If your child will be born outside the island of Ireland, timing can really matter. This article explains how being entered on the Foreign Births Register before your child is born can affect whether they may later apply through your family line under current Irish law.
Foreign Birth Registration applications are processed in strict date order. As of February 2026, processing is estimated at approximately 9 months for accurate and complete applications. However, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs does state that if you are expecting a child who may be born before your application is processed, you may contact their office. Module 5 of the course provides additional guidance on this situation.
