Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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154. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason a person (details supplied) has not received their foreign birth registration; the reason they are waiting since 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24841/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship.

Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. The service was also impacted by necessary Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and the unprecedented demand for passports seen in 2022.

FBR applications are currently being processed within the normal turnaround time of between 6 and 9 months from receipt of supporting documents. Applications which require further supporting documents will take longer to process.

Foreign Birth Registration, by its nature, is a detailed and complex process, often involving official documentation relating to three generations and issued by several jurisdictions. Such documents take considerable time to validate.

With regard to the FBR application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application was registered on 15 October 2020. On 7 November 2022 the Passport Service requested further supporting documents from the applicant. The most recent submission of further supporting documents was received on 17 January 2023. The application has now been approved and an FBR certificate will issue to the applicant in the coming days.