Life events that can qualify
The General Register Office (GRO) keeps the Record of Northern Ireland Connections (RNIC).
Births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships could be connected to Northern Ireland if the person, or one of their parents or grandparents was born in Northern Ireland.
Births
A birth can be recorded in the RNIC if:
- one of the child's parents or grandparents was born in Northern Ireland
- there is an entry in the RNIC about one of the child's parents or grandparents
Deaths
A death can be recorded in the RNIC if:
- the deceased was born in Northern Ireland
- one of the deceased's parents or grandparents was born in Northern Ireland
- there is an entry in the RNIC about one of the deceased's parents or grandparents
- the deceased normally lived in Northern Ireland but died outside Northern Ireland
Marriages
A marriage can be recorded in the RNIC if:
- one of the parties was born in Northern Ireland
- one of the parties had a parent or grandparent who was born in Northern Ireland
- there is an entry in the RNIC relating to a parent or grandparent of one of the parties
- one of the parties normally lived in Northern Ireland but married outside Northern Ireland
Civil partnerships/overseas relationships
A civil partnership or overseas relationship can be recorded in the RNIC if:
- one of the partners was born in Northern Ireland
- one of the partners has a parent or grandparent born in Northern Ireland
- there is an entry in the RNIC about a parent or grandparent of one of the partners
- one of the partners normally lived in Northern Ireland but formed a civil partnership or overseas relationship outside Northern Ireland
Apply to record an event in the RNIC
Before you can apply to record a life event, the event must be already registered by civil registration authorities outside Northern Ireland. The life event can occur in England, Scotland, Wales, the Republic of Ireland or abroad.
To record an event, you will need:
- an original or certified copy of the certificate registering the event
- a translation in English (if applicable) of the information in the certificate
You need to use an application form and pay a fee to GRO to record an entry.
Apply for a copy of a RNIC record
There is an index of events in the RNIC. You can search the indexes and apply for a copy of an entry.
You need to use an application form and pay a fee to GRO for a copy of an entry.
RNIC fees
| Record of Northern Ireland Connections | Price |
|---|---|
| Apply to record an event | £40.00 |
| Additional copy of an event if applied for at time of entry | £8.00 |
| Copy of an entry at any other time | £15.00 |
| Search the index | £7.00 |