Chicago Irish Immigrant Support - Citizenship Ireland

Citizenship Ireland

Irish Citizenship

Please note this document is not and does not purport to be a legal document. The following information is intended for guidance only and is not a formal interpretation of Irish law. For further information on the relevant legislation, please contact the Embassy of Ireland or your local Irish Consulate. The law regarding Irish citizenship is set out in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts of 1956, 1986 and 2001, as amended.

Citizenship by Birth

Anyone born in Ireland is an Irish citizen, except children of parents holding diplomatic immunity in Ireland.
Anyone born outside Ireland, whose father or mother was born in Ireland, is an Irish citizen.
If one of the above does not apply, citizenship is not automatic and must be acquired through application.

Citizenship by Application

Anyone born outside Ireland, whose father or mother is an Irish citizen not born in Ireland, can become an Irish citizen by having his or her birth entered in the Irish Register of Foreign Births at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin or at the nearest Irish diplomatic or consular mission.
The spouse of an Irish citizen may, until 30 November 2005, obtain Irish citizenship by making a declaration of acceptance of Irish citizenship. The declaration may be made not earlier than three years after the marriage to the Irish spouse.

Citizenship by Naturalization

Non-Irish nationals legally resident in Ireland may be eligible for citizenship through naturalization if they have been legally resident in the country for a total period of four years within an eight year period. Applicants must provide one year prior notification of their intention to apply and must show proof that they intend to reside in Ireland after naturalization. Application forms and details for Irish citizenship by naturalization are available from the Immigration Section of the Department of Justice of Ireland, 72-76 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (tel. 011-353-1-602.8202)

Please see The Irish Embassy’s web site for more information: http://www.irelandemb.org

Irish Citizenship By Descent (FBR)

Citizenship by Birth
Anyone born in Ireland is an Irish citizen except children of parents holding diplomatic immunity in Ireland;

Anyone born outside Ireland, whose father or mother was born in Ireland, is an Irish citizen;

If one of the above does not apply, citizenship is not automatic and must be acquired through application.

Applying for Citizenship by Descent
Anyone born outside Ireland, whose father or mother is an Irish citizen not born in Ireland, can become an Irish citizen by having his or her birth entered in the Irish Register of Foreign Births at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin or at the nearest Irish diplomatic or consular mission. In the United States there are five offices who process Foreign Birth Registration applications. Please note that the application must be submitted to the office which has responsibility for the jurisdiction which the applicant is currently resident (see the following list).

Foreign Birth Registration Offices in the United States

Office Location	Contact Information	FBR Processing Area
New York congenny@aol.com	Consulate General of Ireland, 345 Park Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10154-0037 Tel: (212) 319 2555	New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
Boston irlcons@aol.com	Consulate General of Ireland 535 Boylston Street Boston, Massachusetts 02116 Tel: (617) 267 9330	Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island
Chicago irishconsulate@sbcglobal.net	Consulate General of Ireland 400 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60611 Tel (312) 337 1868	North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana. Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin
San Francisco irishcgsf@earthlink.net	Consulate General of Ireland 100 Pine St., 33rd Floor San Francisco, California 94111 Tel: (415) 392 4214	Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii
Washington www.irelandemb.org	Embassy of Ireland 2234Massachusetts Ave. NW Washington D.C. 20008 Tel: (202) 462 3939	Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland

For individuals applying for registration, the usual situation is one where citizenship derives from an Irish-born grandparent. Application forms and a fact sheet detailing the registration process may be requested from one of the above offices. It is important to contact the office that covers your state of normal residence as some of the documentary requirements may vary from office to office due to administrative differences from one state authority to another.

If the parent has derived Irish citizenship in another manner, e.g. through marriage, adoption or naturalization, further information can be obtained from any of the above offices.

Important Note
Since 1 July, 1986 a person registered in the Foreign Births Entry Book after 1986 is deemed to be an Irish citizen only from the date of his/her entry in the Register and not from the date of birth. This means that children born to that person before his/her date of entry in the Register are not entitled to citizenship.

