Irish citizenship · Certifying your documents

How to get a certified copy right first time

A missing signature, date or tick is enough for Immigration Service Delivery to send your citizenship application back. This guide shows exactly what a correctly certified passport copy and certification form look like, so you can check both before you upload them.

A guide for applicants for Irish citizenship by naturalisation · Based on ISD forms Citz-011/2026 and Citz-006/2026 · Checked 17 September 2026

Download the PDF guide Download the certification forms

What to bring to your appointment

Bring all of these together. A certifier can only certify a copy after comparing it with the original in front of them.

  • Your original passportCurrent and in date. Your certifier checks it to confirm your identity.
  • A colour photocopyOf the biometric (photo) page only, clear and uncropped. Black-and-white copies won’t do.
  • The printed certification formPassport Certification Form, Citz-011/2026. Print it but leave the certification section blank.
  • Other originals and copiesFor example your marriage certificate with its own certification form, plus photo ID.

In this guide

  1. What to bring to your appointment
  2. What a correctly certified photocopy looks like
  3. What a completed certification form looks like
  4. Your checklist, from printing to upload
  5. Common mistakes that get applications sent back
  6. Other documents you may need certified
  7. Getting your documents certified

Four things to get right

  1. Bring the original and a colour copy. The certifier must compare them in front of you.
  2. Use an authorised certifier, in person. A solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths, Peace Commissioner or Notary Public.
  3. Check the copy and the form. Both must be signed and dated, with the certifier’s name and role.
  4. Upload both, as separate files. The certified copy and the completed certification form, each under 5MB.

My appointment

Date
Time
Number of copies
Documents to certify
Notes

What a correctly certified photocopy looks like

Your certifier writes on the photocopy itself. Check each numbered point before you leave the appointment.

Specimen of a certified passport photocopy A photocopy of a sample passport photo page, with the handwritten endorsement “Certified to be a true copy of the original document seen by me”, a signature, the certifier’s name and role, the date, and an official stamp. PASSPORT · SAMPLE COUNTRY Surname SPECIMEN Given names ALEX Date of birth 01 JAN 1990 Passport no. X0000000 Date of expiry 01 JAN 2034 P<SMPSPECIMEN<<ALEX<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< X0000000<0SMP9001011M3401015<<<<<<< SPECIMEN Certified to be a true copy of the original document seen by me. Mary Byrne Peace Commissioner Date: 17/09/2026 PEACE COMMISSIONER SPECIMEN 1 2 3 4 5 6
Specimen only. All names and numbers are fictional.
  1. 1
    A full-colour copy of the photo page

    Only the biometric page is needed. Every edge, the photo and the two lines of code at the bottom must be clear and readable.

  2. 2
    The certification wording

    Written on the photocopy by your certifier, using the wording from the ISD form:

    “Certified to be a true copy of the original document seen by me.”
  3. 3
    The certifier’s signature

    A real handwritten signature on the copy. Scanned or digital signatures are not accepted.

  4. 4
    The certifier’s name and role

    Their name and whether they are a Peace Commissioner, Commissioner for Oaths, solicitor or Notary Public. A missing name or role is a common reason for rejection.

  5. 5
    The date

    The date the copy was certified. A copy with no date is treated as uncertified.

  6. 6
    An official stamp, if the certifier has one

    The ISD form asks for a stamp “if applicable”, so it isn’t always required, but some organisations prefer one.

What a completed certification form looks like

The certification form is a separate page that you upload alongside the certified copy. It has two sections. There is no place for you to sign it.

Specimen of a completed Passport Certification Form Section 1 with the applicant’s passport details in block capitals. Section 2 with three certification statements ticked, the Peace Commissioner role ticked, certifier’s name, business address and contact, the citizenship application box ticked, a signature, stamp and date. Certification of Passport Citizenship Application – Identity Document Certification · Citz-011/2026 Section 1: Applicant Details Surname (as shown on passport) Forename(s) (as shown on passport) Date of birth Issuing country Passport number PPS number (if applicable) SPECIMENALEX 01/01/1990SAMPLEX0000000 1234567T Section 2: Certification I hereby certify that: I have seen the original passport. The attached colour copy of the biometric page is a true copy. The copy has not been altered. I am (tick as appropriate) Solicitor Commissioner for Oaths Peace Commissioner Notary Public Full name of certifier (print clearly) Business address Professional registration number (if required) Contact telephone or email I make this certification knowing that it is for a citizenship application. Signature of authorised certifier Official stamp (if applicable) Date (day/month/year) MARY BYRNE 1 Sample Street, Dublin — mary@example.ie 17/09/2026 PEACE COMMISSIONER A B C D E F
Specimen only, simplified from ISD form Citz-011/2026. All details are fictional.
  1. A
    Your details, exactly as on your passport

