What is the Foreign Births Register?

Who can apply?

You can apply to the Foreign Births Register if you were born outside Ireland and either:

• one of your grandparents was born on the island of Ireland — Northern Ireland counts; or
• one of your parents was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth, even though they were not born in Ireland — for example because they were naturalised, or were themselves on the FBR before you were born.

The timing matters. Your parent must already have been Irish on the day you were born. If they only registered afterwards, you can’t apply through them — which is why a great-grandparent alone isn’t enough.

Who doesn’t need it?

• If a parent was born on the island of Ireland and was an Irish citizen when you were born, you’re already an Irish citizen, even if you were born abroad. You can apply for a passport directly.
• If you were born on the island of Ireland before 1 January 2005, you’re an Irish citizen by birth — or, in Northern Ireland, entitled to be one.

Not sure which applies to you? The eligibility checker works through each route in about a minute.

How to apply, step by step

1. Confirm your route. Work out whether you’re applying through a grandparent or a parent. It decides which documents you need.
2. Gather your original documents. Civil birth, marriage and death certificates for each generation in your claim, plus certified copies of photo ID, two proofs of address and four passport photos. The documents checklist lists them by route, and Find Irish documents helps you track down the Irish records.
3. Apply online and pay. The form is online only, at fbr.dfa.ie (opens in a new tab), and the fee is paid when you submit it. Have every document ready before you start.
4. Print it and sign it in front of a witness. Your witness must come from an approved profession, know you personally and not be a relative. They sign and stamp the form, sign and date two of your photos, and certify your ID copy as a true copy.
5. Post your pack by recorded delivery to the address printed on your form. There’s no public office, and the Department doesn’t acknowledge receipt, so keep your tracking number.
6. Wait for your certificate. Applications are handled in strict date order and take about 12 months. Your original certificates come back to you by recorded mail.
7. Apply for your Irish passport using your Foreign Birth Registration certificate as proof of citizenship.

Incomplete applications are returned without being processed, so it pays to check everything against the official list before you post it.

How much it costs and how long it takes

The €8 postage and handling fee is non-refundable. Expectant parents whose baby may be born before their registration completes should mark this clearly on the application and contact the FBR Customer Service Hub — a child born before you are registered can’t become Irish through you.

After registration: your Irish passport

Your citizenship starts on the date you’re entered on the register — not from your birth. Your Foreign Birth Registration certificate is then your proof of citizenship for a passport application. You can’t apply for both at once, and your FBR certificate shows your name exactly as it appears on your birth certificate.

An adult 10-year passport through Passport Online costs €75, plus a €15 postal fee if you live outside Ireland. Children born after your registration can go on to register through you; children born before it can’t. The FAQs cover every passport fee.