Persons registered before July 1986 are deemed Irish citizens either from the date the original Citizenship Act came into force, i.e. 17 July 1956, or their date of birth, whichever is later. Only children born after 17 July 1956 can claim citizenship in such cases.

Irish law permits dual citizenship and does not require applicants to renounce any other citizenship held at the time of application. Applicants should however always clarify the position governing the adoption of a second citizenship with the authorities of their other country of citizenship.

Once an application for entry in the Register of Foreign Births has been found to be in order, all original supporting documents are returned by Certified Mail to the address given on the application form.

Applicants should check with the appropriate office as to the current processing time for FBR applications.

Please note that the lodging of an application does not in itself confer Irish citizenship. Once the process is completed the applicant will be provided with a certificate confirming his or her entry in the Irish Register of Foreign Births. This certificate can be used as proof of Irish citizenship when applying for an Irish passport. Please note that Passport applications cannot be accepted at the time of citizenship application and that these are two distinct processes.

How Do I Apply For Foreign Births Registration?

A correctly completed and witnessed application form [FB1A for persons over 18 years of age or FB1B for persons under 18 years of age] must be submitted to the relevant office (see above list), with the appropriate fee, and with supporting original documentation sufficient to demonstrate clearly the identity of the applicant and the relationship between the applicant, the parent and the Irish-born grandparent.
The following list is a guide to supporting documentation which must be produced by persons submitting an application for registration in the Foreign Births Entry Book. The documents are requested to prove the identity of the applicant and the relationship between the applicant, the parent and the grandparent. Supplementary documentation may be necessary when the supporting documents listed below are unobtainable, incomplete, inaccurate, ambiguous or insufficient because of local administrative processes. If documents are not in English, an English translation from an official translator is required.

A. Documents relating to your Grandparent -
For the grandparent three documents are required in normal circumstances:

A. The full, long form (i.e. showing the names of the parents of the child) Irish birth certificate. Birth records have been maintained centrally in Ireland since 1864 and certified copies may be obtained by applying to the Registrar of Births, Joyce House, 7-11 Lombard Street East, Dublin 2, Ireland or by applying to the Superintendent Registrar of the district where your grandparent was born. (see list below). Requests to the Registrar should detail the grandparent's full name, and the date and place of birth. If not already known, this information is often obtainable from death/marriage certificates.
A. The marriage license/certificate.
A. If the grandparent is deceased, the death certificate; if living, a current official photo I.D. (e.g. a driving license, passport).

B. Documents relating to your Parent -

B. The full, long form, birth certificate of your parents, showing your grand parents' names, places of birth and ages at time of birth. Note: Birth certificates which do not contain this information are not sufficient of themselves to establish a clear relationship to the Irish-born grandparent.
B. The marriage license/certificate.
B. If the parent is deceased, the death certificate; if living, a current official photo I.D. (e.g. a driving license, passport.)

C. Documents relating to you the Applicant -

C. Full, long form, birth certificate, that is, one which shows parents' names, places of birth and ages at time of birth. Note: Birth certificates which do not contain this information are not sufficient of themselves to establish a clear relationship to the parent.
C. Where there is a change of name, e.g. on marriage, supporting documentation must be provided, e.g. marriage license/certificate.
C. Two recent passport type photographs which must be signed and dated on the back by the witness to section E of the application form at the same time as the form is witnessed.
C. Notarized copy of current US passport (if held).
C. Notarized copies of three additional proofs of identity, one of which must be a photo I.D., such as a driver's license. Please provide a copy of a bank statement/utility bill, showing your present address.
C. In the case of a person under 18, the person submitting the application (a parent or guardian) must also submit proofs of identity as at C3, C4 & C5 above.

D. Fees -

D. Applicants should check with the relevant FBR processing office for details of current fees, communications costs and acceptable forms of payment.

Important Note
Church certified baptismal and marriage certificates may be considered when an applicant can produce a statement from the relevant state authority to the effect that they have been unsuccessful in their search for the civil record.

Hospital certified birth certificates are not acceptable.

