Private business, not a government website. Irish Roots Pack is not part of the Irish government. Everything on this page is free to use, and you can apply directly on the official Department of Foreign Affairs page without paying anyone.
Foreign Births Register witness and photos
Last checked 30 October 2026 against the official DFA page. Rules and fees can change: always check the DFA page before you post.
Who can witness your application, exactly what they sign, and the photo rules, taken from the DFA's current page.
In short
- One witness does everything: signs and stamps the form, signs and dates 2 of your 4 photos, and certifies your ID photocopy.
- They must know you personally, not be related to you, and be currently practising one of the professions below.
- No official stamp? Include their business card.
Who can be your witness
The DFA's list. The witness must be personally known to you and currently practising in their profession:
- Garda Síochána / police officer
- School principal, vice principal, teacher, school secretary, pre-school manager, Montessori teacher or lecturer
- Member of the clergy
- Medical doctor
- Nurse
- Physiotherapist
- Speech therapist
- Pharmacist
- Dentist
- Lawyer
- Notary public or commissioner for oaths
- Peace commissioner
- Bank manager or assistant bank manager, or credit union manager or assistant manager
- Accountant
- Elected public representative
- Vet
- Chartered engineer
The DFA asks for someone "currently practising", so someone retired from one of these professions doesn't fit the wording. The witness can't be a relation.
What the witness does
- Witnesses your signed application form and uses their official stamp on it.
- Signs and dates 2 of your 4 photographs.
- Certifies a photocopy of your current state-issued photo ID (passport, driving licence or national identity card) as a true copy of the original.
It has to be the same person for all three. If they don't have an official stamp, include their business card.
For certifying copies, the DFA describes the procedure as writing "Certified to be a true copy of the original seen by me", signing and dating it, printing their name, and adding their occupation, address, phone number and a stamp, seal, business card or professional register number.
Photos
- Send 4 passport-sized colour photographs.
- Your witness signs and dates 2 of them.
- Don't attach the photos to the application form.
- Applying for a child? You also send 4 photos of yourself, signed and dated by you and your witness.
Practical tips
Our own tips, not DFA rules:
- Book a time with your witness and bring everything: the printed form, all 4 photos, your original ID and the photocopy.
- Check the stamp is clear and the date is written on the photos.
- Ask your witness to write their phone number and email when certifying. The DFA asks for this on its replacement-certificate list, and it helps if the DFA wants to check anything.
- On the adult routes, your parent's and grandparent's ID copies (if they're alive) must be certified by a professional from this list. The DFA's wording doesn't say it has to be your form witness, though using the same person keeps things simple.
Sources
Facts on this page come from the official pages above, checked on 30 October 2026. Where we give our own practical tips, we say so. This guide is not legal advice.