A colleague has a question about gaining a British passport for his newborn and passport. Parents are both living here in BKK. He was born in the UK so is a British passport holder and his wife was born in Thailand. They lived for some time in the UK where she became a natualised British Citizen and hence holds a British passport as well as her Thai one.

The question is : when they apply to register the baby as a British citizen, they also wish to apply for a British passport for the baby. Therefore is it best for them to apply as both British citizens or as British/Thai or is it only the Father make the application so hence his wife's nationality ( Baby's Mother) is irrelevant ?

From the circumstances you've described, they don't need to register the child as a British citizen, as the baby will have automatically acquired British citizenship simply by having been born. They may, if they choose, register the birth with the embassy, but this is a distinct process from registering as a British citizen. Alternatively, they can just apply for a British passport for their child: in their given situation, it appears that either the mother, or the father, or both, can transmit British citizenship. If the father supports the passport application, he will need his original long birth certificate and the child's Thai birth certificate, which should show him as the father and have been issued within a year of the child's birth. If the mother supports the application, she will need her original naturalisation certificate and the child's Thai birth certificate.

Scouse.

From the circumstances you've described, they don't need to register the child as a British citizen, as the baby will have automatically acquired British citizenship simply by having been born. They may, if they choose, register the birth with the embassy, but this is a distinct process from registering as a British citizen. Alternatively, they can just apply for a British passport for their child: in their given situation, it appears that either the mother, or the father, or both, can transmit British citizenship. If the father supports the passport application, he will need his original long birth certificate and the child's Thai birth certificate, which should show him as the father and have been issued within a year of the child's birth. If the mother supports the application, she will need her original naturalisation certificate and the child's Thai birth certificate.

Scouse.

Many thanks- I shall pass on your advice