All official documents - birth, death, marriage certificates - must be original or official copies from the issuing authority, properly sealed and stamped. All other necessary supporting documents, e.g. proofs of identity, must be originals or notarized copies of originals [note: please send notarized copies, not originals, of current passport, driver's license and any other important identification].

Please include 1 copy of all documentation, together with a large self addressed envelope for return of documents.

List of Offices of Superintendent Registrars Where Irish Birth Certificates May be Obtained

Send your application directly to the county in which your grandparent was born. If you do not know the county, send the application to the Registrar’s Office in Dublin. If your grandparent was born in Northern Ireland before 1922 send your application to the Registrar’s Office in Dublin.

Carlow
(0503) 31691
Community Care Centre, Athy Road, Carlow

Cavan
(049) 61399 Gate Lodge, Lisda
rn Hospital, Cavan

Clare
(065) 28525
The Courthouse, Ennis, Co. Clare

Cork North
(022) 21123
Southern Health Board, Anabella, Mallow, Co. Cork

Cork South
(021) 275126
18 Liberty Street, Cork

Cork West
(028) 21299
The Courthouse, Skibbereen, Co. Cork

Donegal North
(074) 24576
St. Conal’s Hospital, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal

Donegal South
(074) 31038
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Stranorlar, Co. Donegal

Dublin
(01) 6711000
Joyce House, 8-11 Lombard Street East, Dublin 2
Hours 09.30 - 12.30 and 14.15 - 16.30

Galway
(091) 528966
Western Health Board, 25 Newcastle Road, Galway

Kerry
(064) 32251
Southern Health Board, Killarney, Co, Kerry

Kildare
(045) 876001
Eastern Health Board, Poplar House, Poplar Square, Naas, Co. Kildare

Kilkenny
(056) 52208
County Clinic James’ Green, Kilkenny

Laois
(0502) 21135
Health Centre, Dublin Road, Portlaoise, Co, Laois

Leitrim
(078) 20308
North Western Health Board, Leitrim Road, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim

Limerick (City)
(061) 327522
St. Camillus’s Hospital, Limerick

Limerick (County)
(069) 62545
Mid Western Health Board, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick

Longford
(043) 46211
Midland Health Board, County Clinic, Longford

Louth
(042) 32287
Community Care Centre, Dublin Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth

Mayo
(094) 23249
Western Health Board, Newantrim Street, Castlebar, Co. Mayo

Meath
(046) 31512
The Courthouse, Trim, Co. Meath

Monaghan
(047) 81333
North Eastern Health Board, Rooskey, Co. Monaghan

Offaly
(0506) 41301
The Health Centre, Arden Raod, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

Roscommon
(0903) 26518
Western Health Board, The Courthouse, Roscommon

Sligo
(071) 60222
North Western Health Board, Markievicz House, Sligo

Tipperary (North)
(067) 31212
Mid Western Health Board, Kenyon Street, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary

Tipperary (South)
(052) 22011
County Clinic, Western Road, Clonmel, Co, Tipperary

Waterford (City)
(051) 55296
St. Patrick’s Hospital, John’s Hill, Waterford

Waterford
(058) 42199
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford

Westmeath
(044) 40221
County Clinic, Mullingar, Co, Westmeath

Wexford
(053) 23522
County Clinic, Grogan’s Road, Wexford

Wicklow
(0404) 68400
New Health Centre, Glenside Road, Wicklow

Birth Certificates from Northern Ireland
Registrar General’s Office,
Oxford House,
49 Chichester Street,
Belfast 1, Northern Ireland

Irish Citizenship by Post-Nuptial Declaration

Under Irish law, the spouse of an Irish citizen may obtain Irish citizenship by making a declaration of acceptance of Irish citizenship (certain changes to this provision have been introduced by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 2001 - please see immediately below). The declaration may be made not earlier than three years after the marriage to the Irish spouse. In cases where the Irish spouse obtained Irish citizenship after the marriage by birth or descent, a further three years of marriage from the date of the granting of citizenship must elapse before the application may be made.

