Handhold me through passport verification (first app rejected)

[theyreallyaredicks]

Hello all,

Just gearing up for my second passport application for an Irish passport as the first one for kids and me was rejected on a technicality (applied through NI post office but asked for them to be delivered to GB, PO lady said this was fine, it was not! Such a faff). Now safely back residing in NI permanently so trying again.

I am TERRIBLE at filling in forms, it’s like my failing as an other wise competent adult. Help!

1. Is it really easier to do it online? Or passport express
2. Who should I get to be my witness? I don’t know anyone working in an office with a desk and a landline! Is it worth coming down over the border and getting them done by a Garda?
3. How long does it take to get docs back?

Thanks!

20yo DD and I got our Irish passports last year.

1. Definitely far easier and more efficient to do it online. Makes the process a lot quicker. You’re looking at weeks vs months with a paper application.
2. We ended up getting a notary public to be our witness in the end. I’m a HCP so know loads of doctors and nurses etc who could’ve signed for us but the issue is that none of them are at a desk or really able to take phone calls all day which delays the process and can result in a rejection. The notary charged £100 for his services but DD was in a rush to get her passport (was applying for ski season jobs in the EU!) so it was worth that extra bit of reliability. I don’t think that Garda would be able to sign it considering you’d be going cross border. If your DC are still at school you could look at getting their teacher/principal to sign.
3. In total the whole process took 9 weeks, but as I said this was last year and I think wait times have improved significantly since. Supporting documents were returned after about 6 weeks if I remember correctly.

There’s a really good Facebook group dedicated to Irish passport application advice - would definitely recommend joining, it’s very helpful.

Your witness needs to be available in working hours, my first one was rejected because they couldn’t reach her on her work number. I got an ex-colleague who is usually in the office to do it instead. When I originally started my application I was in the US and I paid $10 for somebody at the bank to notarise it. Unfortunately, that time I had the wrong form of my dad’s birth certificate, otherwise I could have done the whole thing in the Irish consulate.

This is a great help, and @Chemenger sorry to hear you were rejected too! I don’t know anyone hardly who is at the desk all day!

Are you in NI OP? If so I could send you our notary’s details if you’d like - he was really good and checked over all the documents too for us to make sure it wouldn’t be rejected.

Yes I am and I would LOVE that, thanks so much! Would pay anything at this point just to get it done.

I applied from England and my witness is a uk police officer. I just have his mobile number and they called him up no problem. This was about 2 years ago, have the rules changed to landlines? If so is madness!!!

No problem! Hope you get sorted soon. Being able to use the EU passport queue at immigration again still makes me feel quite smug🤣
Details are: Phoenix Notary Public - 07870678216. He’s based just off Lisburn Rd

Have recently applied for my husband (1st application after Irish citizenship via naturalisation - took about 2 months) & my uncle who arrived on holiday to Ireland on an expired passport - took 5 days. Online is much quicker, plus you can’t really go wrong with providing the correct information.

Make sure to bring address ID with your photo ID as Garda or other witness will need to confirm this. I think Garda is probably better if you can get to somewhere just over the border. Many small town Garda stations have restricted opening hours so check this before making a trip.

Good luck!

Actually I’ve just remembered, I gave my second witness’ mobile number, he got the call when he was on holiday.