r/IrishCitizenship

FBR is in process, do I wait to get married until it’s finalized for an easier move to live and work in NI/Ireland for my partner?

I’m a visual learner and have been having a hard time understanding exactly what’s needed and what it should look like. Is there a guide to the process that has pictures of everything? I’m trying to organize an application for myself and my 3 siblings. I did a quick search of the sub and didn’t see anything.

I am an American with an Irish parent, and I recently got my Irish passport last year in September. A few weeks ago, I changed my last name after I got married. I got my social security changed with the new last name, as well as my REAL ID driver's license. My American and Irish passport still have my old last name, and I was planning on changing them next. I recently discovered that in order to change the last name on my Irish passport, I would have to use my new name in documentation for 2 years before it can be changed.

I now have a hypothetical question.

With this information, if I decided out of nowhere that I would like to move and work in Ireland this year, would it be possible after my recent last name change, even if my Irish passport hasn't been updated yet?

My application has been 'processing' for three weeks and two days, and my estimated issue date is in six days. Does this tend to mean they haven't got around to checking my documents yet and might still have issues with them, or am I likely fine by now?

Just wondering if the office is run by AI now?

My application was rejected a while ago because they stated I didn't send a copy of my passport in colour and certified by solicitor. I did, and I have proof and confirmation that it was uploaded. You can even see it on the application. Despite multiple TD's and myself reaching out, they keep saying the same generic response of "your application was rejected because you failed to send in the certified colour copy of the passport page. " Despite stating multiple times, in bold, at the beginning, that I did, and attaching the confirmation.

It also takes them three months to respond to queries.

Aside from judicial review, how could I get them to actually read my messages or the TD's correspondence?

I paid for applications in Feb but just submitted now. Is there any timeline to submit?

Hello!

I am a 27F solo parent to a 6 month old baby boy. I am an American citizen in Texas. My son has my last name on his birth certificate, his father’s is not on there at all. His father’s name is not on any legal paperwork.

His dad is an Irish citizen (from Tipperary) and he is living in Australia (where we met). He wants absolutely nothing to do with his son. He won’t even look at photos of him.

I was able to find his family in Tipperary and reached out to his brother. His family also wants nothing to do with him.

Is there a way for my son to get Irish citizenship without having to grant his father any legal rights to him? I do not want his dad involved at all if that’s what he wishes. But I do believe my son will benefit from being a dual citizenship.

Any legal advice? Should I go to the Irish consulate?

***edit to add - seems I have ruffled a few feathers with my question. I am actually laughing at each comment that is insinuating my son has an awful mother / awful life.

I cannot control that his father is absent. He chose that.

I did not put him on the birth certificate because at that point he had not spoken to me in 5 months. I also almost died during delivery, was absolutely scared being on my own, and didn’t know the legality of this. My goodness, you people are ruthless. It was just a question.

***** Edit to add- thank you everyone, so much, for all of your help. It is nice reading through the comments and I am trying to make most of an unfortunate situation with the baby’s father. I love my son more than anything, and just want the best life for him. I am hoping this all works out in our favor. Also, for what it’s worth, I went to Ireland a few years ago on a trip with my friends, and we adored the country and the people. Thank you ☺️ ****

Hi,

Hoping someone might be able to share any knowledge with me please!

I'm about to compile all of my documents for my FBR application as it has taken a while to order certified copies of everything, and my Solicitor friend has agreed to witness and certify for me.

The company she works for may not be agreeable to a letterhead letter from her; will we be ok to add her Practising Certificate / SRA Registration Number (England) in lieu of a letter/ company stamp?

I'm also pregnant and due in September so conscious that I don't have time for errors or re-submission on the forms!

Thanks!

Hello,

I am an adult trying to obtain citizenship through FBR through a grandparent born in Ireland. My dad's dad was born there. Mother's side is not Irish. I have all of my info and my fathers and my grandfathers in order to submit the application. The issue is inconsistency with my mother's last name.

She was born La(xxxx), adopted at a young age to Di(xxxx), married to To(xxxx), married a second time to (Kaxxxx), and married a third time to my current last name, McMahon. Her marriage certificate with my father shows Ka(xxxx) and on my birth certificate it shows Di(xxxx). She passed away so I cannot get help from her.

Also, her middle name on my birth certificate is Marie, but is Maria on her and my dad's marriage certificate.

My question is, do I need to provide any documentation for her birth or previous marriages or death? She is not Irish, but I am worried the last name inconsistencies will raise flags since they do not match middle or last on my birth certificate and my fathers marriage certificate with her.

TIA

I’ve read through all the FAQs, the sticky posts here about applying, and the websites. Got the basic research down with BCs and MCs, and am eligible. Ultimate goal: passport

I just can’t take it the final step - locating the church where grandma was born definitively. The scanned church ledgers are messy and hard to read, but pretty sure I have it narrowed down to a few towns. Plus her name was pretty common, so again not sure I have it. I can’t complete this final step.