As a result of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 2001, it will no longer be possible, after 30 November 2005, to become an Irish citizen by lodging a post-nuptial declaration at an Irish Embassy or Consulate. Instead, it will be necessary to apply to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in Ireland for a certificate of naturalization based on marriage to an Irish citizen and subject to a number of conditions, including residency in Ireland. Certain transitional arrangements have been introduced for a three-year period (30 November 2002-30 November 2005) which will allow a non-Irish national to claim Irish citizenship through marriage if: (a) s/he is married for at least three years to a person who has been an Irish citizen for at least three years and (b) s/he makes a post-nuptial declaration at least three years after the date of the marriage and before 30 November 2005 and lodges it, with the necessary supporting documentation, at an Irish Embassy or Consulate in their area of residence. These transitional arrangements require, however, any persons applying for Irish citizenship through descent to have submitted their applications and being registered in the Foreign Births Register by 29 November 2002, if they wish their non-Irish spouse subsequently to obtain post-nuptial citizenship before the end of the transitional arrangements on 30 November 2005.

Five Irish Government offices in the United States accept post-nuptial declaration applications which are subsequently processed in Ireland. Please note that the application must be submitted to the office which has responsibility for the jurisdiction which the applicant is currently resident (see the following list). Applicants wishing to complete a post-nuptial declaration should contact the office that covers their place of usual residence and request a fact sheet and the relevant application forms.

Applicants claiming post-nuptial citizenship through their Irish spouse are advised to check with their own authorities before doing so, as it may affect their current citizenship.

Applicants should note that there a length processing time for applications for citizenship by post nuptial declaration. Applicants should check with the relevant office about the current processing time.

Post-Nuptial Registration Offices in the United States

Office Location	Contact Information	FBR Processing Area
New York congenny@aol.com	Consulate General of Ireland, 345 Park Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10154-0037 Tel: (212) 319 2555	New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
Boston irlcons@aol.com	Consulate General of Ireland 535 Boylston Street Boston, Massachusetts 02116 Tel: (617) 267 9330	Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island
Chicago irishconsulate@sbcglobal.net	Consulate General of Ireland 400 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60611 Tel (312) 337 1868	North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana. Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin
San Francisco irishcgsf@earthlink.net	Consulate General of Ireland 100 Pine St., 33rd Floor San Francisco, California 94111 Tel: (415) 392 4214	Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii
Washington www.irelandemb.org	Embassy of Ireland 2234Massachusetts Ave. NW Washington D.C. 20008 Tel: (202) 462 3939	Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland

Application Procedures
The procedures for claiming post-nuptial Irish citizenship are outlined below. Given that they are somewhat complex and that the application has to be forwarded to the Department of Justice in Dublin for adjudication, it is important that the instructions are read carefully and that all requirements are complied with before the application is sent to the relevant processing office. Failure to comply with these requirements in any respect can delay the processing of the application by several months or cause it to be returned for re-submission when amended. If there are any questions about the procedures, please contact the relevant office for guidance.

In applying for post-nuptial citizenship an applicant must submit a declaration of acceptance of Irish citizenship (Form 3) and an affidavit made by the Irish citizen spouse;

The applicant's declaration of acceptance of Irish citizenship and the affidavit made by the Irish citizen spouse must both be completed at the same time before a notary public. The applicant and the spouse must either be personally known to the notary or introduced by someone who knows them both. The notary public should delete the section of the statement of identity which does not apply. The notary public must also sign and date the reverse of the photographs being submitted as well as the reverse of both the applicant's declarations and the affidavits of the Irish spouse. The notary public’s signature must be authenticated by the Clerk of Court of the county in which the notary’s commission was granted. The seal of the County Clerk must then be authenticated by the Secretary of State of the appropriate state.

The completed declarations and affidavits should be returned to the processing office within 30 days of completion.

Note
Please do not use white out or correction paper - changes should be made by crossing out and correcting the original and should be initialed and dated by the notary public.

