passport application with irish birth certificate - HELP

[mysonsmummy]

i have tried looking on the passport website but cant find what i need - can anyone help me.

im trying to take my dad to cork in southern ireland to see his disabled brother who he only ever saw once before his brothre was taken away and for want of a better word put in a 'home'. he has been there for the last 50 + years.

my dads been ill and i think if i dont do it now it will never happen. a friends also taking ds 6 to disneyland paris in march so its an ideal opportunity to do it then. dad is hard work and not very mobile so tricky with ds around to cope with both of them on my own.

anyhow he has nearly no ID. ive managed to find his irish birth certificate. when he came over 50 years you didnt need any ID to travel. i think i need to get him a passport but not sure - does it make a difference as he has an irish birth certifcate. i know we will have to go for an interview now.

anyone help or pass me in right direction?

thanks for reading

Why don't you get him an Irish passport? My parents got UK passports with an Irish birth cert as they were born before 1950-something, so I'm sure your father is too. But it may be easier to go for an Irish one as I don't think they require an interview.

Let me check it out, I'll be back.

This is from the Irish passport office

If you live abroad.
In general you should allow 4 weeks for the processing of your passport via your local Mission. This includes the transmission of your application by email to the Dublin Passport Office where the passport is printed and the return of the passport to the Mission concerned by the diplomatic bag service.
The opening hours of Irish Diplomatic and Consular Missions vary from country to country depending on local practice. You should telephone in advance if you wish to call an Irish Mission to obtain a passport.

Proof of Citizenship
If born in Ireland on or before 31 December 2004 -
and applying for your first Irish passport or renewing your passport if under 18 years of age ? you require to submit the long form of your Irish State birth certificate which shows the names of your parents. If you are renewing your passport and are over 18 years of age you only need to submit your expired passport.

I think you phone the Irish embassy in London, get them to send you a form and submit your dad's birth cert along with the completed form. You'll have to be quick though as you need to allow 4 weeks.

According to the UK passport office you need to allow 6 weeks if applying for an adult passport for the first time, to allow time for the interview. So probably an Irish one would work out quicker.

i didnt even think of getting an irish one - can it be used for ID in banks etc same as a uk one would- we have a nightmare ALL THE TIME WITH THIS SORT OF THING.
oops sorry

i have had a look at his BC and it is the longer version with his parents names on it thank goodness.

i will call the dublin passport office on monday and see how i get on.

im not too bothered about going in march just the fact we may be going is a relief. ds would love to come with us. its just sooo expensivce to go in school holidays oh well dad will love it - we all will.

thanks again.

Yes, I've lived in the UK for 18 years with an Irish passport and it's always been just as acceptable as a UK one for things like banks and proving identity.

I hope you get everything sorted out.

People from the south of ireland can get a British passport - this was the agreement made when Eire became independent in the 1920's. (Can't remember the treaty) I think it was to ensure that all the anglo-irish who saw themselves as british rather than irish could apply for a british passport. The same treaty gave irish people the right to vote as well if they moved to Britain

Actually, not everyone born in Ireland can Mercedes. I pretty sure it's just people born in Ireland before a certain date, sometime in the 1950s. Mysonsmummy's father would certainly qualify to get a UK passport but, for instance, my brother couldn't as he was born in Ireland to Irish born parents in the 1970's.

The thing about a UK passport is that it's now a very long process to get your first passport as there is an interview, whereas an Irish passport is just a form filling exercise. I think it would probably be a bit of a pain for MSM's dad to go for a UK one as he's not very mobile and he would have to travel for the interview. (I'm obviously just rationalising here, the nationalist in me wonders why anyone would choose a UK passport if they have to opportunity to have an Irish one. )

bran - you are correct - it would be a nightmare getting him to the interview on top of the fact he has hardly any ID.

are there any benefits of holding out and getting a british passport over the irish one. he will probably be happier with the irish one tbh.

thanks

Hi, have just renewed ds' passport (IRISH). It was really easy. You call the Irish Embassy - passport section.

Address: Passport Office
Montpelier House
106 Brompton Road
London SW3 1JJ
Telephone: 00 44 20 7225 7700
Fax: 00 44 20 7225 7777
Email: [email protected]

Get them to send you the form (get 2, just in case you mess one up like I stupidly did!). Then complete it - you will need to get someone to confirm his identity (I used a police officer friend) and complete that section of the form. My son's passport was returned very quickly.

Just another point, a passport is not strictly required when travelling from the UK to Ireland. We travel at least 4 times a year by ferry to the Republic and never have to show id. I know that Ryanair demand id but not sure if it HAS to be a passport. Just wanted to make sure you find out if it is absolutely essential before outlaying the money.

I live in Britain and have an Irish passport. It is much easier than getting a UK one. Call the lovely Irish Embassy in London and they will send you the forms - you fill them out and send them back. If you need the passport back in a hurry, you phone them up and they do their best to hurry it up for you. It really won't make any difference to anything whether his passport is Irish or British, I have lived here 20 years with an Irish passport and no problems.
On the dual nationality thing, if he was born before 1949 (when Ireland became a Republic and left the Commonwealth) than he could also have a British passport, but it will be a lot more hassle to get it sorted out because of the interview etc.

The whole time I've lived in the UK the only time that I can remember that there was a practical difference between a UK and Irish passport is when I was changing address for my drivers license. If I'd had a UK passport I could have done the complete change of address for the driver's license online as they could have used my digital passport photo. Instead I had to send them a photo. Otherwise no difference between the two at all, I can't think of any advantage having a UK passport gives over an Irish one.

There may be some countries that have different visa requirements for UK or Irish passport holders, but it doesn't sound as though your dad will be doing many round the world trips anyway, so it shouldn't affect him.

I am glad to hear about that passport not needed for ferry travel. I am travelling in September to Ireland with my 2 children and we have lost my 3year olds passport.

I really don't want to pay a fortune for a new one.

Incidently are Irish Passports cheaper? Both my parents are Irish so I would I think qualify for one.

I think you can travel to Ireland on the plane using photo id - including a photo driving license - worth a check.
The Irish Passport should be simple enough - there is no need for an interview.
You can ring up the embassey for advice - if you explain the situation they can sometimes rush it through.
THe irish photograph is different dimensions to the British one but it is easy enough to go one of the photo shop and get it
Good luck - I think you are doing a really kind and thoughtful thing

I have an Irish passport through my grandmother. I live overseas but it was all very easy and painless, did it through the post.

Hi everyone! Please i need help! Can someone tell me if i can apply for literal birth certificate from internet email if i live in the uk because i live long time in the uk and im irish citizen?? Please help me

Sanaa - you might be better off starting a new thread rather than adding your question into this (very old) one