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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Irish Passport applications

47 replies

Canada4321 · 22/03/2022 09:12

Sorry, this is not an AIBU but posting for traffic.

My son (21) has applied for an Irish passport and has to send his British passport to the DFA to prove his identity. It is a first time Irish passport application. I was wondering if anyone has any idea of how long it is likely to take for the Ireland DFA to return his British passport, one he sends it off? We want to book a holiday for early July and I don't want to risk my son not having either a British or an Irish passport to use.

I have tried to contact DFA by phone and Webchat, but it is impossible to get through on either.

Any advice would be amazing!

OP posts:
ScrummyDiva2 · 22/03/2022 09:29

We had this issue. When I contacted them via email, I got a reply back saying to send in a photocopy of every page of the British passport. This was a couple of years ago.

Atlanticpa · 22/03/2022 09:50

First time applications are taking a very long time right now. I applied in October and one passport was sent 2 weeks ago and the other was dispatched yesterday and the supporting docs are sent after that. I actually applied for one for myself and one for son, I sent my british but didn't send his (I asked if it was essential to send photo ID for him as he is 5 and can't realistically be expected to have any). Only difference was son's took couple of weeks longer and they called the person that signed his form to verify his identity. The webchat and phoneline are also almost permanently unavailable

Original poster
Canada4321 · 22/03/2022 10:09

@Atlanticpa

First time applications are taking a very long time right now. I applied in October and one passport was sent 2 weeks ago and the other was dispatched yesterday and the supporting docs are sent after that. I actually applied for one for myself and one for son, I sent my british but didn't send his (I asked if it was essential to send photo ID for him as he is 5 and can't realistically be expected to have any). Only difference was son's took couple of weeks longer and they called the person that signed his form to verify his identity. The webchat and phoneline are also almost permanently unavailable
That is quite sobering! That's 6 months!
OP posts:
jellyfrizz · 22/03/2022 10:09

I applied in Jan for my children and still waiting.

I haven’t had docs back (not passport but birth certs etc).

When I was applying for the FBR I asked about getting docs back, they said they could send them back but the process would then start from the beginning. It took a full year in the end.

Original poster
Canada4321 · 22/03/2022 10:11

@ScrummyDiva2

We had this issue. When I contacted them via email, I got a reply back saying to send in a photocopy of every page of the British passport. This was a couple of years ago.
I don't seem to be able to find an email address for DFA. It only seems possible to contact them by phone or Webchat. I can't get through on either of these unfortunately.
OP posts:
Atlanticpa · 22/03/2022 10:18

If you are in GB [email protected] might answer queries and you could try @passportirl on twitter for generic queries (they won't answer anything specific to individual applications and it is mostly people complaining that everything is taking a long time and that the webchat and phone don't work).

Sweetmotherofallthatisholyabov · 22/03/2022 10:21

Keep trying the phone number, there's space for maybe 21 to queue or something like that. So if you keep redialing for about 3/4 minutes chances are one will drop off and you can be added, after that it's a 15 min wait max.

Original poster
Canada4321 · 22/03/2022 12:41

@Sweetmotherofallthatisholyabov

Keep trying the phone number, there's space for maybe 21 to queue or something like that. So if you keep redialing for about 3/4 minutes chances are one will drop off and you can be added, after that it's a 15 min wait max.
Thank you! I will try.
OP posts:
Original poster
Canada4321 · 22/03/2022 12:42

@Atlanticpa

If you are in GB [email protected] might answer queries and you could try *@passportirl* on twitter for generic queries (they won't answer anything specific to individual applications and it is mostly people complaining that everything is taking a long time and that the webchat and phone don't work).
I have tried that email address and they have responded that a certified copy of the passport will be sufficient! I am delighted but feel that I will try and double check this before booking the solicitor's appointment!
OP posts:
IJoinedJustForThisThread · 22/03/2022 21:36

I did this last summer and it took about 3 months to get both passports back.

MrsBungle · 22/03/2022 21:38

Took 6 months from applying to getting my first time Irish passport! This was in the middle of the pandemic though in 2020.

