Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 February 2022
70. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport will issue in the case of persons (details supplied) whose applications were submitted via post a number of months ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5367/22]
View answerThe processing of Foreign Birth Registration has resumed and will be gradually scaling up in line with the recruitment of additional resources. Due to the complex nature of the Foreign Birth Registration process, the large increase in applications received following the Brexit vote in the UK, and the pause in the Service due to necessary Covid-19 restrictions, applicants should allow approximately 2 years from the receipt of supporting documentation for processing of Foreign Birth Registration applications at this time. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, and the subsequent reassignment of Foreign Birth Registration staff to assist in the provision of essential passport services, the Foreign Birth Registration Service was paused for nearly 15 months across the 2020-2021 period.
The applications referenced were registered on 26 February 2020, and will be processed in the near future. A member of the FBR team will be in contact with the applicants shortly in this regard.
My Department is fully committed to the continued allocation of additional resources over the coming period to assist with the processing of the Foreign Birth Registration applications currently on hand and the high volume of new applications anticipated this year.
