Forebear guide
Simple, honest pricing
Citizenship-by-descent research should be priced around clarity, not around promises. Forebear helps you understand which routes are plausible from your family tree, what documents are missing, and where a professional legal review may be worth paying for.
No software can guarantee citizenship approval. Pricing should reflect the work Forebear can actually do: organize the tree, screen routes, flag weak points, and produce a practical next-step plan.
What the first check should include
A useful first check reviews your tree for plausible citizenship-by-descent and restoration routes. It should identify possible countries, the ancestor lines involved, the facts that support the route, and the missing records that prevent a firm conclusion.
- GEDCOM or manual tree review.
- Country and route screening.
- Ancestor-line summary.
- Document gap list.
- Plain-language next steps.
What pricing should not imply
Forebear should not sell a guaranteed passport, guaranteed approval, or legal certainty. Citizenship authorities, consulates, courts, and qualified lawyers make final determinations. A software report can reduce confusion and prioritize research, but it cannot replace official review.
When a paid review is worth it
A paid review makes sense when the tree has enough detail to analyze but enough uncertainty that you need prioritization. It is less useful when you only know a surname, have no dates, or need a lawyer for a complicated restoration or court route.
| Situation | Best next step |
|---|---|
| You have a GEDCOM with names, dates, and places | Run an eligibility screen |
| You know the country but not the naturalisation history | Find naturalisation or non-naturalisation records |
| You have a likely restoration claim | Prepare facts for legal review |
| You only have a family story | Build the tree before paying for claim analysis |
Questions people ask
Does Forebear guarantee citizenship or a passport?
No. Forebear can screen ancestry and organize evidence, but it cannot guarantee approval by a government authority.
Is a paid check useful before ordering records?
Often yes. A first-pass route screen can show which records matter most, helping avoid broad certificate ordering before the strongest route is known.
Is Forebear a law firm?
No. Forebear is a software and research-planning tool. Complex claims should be reviewed by qualified professionals where appropriate.