Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
79. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the current processing times for applications for foreign birth registration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13119/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy 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 or naturalistion.
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.
Demand for Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) remains high. Over 35,000 applications were received in 2023, an increase of 27% on the previous year.
Thanks to additional resourcing, the turnaround time for processing FBR applications has reduced from two and a half years in 2022 to 9 months currently, a decrease in processing time of 75%. Applications that are incomplete and require further supporting documents will take longer to process.
Further information on citizenship is available on my Department's website: www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/citizenship.
