Applicants for Irish citizenship through descent are reporting faster processing times, with one Foreign Births Register (FBR) applicant confirming approval on 11 November after a nine-month wait. The update, shared on the r/IrishCitizenship forum, shows a file lodged on 3 February approved on 11 November—consistent with the Passport Service’s target turnaround after severe pandemic backlogs.
![Foreign Births Register approvals back to nine-month average, say applicants]()
Community moderators note multiple similar approvals this week, suggesting the Citizenship Service Delivery team has cleared most files from early 2025. Processing times had ballooned to 24 months in 2022 before phased hiring and workflow digitalisation.
For global-mobility stakeholders, the FBR is an attractive pathway for employees with Irish-born grandparents to secure EU work rights. HR teams should, however, remind applicants that timelines can still fluctuate and that proof of citizenship (the FBR certificate) is required before an Irish passport can be issued. Expectant parents hoping to pass citizenship to children should factor in the nine-month queue when planning births abroad.
Community moderators note multiple similar approvals this week, suggesting the Citizenship Service Delivery team has cleared most files from early 2025. Processing times had ballooned to 24 months in 2022 before phased hiring and workflow digitalisation.
For global-mobility stakeholders, the FBR is an attractive pathway for employees with Irish-born grandparents to secure EU work rights. HR teams should, however, remind applicants that timelines can still fluctuate and that proof of citizenship (the FBR certificate) is required before an Irish passport can be issued. Expectant parents hoping to pass citizenship to children should factor in the nine-month queue when planning births abroad.
