Know Your Rights : Getting an ‘apostille stamp’

Question

I was born in London and I have an Irish passport. I am getting married later this year in Dublin. I have been told that I must provide a birth certificate with an apostille stamp. My Irish fiancé has not been asked to produce this certificate. Why is this?

Answer

The Civil Registration Act 2004 requires both people getting married in the Republic of Ireland to provide evidence of their identities, civil status, age and nationality. If either person was born outside of the State, an authenticated birth certificate is required. Since you were born in the United Kingdom, you need such a birth certificate, even if you are entitled to an Irish passport.

The Hague Convention (1961) specifies how a document issued in one of the signatory countries can be authenticated or certified for legal purposes in all the other signatory states. Such a certification is called an apostille (in French this means certification). An apostille stamp is an international certification, like a notarisation in domestic law, which authenticates or legally certifies a document.

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (including staff in Irish embassies, consulates and honorary consulates overseas) can authenticate documents for Irish-born people getting married abroad.

In the UK apostille stamps are issued by the Legalisation Office of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). Visit fco.gov.uk/legalisation to find out more about the process. You can also email legalisationenquiries@fco.gsi.gov.uk or telephone +4420 7008 5959.

Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below.

Know Your Rights has been compiled by Dungloe Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public.   Tel: 0761075430 Address: Dungloe Public Services Centre

Information is also available online at citizensinformation.ie and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, 0761 07 4000.

 

Bíodh Eolas agat ar do Chearta : ‘Stampa apastaile’ a fháil

Meitheamh 2014

 Ceist

Rugadh i Londain mé agus tá pas Éireannach agam. Beidh mé ag pósadh níos moille i mbliana i mBaile Átha Cliath. Dúradh liom nach mór dom teastas breithe mar aon le stampa apastaile a léiriú. Níor iarradh ar m’fhear geallta Éireannach an teastas sin a léiriú. Cén fáth a bhfuil sé seo amhlaidh?

Freagra

Ceanglaítear leis an Acht um Chlárú Sibhialta 2004 ar an mbeirt atá ag pósadh i bPoblacht na hÉireann fianaise ar a gcéannacht, ar a stádas sibhialta, ar a n-aois agus ar a náisiúntacht a chur ar fáil. Más rud é gur rugadh ceachtar duine lasmuigh den Stát, beidh teastas breithe fíordheimhnithe ag teastáil. Ós rud é gur rugadh sa Ríocht Aontaithe thú, beidh teastas breithe den chineál sin ag teastáil uait, fiú má tá tú i dteideal pas Éireannach.

Sonraítear le Coinbhinsiún na Háige (1961) conas is féidir doiciméad a eisíodh i gceann amháin de na tíortha sínithe a fhíordheimhniú nó a dheimhniú chun críocha dlíthiúla sna stáit sínithe go léir eile. Tugtar apastaile ar an deimhniúchán sin (ciallaíonn sé sin ‘deimhniú’ i bhFraincis). Is é is stampa apastaile ann ná deimhniúchán idirnáisiúnta, cosúil le nótaireacht sa dlí intíre, lena ndéantar doiciméad a fhíordheimhniú nó é a dheimhniú go dlíthiúil.

Is féidir leis an Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Trádála de chuid na hÉireann (lena n-áirítear foireann in ambasáidí, i gconsalachtaí agus i gconsalachtaí oinigh na hÉireann thar lear) doiciméid a fhíordheimhniú do dhaoine a rugadh in Éirinn atá ag pósadh thar lear.

Sa Ríocht Aontaithe, is é Oifig Fíoraithe na hOifige Eachtraí agus Comhlathais a eisíonn stampaí apastaile (FCO). Téigh chuig fco.gov.uk/legalisation chun tuilleadh eolais faoin bpróiseas a fháil. Chomh maith leis sin, is féidir leat r-phost a chur chuig legalisationenquiries@fco.gsi.gov.uk nó glao gutháin a chur ar +4420 7008 5959.

Tá tuilleadh eolais le fáil ón Ionad Faisnéise do Shaoránaigh thíos.

Chuir Ionad Faisnéise do Shaoránaigh An Clocháin Liath ‘Bíodh Eolas agat ar do Chearta’ le chéile.  Cuireann an tIonad seo seirbhís shaor in aisce agus faoi rún ar fáil don phobal. Teil: 0761075430 Seoladh: Ionad Serbhisí Pobal An Clocháin Liath.

Tá faisnéis le fáil freisin ar líne ag citizensinformation.ie agus ón tSeirbhís Teileafóin um Fhaisnéis do Shaoránaigh, 0761 07 4000.