Supporting Documentation
The supporting documents listed below must be submitted. All documents must be originals i.e. in the case of birth and marriage certificates, state issued, state certified copies bearing the raised seal of the issuing authority. The original document plus one photocopy should be included in all cases. All documents not issued in English must be officially translated by the Government of the country of issue.

The applicant must submit -

A declaration of acceptance of Irish citizenship (Form 3);
An affidavit made by the Irish citizen spouse;
An authenticated full form civil marriage license application and certificate (normally one document available from the County Clerk), indicating, if possible, both parties names, places of birth, ages at the time of marriage, parent’s names and places of birth and importantly, the civil status of the two parties at the time of the marriage.
If the latter information is not indicated on the certificate please submit notarized statements by both spouses indicating whether either partner was previously married. If so, please enclose originals or state certified copies of divorce decrees or death certificates as appropriate;
Evidence of the spouse's Irish citizenship
- if born in Ireland, the long form civil Irish birth certificate should be submitted;
- if born abroad of a native-born Irish citizen, the long form birth certificate of the relevant parent, the parent’s marriage certificate and the long form birth certificate of the spouse should be submitted.
- if citizenship was obtained through an entry in the Irish Register of Foreign Births, the original certificate of entry in the Register should be included together with the documentation submitted to obtain such registration.
When the Irish citizen spouse was born in Northern Ireland after 6 December 1922, please consult the relevant processing office to determine whether further documentation is necessary;
The long form civil birth certificates of the applicant and Irish spouse i.e. showing parents’ names, places of birth and ages at the time of birth;
The applicant's US or other passport, if held, and the spouse's Irish or other passport, if held;
Three further proofs of identity each for both the applicant and the spouse (two of which must be a photo I.D.) e.g. driver’s license, credit card, employee or other identity cards, public utility bills;
Three to five joint proofs of co-habitation showing full address e.g. utility bills, lease/mortgage papers, insurance documents;
Four passport photographs for both applicant and spouse, signed and dated by the notary public witnessing the application and affidavit, who should also certify them as true likenesses on the back of the declarations and affidavits.

Two photocopies of all documents must be provided along with the originals. Passports and other original documents will be returned by express or certified mail after inspection at the processing office. An application, which after examination, appears to the Consulate to be in order, is then submitted to the Department of Justice in Dublin for decision.

Fees
There are two fees involved in the processing of an application for citizenship by post-nuptial declaration.

A communications fee is payable to processing office to cover the cost of returning documents to the applicant. The communications fee is due at the time of applications. Please contact the relevant office for details of the fee and acceptable means of payment.
A fee of f126.97 by international money order is payable at a later stage to the Department of Justice of Ireland. This fee is not due until an application has been approved by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in Ireland. Applications are approved by this Department subject to payment of the fee. You will be notified at this point by the processing office in the United States that the fee is payable.

Applying For An Irish Passport

Introduction
Please note that only current Irish citizens may apply for a passport. If you are not currently registered as an Irish citizen but intend to apply for Irish citizenship, you must first complete the citizenship process before a passport application can be processed.

Please check the Citizenship Information page for further details on how to apply for registration as an Irish citizen.

It is important to apply in good time for your passport and to ensure that the application form is completed correctly and is accompanied by the appropriate documentation, as described here and as detailed on the application form - otherwise delays may occur.

Irish citizens in the United States may apply for a new passport at one of the five Irish passport issuing offices in the United States. Applicants should make contact with the office assigned to the applicant’s State of normal residence (see the following list) and request the necessary forms and instructions.

Passport Offices in the United States

Office Location	Contact Information	FBR Processing Area
New York congenny@aol.com	Consulate General of Ireland, 345 Park Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10154-0037 Tel: (212) 319 2555	New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
Boston irlcons@aol.com	Consulate General of Ireland 535 Boylston Street Boston, Massachusetts 02116 Tel: (617) 267 9330	Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island
Chicago irishconsulate@sbcglobal.net	Consulate General of Ireland 400 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60611 Tel (312) 337 1868	North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana. Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin
San Francisco irishcgsf@earthlink.net	Consulate General of Ireland 100 Pine St., 33rd Floor San Francisco, California 94111 Tel: (415) 392 4214	Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii
Washington www.irelandemb.org	Embassy of Ireland 2234Massachusetts Ave. NW Washington D.C. 20008 Tel: (202) 462 3939	Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland

Passport Fees
The passport issuing office concerned will inform applicants about current fees, communications costs and acceptable forms of payment.

