Wednesday 23 January 2013

Good grief! BMD certificates double in price

Long-form copies of birth, marriage and death certificates via both the GRO in Roscommon and the online facility at www.certificates.ie have doubled in price to €20 with immediate effect.

Until yesterday, all certificates cost €8, with a €2 fee for searching.

These certificates are the 'long-form, full copy of the registered entry' and can be used for most legal purposes. They are not to be confused with the 'research' photocopies that most researchers prefer to buy from the GRO* and cost only €4, with a €2 fee for searching. (The photocopy is generally all that's required for most research, but in the absence of an online facility via the GRO, many overseas researchers have been buying the full certificate via www.certificates.ie when possible.)

Long-form certificates available via www.certificates.ie are these:
  • Births: 1864–1921 Northern Ireland and RoI; 1922–present RoI
  • Marriages: 1920–1921 Northern Ireland and RoI; 1922–present RoI
  • Deaths: 1924–present RoI
Long-form certificates by post from GRO Roscommon are these:
  • Births: 1864–1921 Northern Ireland and RoI; 1922–present RoI
  • Marriages: 1845–1921 Northern Ireland and RoI; 1922–present RoI
  • Deaths: 1864–1921 Northern Ireland and Ro1; 1922–present RoI
*By post to GRO Roscommon (see groireland.ie) or in person at the Research Room, 3rd Floor, Irish Life Building, Dublin.

(This page was updated 24 January as more information emerged from the HSE/GRO about the extent of the revision of their fees and services. See also some good news about a reduction in price of the fees payable at local registration offices for 'research copies'.)