New cert allowances at GRO

Waitsian

http://www.cigo.ie/news.html

I saw this posted on Facebook and thought I'd share it. Nowhere near good enough quite frankly, but it's a better situation than was previously the case. Even a small change is better than none I suppose - for now.

The jist - 3 people can use the 20 Euro search fee instead of one, and up to 8 cert photocopies can now be ordered on the day rather than 5 by each person. I presume that then means 3 family members can attend and get 24 certs in one day? That's my reading of it anyway.

pedroeibar1

mod9maple wrote: »

http://www.cigo.ie/news.html

I saw this posted on Facebook and thought I'd share it. Nowhere near good enough quite frankly, but it's a better situation than was previously the case. Even a small change is better than none I suppose - for now.

The jist - 3 people can use the 20 Euro search fee instead of one, and up to 8 cert photocopies can now be ordered on the day rather than 5 by each person. I presume that then means 3 family members can attend and get 24 certs in one day? That's my reading of it anyway.

The five certs rule is still in force. I was in City Centre today and had a bit of time so I went in. Interesting place, very mixed bunch of customers/researchers, ranging from ‘experts’ to drop-in Yanks with no idea. I can understand why the staff just point people at the books and say ‘We do not do research’ but customer friendly for newbies it is not.

Watching what was going on I was hit by a strong feeling of the Ryanair customer care model – qualified busy staff who provide a set service but sod off if you want anything more. I needed six certs, got my five and the other will be mailed out to me – a bit like the rigid ‘Your carry-on is 500 grams over the 10kgs allowed so you will have to go and pay and then check it in.’

pinkypinky

Yes, we were talking about this on the board there last week when Claire Santry posted up the news.

I'm really surprised to hear that the 5 certs are still in force. I've been telling my class there are new arrangements!

pedroeibar1

pinkypinky wrote: »

I'm really surprised to hear that the 5 certs are still in force. I've been telling my class there are new arrangements!

I did not query it when in there - I had a memory of reading of the change here but was not sure if the change was 'in' or coming in. The 'five certs' rule remains on all the notices posted around the room and they give you an envelope to self address for the post. Implementation of the change probably would need Croke Park to be rewritten? Anyway, I got the cert I really wanted, so I left content:).

pinkypinky

Chatting to people earlier, apparently the increased cert allowance is linked to paying the €20 search fee. Sounds like their penalising for already having the references from familysearch.

Waitsian

pinkypinky wrote: »

Chatting to people earlier, apparently the increased cert allowance is linked to paying the €20 search fee. Sounds like their penalising for already having the references from familysearch.

Excuse my ignorance, but that therefore means....? If you walk in, fill in the slips without paying the fee for searching the index books (E20) you're limited to 5 on the day. If you pay the fee, you get a max of 8? Is that it?

Oh also, can I ask - is there a limit on the amount you can ask to have posted? If I walked in and asked for 5 there and then and, let's say 20, to be posted, and paid for them, would they accommodate me?

pinkypinky

Yes on both counts but I have not been in yet myself to confirm this.

Max of 8 but if you've brought 2 others with you to share the €20 search fee, then you can get up to 8 each.

MotteDai

Not exactly on topic here but I'm sure you can answer, what is the best way to get what you need? I have never been in there but it sounds like they don't help, so what's best to do before I drop in? I take it the micro film details I'm finding on sites is best? Am I right?

RGM

MotteDai wrote: »

Not exactly on topic here but I'm sure you can answer, what is the best way to get what you need? I have never been in there but it sounds like they don't help, so what's best to do before I drop in? I take it the micro film details I'm finding on sites is best? Am I right?

I was in once this summer and it seemed fairly straightforward if you know what you're looking for. If you have all the reference info from online indexes, I think you should be able to just fill out the forms and hand them over. If you only have the dates, you'll need to pull the appropriate index book(s) and find the entries, copy the info, and then hand them over. Note that the certs are sorted by registration date rather than actual date of the event, and the cert may have been filed some months after.

If you don't have the dates, you can search the indexes for possibilities, though I'd think it would be easier to do that online.

I went in with dates and found it to be a painless process. I should also mention, given previous comments, that the lady behind the counter during my visit was efficient, but very polite, and when I asked if she could make out the townland on the cert I had just bought, she not only gave it a go, she pulled out a book of names and had a look for possible matches.

shanew

MotteDai wrote: »

Not exactly on topic here but I'm sure you can answer, what is the best way to get what you need? I have never been in there but it sounds like they don't help, so what's best to do before I drop in? I take it the micro film details I'm finding on sites is best? Am I right?

The same details which are available in the Index books in the GRO research rooms are on the FamilySearch website up to 1958 - much easier (and cheaper) to search the online version, and order the research certs by post. Cost per cert is the same.



Shane

Jellybaby1

On my first visit to the GRO I was almost shaking with fear. Perhaps I'd read a bad report about the treatment I might get, or how a visitor had found it all too confusing. Anyway, I found the staff helpful enough, and it was all straightforward as I had my information from Familysearch and as I gained confidence I did a bit more searching having first handed over my few euros. I found all the repositories to be intimidating before I ever went in but was happy after I had been in. Best foot forward, and all that!

dido2

I went up before christmas, and while it's all on line what is missing online is the mothers maiden name on birth certs from about 1904 to about 1929, not sure of the exact years...

Having a surname makes it much easier, but we searched all surnames with the same letter at the start because there were a lot of variations, plus we checked the Irish entries too..

I think it depends on what your going there for, if it's just to get certs with all the info you have then you'd be better off ordering them from the GRO, if your searching for a birth record between the years 1904 to 1929 knowing the mothers maiden name then yes it's worth going.....