Original poster
Canada4321 · 23/03/2022 09:20

I wanted to come back to Mumsnet and thank you all profusely. From the information you gave me, I was able to establish that we can get a solicitor to certify a copy of my son's UK passport instead of sending the actual passport. @Atlanticpa the email address for the DFA office in London was invaluable as they replied to me email straight away to advise that we could send a certified copy of UK passport. I actually managed to get through to the DFA on Webchat this morning, who also confirmed it.
If anyone is interested, my ninja technique to get through on Webchat was to be at my computer at 9am when it opens and having all of the information they need (name, email address) ready to copy and pasted in the boxes at lightning speed. I was number 1 in the Webchat Queue! Even though I was number 1 in the queue, they still advised that there would be a wait time of 21 minutes! In actual fact, I only waited about 10 minutes before I got through to an advisor.

OP posts:
Wiredforsound · 23/03/2022 09:26

Don’t book anything until you have a passport in your hands. Half of England has managed to dredge up a long lost Irish relative in the hope of getting an Irish passport.

Original poster
Canada4321 · 23/03/2022 11:44

@Wiredforsound

Don’t book anything until you have a passport in your hands. Half of England has managed to dredge up a long lost Irish relative in the hope of getting an Irish passport.
My son can travel on his UK passport now we don't have to send it off as part of Irish passport application.
OP posts:
trainnane · 08/04/2022 22:37

Did they give any indication of how long it will take?

Cultureclub · 08/04/2022 23:15

'Half of England has managed to dredge up a long lost Irish relative in the hope of getting an Irish passport'
Interesting, I could apply for one but haven't as yet. What advantages do people see in holding an Irish passport.Its particularly interesting if you also hold a UK passport, when would it be preferable to use one over the other.

Gensola · 08/04/2022 23:19

@Cultureclub an Irish passport means you’re still a member of the EU… so you have freedom to travel anywhere in EU, live there, work there. It means brexit doesn’t apply to you as an individual.

SunscreenCentral · 08/04/2022 23:20

@Cultureclub

'Half of England has managed to dredge up a long lost Irish relative in the hope of getting an Irish passport' Interesting, I could apply for one but haven't as yet. What advantages do people see in holding an Irish passport.Its particularly interesting if you also hold a UK passport, when would it be preferable to use one over the other.
Travel to EU, work in the EU, study in the EU, retire in the EU, you know. The stuff you could do pre-Brexit without having to think about it.
tunnocksreturns2019 · 08/04/2022 23:20

@Cultureclub

'Half of England has managed to dredge up a long lost Irish relative in the hope of getting an Irish passport' Interesting, I could apply for one but haven't as yet. What advantages do people see in holding an Irish passport.Its particularly interesting if you also hold a UK passport, when would it be preferable to use one over the other.
I got them for both my DCs as a kind of Brexit insurance policy, in case they want to study/work/travel/live in the EU in the future. Having an EU passport might make all or some of these things easier/cheaper/quicker to arrange.
Cultureclub · 08/04/2022 23:23

Interesting and also a bit illogical but if people can gain anything from it that's great.
The Scottish uni's used to not charge tuition fees to Irish passport holders, not sure if that's changed.

tunnocksreturns2019 · 08/04/2022 23:24

What’s illogical about it?!

Gensola · 08/04/2022 23:26

@Cultureclub how is it illogical lol Ireland is a member of the EU?! I have dual nationality as I am from Northern Ireland so I have both a British and and Irish passport and the rights/benefits of both citizenships. Not sure what’s illogical about that Confused

tunnocksreturns2019 · 08/04/2022 23:34

Just one example. Say you have a DC who fancies studying law at Trinity College Dublin. EU fees: £5861 a year (rather less than the £9250 a year for UK unis). Overseas fees for Trinity College - Overseas now includes us lucky Brits - £20,609 a year.

Lots of even cheaper degrees taught in English at good universities elsewhere in the EU like the Netherlands.

And that’s just HE. Tons of other examples.

tunnocksreturns2019 · 08/04/2022 23:37

Ooh actually my example is rubbish, looks like we have an agreement with Ireland re fees, at least for now. My argument holds for the rest of Europe though!

trainnane · 08/04/2022 23:39

My parents are Irish. I'm adopted but can reclaim my Irish identity. I have lived in Europe & worked in various places pre Brexit. I want that freedom for me & my DC. I have always seen myself as European. I am very anti Brexit

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