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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

DazzlePaintedBattlePants · 08/04/2022 23:40

Higher education fees are usually based on residency, not citizenship so not always useful in that regard.

Neverreturntoathread · 08/04/2022 23:41

@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.

If you plan to ever travel through a Europea. airport, with an EU passport like the Irish, you can go to the SHORT QUEUE. Short queues make me very happy.

Also if you ever plan to have children and it is possible that thry might want to live / work in the EU, the Irish passport means they don’t need a bisa and can travel anywhere in the EU without needing permission or limited stay.

I mean seriously have you never read a newspaper?!

Nelliephant1 · 08/04/2022 23:45

Our applications went in in February 2020.

Nelliephant1 · 08/04/2022 23:46

Should say that we've heard nothing back.

CliffsofMohair · 09/04/2022 00:00

I’m Irish in Ireland trying to get a first passport for my son - 3 months still waiting

MillyMollyMurphy · 09/04/2022 00:15

My son got his (first time Irish passport, lives in England) back last week. It took months. I can’t remember exactly how long but maybe six. Ages anyway.

Threecrookedhearts · 09/04/2022 00:21

I applied for mine in December through irish parentage (I was bornin England). They received my posted docs 23 December and new passport arrived with me 1st April.

Kittekats · 09/04/2022 00:34

This thread is useful thanks. I got my FBR a couple of years ago pre covid and have put off applying for the passport due to the length of time it takes and thinking I had to send my UK passport off.

Now the next thing is to find a witness who has a work landline still, that’s easier said than done…

nicky2512 · 09/04/2022 05:52

Dd as a British passport holder (we are in NI) needed a visa for her year abroad study. She would have had to travel to Edinburgh for this.
She applied for Irish passport in November and received it in March. She can now go with no visa and much less hassle.

Eve · 09/04/2022 06:01

Useful to follow this - NI born & have the form partially completed - will get a move on with it & get it sent .

Cultureclub · 09/04/2022 07:55

'I mean seriously have you never read a newspaper?!'
Happy to say I'm sitting in bed reading a newspaper and it's not the first.
I'm from a very large family in N Ireland and none of us have an Irish passport so I've found this post interesting. I get the point previously made about residency not citizenship but it has been interesting that some NI residents I know have not been charged tuition fees in Scotland due to having an Irish passport.If that's still the case it's well worth children having Irish passports from as early as possible.
It's been a very small world for a few years and passports haven't been a priority but, despite the pp obviously thinking I'm totally dense, this has been an interesting thread.
Strange to imagine travelling with a UK and an Irish passport and whipping whichever seems most appropriate out.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 09/04/2022 08:15

My ex applied for Irish passports for her and DD immediately after the Mumbai massacre where those with a UK passport were singled out for assassination.

Cultureclub · 09/04/2022 08:31

Just to clarify that the student I know who had dual passports and didn't pay tuition fees in Scotland due to being an Irish passport holder was an NI resident.

EileenGC · 09/04/2022 08:43

Strange to imagine travelling with a UK and an Irish passport and whipping whichever seems most appropriate out.

I don't have those nationalities, but I do have two passports and that's exactly how I use them. It saves time, money and admin on unnecessary visas, etc.

They're both EU passports but for example, one requires a B tourist visa for the US, the other only needs an ESTA. That's $200+ and a trip to the embassy vs $14 admin fee and I fill in the form from my own sofa. The opposite happens when I'm working in Japan, so I literally pick and choose which passport I entry each country on. You do have to remember to leave on the same one, US especially

I think people are doing the right thing by applying for the (EU) Irish passports. You don't have to worry about maximum stay on the continent, minimum time left on the passport, you can literally up and move to an EU country if you want, you can send your children there for school or uni. I don't see why people shouldn't do it.

Cultureclub · 09/04/2022 15:59

What intrigues me is that I know so many people who could hold an Irish passport but haven't applied for one and others for whom it takes more of an effort have been so proactive. People should obviously gain any advantage they can through Irish or dual passports. This has been an informative thread.

inventinglouise · 09/04/2022 20:15

@Cultureclub - "Strange to imagine travelling with a UK and an Irish passport and whipping whichever seems most appropriate out."
Why do you think this is strange? Why wouldn't you want to travel on an Irish passport in a European country?

pointythings · 09/04/2022 20:41

@Cultureclub

Having EU nationalities will give you job opportunities UK passport only will not get. It's all about Brexit.

Personally I think anyone who voted Leave who applies for an Irish passport (whether entitled or not) is a rotten hypocrite, but that's neither here nor there.

Aquafizzle · 09/04/2022 20:45

@Cultureclub

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.

Not illogical. The word you need to use is 'logical'. That logic is explained above.

Onaloop · 09/04/2022 20:52

I ordered my baby's first Irish passport in mid November last year. It said it would be ready by Feb 17th but only arrived at the end of March. He didn't have a British passport at that point but they sent my supporting documents (birth cert etc) at the same time as the passport. Their chat and phone lines were never open,it was very frustrating!

sonjadog · 09/04/2022 21:52

It took me six months to get mine. But I did apply about this time last year when everything was in lockdown. It might go quicker now?

AshMum · 23/05/2022 13:43

@Canada4321 I just wanted to thank you for your advice about getting through on the Webchat - managed to get through to the DFA this morning by following it.

cofingalthetime · 23/05/2022 14:10

Just to say that's not true about Ireland charging UK students non-EU fees. I queried this with them only the other week, and they said if the student has lived in Ireland for 3 out of the past 5 years they can qualify for the 'free fees scheme' and if not they pay the EU fees. Just in case anyone needed that info

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