Eligibility and Documentation Required
To hold an Irish passport you must be an Irish citizen.

The documentary evidence required to establish Irish citizenship is outlined on the passport application form. In summary, the following documentation, and the appropriate fee, should accompany each application:

All applicants must fill out a completed Pas 2 application form and include two recent passport size photographs - both the form and the photographs must be signed and certified by one persons from the list of acceptable witnesses. Please note it is very important that the witness is personally know to you or has been introduced to you by someone who is personally known to you and the witness.
If you are in possession of your most recent Irish passport this too must be sent with your application for a new passport. Your previous passport will be canceled and returned.
If you are not in possession of your most recent Irish passport, because it has been lost or stolen, you are required to submit a completed Pas L form, a statement of loss and a Police report from the relevant Police authorities, along with the completed Pas 2 form, the signed photographs and the long form of your birth certificate. Applicants who have lost a passport may also be asked to produce photo identification.
If you are applying for an Irish passport for the first time and you were born in Ireland, you must provide the long form of your birth certificate along with a completed Pas 2 form and the signed photographs.
If born outside Ireland to an Irish born parent, you must provide the long form of your birth certificate, the long form birth certificate of your Irish parent and your parent's civil marriage certificate, along with a completed Pas 2 form and the signed photographs.
If you attained Irish citizenship by registration or by post-nuptial citizenship, the citizenship certificate issued by the Department of Justice or your foreign birth registration certificate, as applicable, and your long form birth certificate, along with a completed Pas 2 form and the signed photographs.
In certain circumstances applicants may be asked for supplementary documentation as required.

Passport Applications on Behalf of Children
In order to apply for a passport on behalf of a person under the age of 18, the written witnessed consent of both parents, on the Pas M form, is required in addition to the completed application form, photographs, birth certificate etc. Applicants claiming to be either an infant’s sole legal guardian, or unable to get the consent of the other guardian, should contact the nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate for advise. Two types of passport may be issued in the names of applicants under the age of 18, the full ten year passport or the three year passport.

Children under 16 years of age may be included on a parent’s passport and can travel to most countries up to their 16th birthday without a separate passport. Children may be included, at no extra cost, when you or your spouse are applying for a new passport. However, if you already hold a valid passport it is not possible, for security reasons, to have it amended in any way. Please note that documentary evidence of citizenship will be required for each child added to a parent’s passport.

If you wish to include the name of a child under 16 years of age, or have other changes made, you do, however, have the option of applying for an exchange passport, or a new full passport. The procedures to be followed in either case are the same as for a standard application but in addition the child's long form birth certificate and the witnessed consent of the other parent, on the Pas M form, must be submitted. An exchange passport costs $25.00 and is issued for the unexpired period of validity of the existing passport.

Explanation of Passport Application Forms

PAS 2
The PAS 2 application form is for the use of applicants resident in countries other than Ireland, Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, and must be witnessed by a member of one of the professions listed at section 8. Forms are available on request from the any of the passport issuing offices listed above.

PAS M Consent Form
The written witnessed consent of the parents or guardians, on the PAS M form, is required if an applicant under eighteen years of age and unmarried is seeking to hold a passport in her/his own right or if a child under sixteen years of age wishes to be included on one or both parent's passport.

certificate "a" on the PAS M should be completed by the parent/guardian consenting to the inclusion of children under 16 years of age on the passport of the other parent.
certificate "b" on the PAS M should be completed by both parents or guardians where a child under 18 years of age is seeking to hold a passport in her/his own right.

PAS L Statement of Loss Form
The statement of loss form, PAS L, should be completed and witnessed by the relevant police authorities where a person's passport has been lost or stolen. It is available from any of the five passport issuing offices in the US.