And I’m out of energy trying.

Looking for a service that has dealt with this before, can show me evidence having done this extensively, and can just hand it over to get me across the line.

Hello everyone,
I made a really dumb mistake and signed the form and dated it a day or two before my witness did. My witness also certified copies of my passport and drivers license from my own country.

So I had to do a resubmission with a new photograph because enough time had passed. If I am now given a date of June 9th, do you think it is likely that I will receive my passport before I travel on July 3rd?

My original estimated date was April 1st, but it was a few weeks after that that I was told that there was a problem and I needed to do the resubmission.

Hello, submitted my FBR, my mom & gran already have their Irish citizenship/passports.. Wondering if this would speed up the process as they’re saying 12 months processing time online... send photos of their passports along w/ great grandparents marriage/ID’s.

I work in healthcare and I’m wondering if this would also benefit my app noting my want to move if I reached out..

Thank you

I have been in Ireland for the past 11 years under refugees program. Hundreds of families have been here on the same program as well. As of my knowledge we are allowed to apply for the Irish naturalisation after 3 years of residency but it changed recently.

All my family members received their passports around Covid time. Many other families received it before us, except me.
I was underage when my parents applied for me, after two years I got back the documents… being rejected for being over 18.

Again, I applied as an adult and it’s been nearly 4 years now!
I keep trying to contact them over and over and sending endless emails and asking politicians to represent me and demand an answer. All I get back is automated replies every 3-6 months.
Sometimes they ask me to not contact them anymore unless it’s emergency.

The worst part is… seeing those who came to Ireland 7 years after us receiving their passport one by one. It makes me so upset. Makes me lose hope in life. I am the only one who actually works from all those families. I work so hard to prove myself it’s in my blood I just want to achieve all my dreams and contribute and live a good life.

I have never ever received any social welfare such as job seeker when all those who got passports are all on social welfare and do nothing with their lives but stay at home and attend gatherings and enjoy their free time. I can see it all with my eyes… I know them all. Every month I find out someone new got a passport.

What do you mean when they have been in Ireland for 3 years and 7 months sitting at home and they still revived their passports within 7 months of submitting documents?

I don’t know what to do at this point! I am having very bad thoughts which I keep ignoring.. I don’t have interest in doing anything good or even going to work. I am starting to think those who depend on government have a better life than me and much better good luck!

I tried to submit a new application earlier but it cannot since it would be a duplicate. I considered contacting a solicited to represent me but I think it will take as much time and money.

Did anyone else wait that long for the naturalisation?

UPDATE: Thank you to everyone that responded with encouragement and support. Coincidentally enough, the congratulatory email arrived about 7 hours after I posted. I'm now an Irish citizen! 🇨🇮

Hello everyone in the community,

I received an email from dfa.ie on 17/6/2025. I haven't received any other contact since then. I have been seeing questions, posts, and comments mentioning confirming address and asking for additional information. Should I be worried that I haven't heard anything in 11 months?

TYIA

Hi everyone,

Looking for some advice/experiences regarding Irish citizenship by naturalisation eligibility.

My reckonable residency started on 30 March 2021. If I apply now (May 2026), my absences from Ireland are approximately:

- 13 May 2025 → 13 May 2026: ~46 days

- 13 May 2024 → 13 May 2025: ~85 days

- 13 May 2023 → 13 May 2024: ~89 days

- 13 May 2022 → 13 May 2023: ~76 days

- 13 May 2021 → 13 May 2022: ~59 days

Most of these trips were for family visits and marriage-related travel. These absences were not continuous throughout the years and were spread across multiple trips. My single longest trip outside Ireland was approximately 76 days.

From what I understand:

- the immediate previous year is the most important one,

- and staying within the 70/30 guidance is usually key for continuous residence.

My concern is mainly about the previous 4 years. Has anyone here been approved with similar absence numbers in those years?

Would really appreciate hearing about:

- personal experiences,

- solicitor advice you received,

- or whether Immigration looks strictly at physical presence vs overall reckonable residence.

Thanks in advance!

Hey all!

Partner is moving to study a PG Dip in Social Work at UCC in the Fall. We have budgeted very effectively to make the move feasible, but we are reading online for the first time that he has to have €10,000 in his bank account when he gets his student visa after arrival. We were using my bank account to save for stuff so we are nervous about this. Obviously, he was going to have some money, but I was going to continually send him some after each paycheck. We haven’t budgeted for this lump sum.

It seems like there’s a rules change from January 2026, but we’re unsure if this applies to all countries or not.

He will be there for 2 years studying and we are American.

Any info on this?
—
Per the r/StudyinIreland mods: The mods over there [r/IrishCitizenship] have agreed with a collection of subs to be a visa catch all as many who obtain citizenship get there through various different visa routes in the first instance, it's not just about how to get an Irish passport through decent and auto collecting Irish citizenship.

Just to be clear why I am posting here^