    Surname, forenames, date of birth, issuing country and passport number, in BLOCK CAPITALS. Add your PPS number if you have one.

  2. B
    All three statements ticked

    The certifier confirms they saw the original, the copy is a true copy of the photo page, and the copy has not been altered.

  3. C
    One role ticked

    The certifier ticks whether they are a solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths, Peace Commissioner or Notary Public.

  4. D
    Certifier’s name, address and contact details

    Printed clearly, so ISD can verify the certification if needed. A professional registration number is only needed where the certifier has one.

  5. E
    The citizenship application box ticked

    The certifier confirms they know the certification is for a citizenship application. This box is easy to miss.

  6. F
    Signature, date and stamp if applicable

    The form must be signed and dated as well as the photocopy. Both need a signature.

Your checklist, from printing to upload

Tick items off as you go, or print this page and bring it with you. Ticks aren’t saved if you leave the page.Tick each box as you complete it.

  1. Before
  2. At the appointment
  3. Uploading

Common mistakes that get applications sent back

ISD warns about each of these in its citizenship guide or on the certification forms.

Sent back
Accepted
Uploading a plain photocopy with no certification
Copy endorsed, signed and dated by an authorised certifier
Uploading the certified copy without the certification form
Both the certified copy and the completed form uploaded
Copy signed but not dated, or form left partly blank
Every field on the copy and form completed
Certifier’s name or role missing
Name printed and role ticked on the form
Certified by a friend, employer or member of An Garda Síochána
Certified by a solicitor, Commissioner for Oaths, Peace Commissioner or Notary Public
Certified by post, email or with a scanned signature
Certified in person, with the original seen by the certifier
Several documents combined into one PDF
One file per document, each under 5MB
Don’t sign or write the certification yourself

Only the certifier writes the endorsement on the copy and completes Section 2 of the form. A copy certified by anyone other than an authorised certifier will be rejected, and submitting an altered document can lead to refusal.

Other documents you may need certified

The same principle applies: bring the original and a colour copy, and the certifier endorses, signs and dates the copy.

Marriage certificate

Has its own certification form (Citz-006/2026). The certifier writes the same wording on the copy and completes the form, including the country and date of marriage and both spouses’ names.

Get the form

Birth certificate

Every applicant uploads a certified copy. If it isn’t in English or Irish, also upload a professional translation and a copy of the original.

Irish spouse’s or partner’s proof of citizenship

For marriage or civil partnership applications: a certified copy of their Irish birth certificate, passport photo page, naturalisation certificate or Foreign Births Register entry.

Documents from EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland

Official certificates from these countries don’t need a legal stamp to prove they’re genuine. If you get a Multilingual Standard Form from the issuing office, you don’t need a translation either.

Get your documents certified, free

As a Peace Commissioner I can certify copies of your passport, birth and marriage certificates and complete the ISD certification forms. There is no charge. Tell me which documents you have and how many copies you need, and I’ll arrange a time.

Request an appointment All forms and checklists
Email
info@nirmalkumarpalanisamy.ie
Phone
+353 89 485 4707
Book online
nirmalkumarpalanisamy.ie/book-an-appointment
Forms
nirmalkumarpalanisamy.ie/downloads
Scan for the forms and checklists

Sources: Immigration Service Delivery Passport Certification Form (Citz-011/2026), Marriage Certificate Certification Form (Citz-006/2026) and How to Become an Irish Citizen Guide. Checked 17 September 2026.

Not legal advice. Examples are simplified specimens with fictional details. Always use the current official forms and follow ISD’s instructions, which take priority over this guide.