office refused the second passport, saying the circumstances didn’t meet their criteria.
Before deciding whether to reapply or just proceed without a second passport, I’m trying to understand the real-world timing.
For those who’ve done FBR recently (UK/London Embassy) or who have knowledge of the current situation:
• How long was your passport actually held by the Irish authorities?
• Was it returned early in the process, or only at the very end with the FBR certificate?
• Did anyone proceed without a second passport and still manage travel without major disruption?
Any firsthand timelines would really help us decide how to proceed. Thanks very much!
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As another commenter said, you don't send your physical passport, you send a witnessed copy of it.
From the DFA website's list of required documents:
"Photocopy of current state-issued photographic ID document (i.e. passport, drivers licence, national identity card) certified as a true copy of the original by application form witness."
https://www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/citizenship/born-abroad/registering-a-foreign-birth/#adult-applicant
Also, are you sure you are right about doing it via the embassy?
My understanding is that all applications begin online and your documents go directly to the DFA offices in Ireland (this is how I got my FBR from the UK).
They do not return documents early
Thanks. So they keep the UK passport until the FBR application is approved?
You need to send a witnesses copy of his ID, not his actual passport.
Yes, online. Thanks for clarifying
Lol - the UK Government doesn't issue a backup passport while you send yours someplace else - you have one passport at a time. If you lose it, you request a new one (maybe an emergency travel document if you are abroard) and the old one gets cancelled so you cannot use it anyway.
They do have a system for issuing a second passport if you need to visit 2 countries who would object to seeing each others stamps in your passport, eg the USA and Iran. But not because you want to send yours off somewhere for a bit.
As others have said - you just need your witness to sign, write their name and date a photocopy of your passport (in colour not black and white) underneath the text "Certified to be a true copy of the original seen by me"
To be pedantic - you're also not applying via the London Embassy. You're sending the documents to Balbriggan.
Uhh, sending the passport? You need a certified copy, you don’t need to send the actual passport
Source: have gone through this process
To be clear on eligibility. His grandma was born in Ireland to Irish parents. She moved to London and had his mum. His mum was never registered Irish. That’s the basis of his application for FBR. Any concerns with that?
There is no concern. That is the normal process. There is no dependency in any way on his mother.
Others have told you that you do NOT send the actual UK passport. Did you get that point?
Also, you mentioned the Irish embassy in London. The FBR application is online and direct to Dublin. There is no Embassy involvement.
What's the point of him getting FBR? Wants to move to europe?
Fair question. You do realise that your only path to citizenship (with your closest relative born on the Island of Ireland being your great-grandparent), was if your father had registered himself on the FBR before your birth? Getting him an Irish passport now isn't going to help you get one.
Indeed
The other direction is .. if father wants to just move to Ireland he can benefit from the Common Travel Area anyway
but not if he wants to move to Spain/France/Italy/... where a lot of UK citizens used to retire before Brexit.