Foreign Births Entry Book

The Foreign Birth entry Book ( _ga. Leabhar Taifeadta Breitheanna Coigríche) is state register of citizenship maintained by the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin and Diplomatic Missions of Ireland abroad. It was established by, and continues to operate under, the provisions laid down in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts 1956 to 2004. A child born ouside of Ireland to a parent holding Irish Citizenship but who is also born outside of Ireland may acquire Irish citizenship by having their own birth entered into the Foreign Births Entry Book. The citizenship of such children is effective from the date of registration, or for those registered on or before 30 June 1986, effective from the date of birth, or 17 July 1956 if the person was born before that date.Once entered, a certified copy of the entry is issued (a small A5 certificate bearing a signature and the stamp of authenticity from the authority responsible for having made the entry e.g. Irish Diplomatic Mission). This certificate is handwritten on specially produced security paper which incorporates an intricate turquoise pattern design and may be used as proof of Irish citizenship when applying for a passport without any further proof of citizenship being required. A statutory fee is charged for access to this facility (somewhere in the region of EUR 139, STG 88 or USD 217) and processing times vary from around three to eighteen months depending on the location and workload of the embassy/consulate concerned, or if registered by a resident in Ireland, the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin.

ee also

*Irish nationality law