BritInParis

Thanks for the update. Glad to hear that your British passport application will be as straightforward as we suspected. Your grandfather is in good company; my Australian partner's grandfather also emigrated from Europe after WWII and worked in the Ford factory in Brisbane for many years.

I'm pleased you are pursuing all four passports. You'll be able to do a pretty good Jason Bourne impression soon enough

Americaninlimbo

Well, Aussie and British passport applications are in post. Looks like with the Aussie application, I can send it to the Embassy in Washington DC. Should make it a bit easier. What I found kind of interesting (and quirky) is that with the Child of Former Citizen 1290 form for Australia, I don't have to sit the citizenship test or do a swearing in. I teach Government/Civics in Wisconsin and to graduate high school, our students need to take and pass the US Citizenship exam. Honestly, I am going to go through the study video and pamphlet for Australia and then take the practice. It's the least, I feel I should do. And once the passport/citizenship is approved, I'll try to contact the Chicago Consulate office and see if I can't set up a ceremony.

As an aside, I did find https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sear...sicSearch.aspx really helpful looking up proof of my dad's residence and immigration in 1951. Did a 10 year span search for my family name and found better details than he remembers as a child and even managed to find a scanned photo and article about my Grandmother working in Redcliffe (plus photo) about 9 years after moving to Australia as well as passenger logs and arrival date in Sydney. Included it with my application to show proof of residency so hopefully it helps ease the process.

Two apps down, and now just waiting on a few docs from my mother and the Irish application will be underway. Quite stoked. It's probably the only thing cheering me up after Juvi took out Spurs yesterday.

BritInParis

Form 1290 needs to go to Sydney, not Washington.

Overseas Citizenship Unit
Department of Home Affairs
GPO Box 9984
SYDNEY NSW 2001
AUSTRALIA

Yes, there's no test or citizenship ceremony for your circumstances, as it's similar to becoming an Australian citizen by descent. If you want to pledge your commitment to Australia then ask the Chicago consulate if you can attend their next citizenship ceremony to affirm your Australian citizenship once you have obtained it. It has no legal effect but existing citizens are encouraged to do so if they wish.

https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/...ion-ceremonies

Americaninlimbo

D'oh. Looks like I'll be swinging back by the post office today and see if I can't have them bounce the envelope back to me so I can correctly address it. It was somewhat confusing on the AUS citizenship site saying 'British by descent' can address to their local embassy with 'all others' going to Australia. Fingers crossed our lovely USPS can save me a few days and thanks for the heads up!

BritInParis

I think you mean 'Australian by descent' and that's correct - but you're applying as the child of a former Australian citizen so that goes to Oz.

Americaninlimbo

Yeah, sorry. Was in a rush and in explaining I had to run to the post office to the wife, I saw 'Brit' and typed that. Was able to have them recall it and, yes, I'll be sending it off correctly this time to Sydney.

HKG3

As your grandfather was born in Ireland, you may be able to order his birth certificate at the link below -

https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list.../certificates/

Americaninlimbo

Thanks again everyone for the help! Just got my UK passport this morning from the Home Office. They were quick. I also received notice from Australia that my citizenship by conferral was in process. The general expectation that it can take upwards of a year. Luckily, I'm not in a hurry.

On another note, I did research on my maternal grandfather and going back a handful of generations, he could claim citizenship by double descent, so my chances are 0%. Oh well, 1+ is better than nothing. Now that I've done a lot of the legwork, my brother wants in, lol.

Again, thank you all.

BritInParis

Glad to hear you have one passport in hand. Your Australian may take as long as you think. You thought your maternal grandfather was born in County Cork, is that not the case after all?

Americaninlimbo

I thought he was from my mother's explanation, but it seems it was his grandfather that was and it was Co. Tipperary when I did the research. Oh well. Interesting background for me to learn, but her side came over, it seems, around 1800 and settled around NY/NJ. It was a muddled mess as her dad remarried after my maternal grandmother died and then they moved to the Panama Canal for several years while my grandfather worked on it as an engineer then they came back stateside.

BritInParis

UK, US and Australian remains a pretty solid trio. Let us know how you get on with the latter.