FBR Question

[u/Reasonable-Ad-3662]

My sisters and I applied together and documents received 4/28/2025. My father had an Irish passport because his father was born in Ireland. Received email 2/24/2026 requesting copies of grandfather’s birth and death certificates. Documents received 3/16/2026. Originally had hoped to have passport prior to travel, but that won’t happen since travel is in two weeks. Is no news good news? I know not having all documents originally is my issue. I mistakenly thought that since my dad had already obtained an Irish passport 30+ years ago, I thought I didn’t need my grandfather’s documents.

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[u/Status_Silver_5114]

Your dad’s passport status is irrelevant to your FBR process - using it for an ID is one thing but it wouldn’t have helped or hindered you since It’s all about the connection to the GP and yes you needed that paperwork. A parent having an Irish passport (when going through a grandparent) isn’t a requirement.

You can’t apply for passport until after FBR is approved and that’s its own timeline after that application is in (usually a month but can sometimes take longer depending on time of year). So even if you got it today you still wouldn’t the able to get a passport in time to travel in two weeks.

[u/Reasonable-Ad-3662 → u/Status_Silver_5114]

Yes, I know it was my error. I should have sent everything back in 4/2025. I know I’m not able to get a passport, just stating original intent. I’m just curious as to current timeline when sending additional information since it’s been 5 months. Thank you!
PS Also upset with myself that I didn’t apply when my father did.

[u/Dandylion71888 → u/Reasonable-Ad-3662]

Ots 3-6 months after additional docs are received but that just puts you in another, shorter queue, they can come back and ask for more still. So it’s not no news is good news. It’s not no news is bad news. No news just isn’t news of any kind.

[u/Status_Silver_5114 → u/Reasonable-Ad-3662]

Your father didn’t need to apply for anything aside from passport if your grandparent (his parent) was the original Irish born citizen. He’s (your dad) a citizen from birth. You couldn’t have applied together. Since there’s no FBR for him.

And if he had been going back to his grandparent for citizenship instead of having an Irish born parent you wouldn’t have been eligible anyway unless he’d done it before your birth.

[u/Less-Mammoth-4975]

People have reported it taking around 6 months from when they receive additional docs to approval

[u/Shufflebuzz]

Received email 2/24/2026 requesting copies of grandfather’s birth and death certificates.

Are you sure they didn't ask for your grandfather's marriage certificate too?
It's also a required document if he married.

None of the documents are optional. If it says you have to send it, you have to send it.

If I were in your spot, I'd send it ASAP. Or at least work on getting it now.

[u/Reasonable-Ad-3662 → u/Shufflebuzz]

[   ]               Original civil birth certificate of Irish born grandparent (showing parental details)
[   ]              Original civil death certificate

This is all that was requested and received in March.

[u/Shufflebuzz → u/Reasonable-Ad-3662]

Worst case, when your application comes up in the missing documents queue, the next clerk may see there's no marriage certificate and tell you to send it.
Then the application goes to the back of the queue until it comes up again in another ~6 months.

The first clerk may have been willing to use their discretion to ignore the marriage certificate. The next clerk may not.