Passport For My Kiddywinky

[toddy]

First of all some good news! My wife has had a baby boy in my absence - 'Alfie' (because my wife thinks Alfie Moon from Eastenders is the perfect geezer)!

I return to LOS within the next two weeks and obviously want to sort a UK passport for him. Is this an automatic right? If so does anyone know the process?

All for now and I'm chuffed to bits - my first kid (although have two crackin' step-daughters who have been conditioned to thinking choppers are cool and Jimi Hendrix is a beautiful man)! - Got to bring 'em up right no?

Cheers in advance.

[the scouser]

Hi Toddy,

I'm working on the assumption that you were born in the UK before 1.1.83.

If this is the case, and you are married to the mother, which I presume you are because you describe her as your wife, then, yes, your son will be automatically entitled to British citizenship, although any children which he fathers in due course would not be British if born outside of the UK. The embassy has a good link which details the requirements and procedures. Here it is.

Cheers,

Scouse.

[The_Moog]

Congratulations on the stork arriving...

Make sure you have someone in mind to counter-sign the photos.

I live here and i'm darned if I can think of anyone reputable I know locally !

Anyone here a MP or Minister of Religion ?!

[grahamb]

Congratulations as well Toddy

Make sure you have someone in mind to counter-sign the photos.

I live here and i'm darned if I can think of anyone reputable I know locally !

Anyone here a MP or Minister of Religion ?!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I finally managed to get our child's passport from the UK embassy (didn't take long, I was just busy and didn't fancy the bureaucracy; sorry for not calling Moog, I had to go there on the way to meetings so we'll have to meet up another time).

We got our child's photos countersigned by his paediatrician. If you don't know a UK citizen who has the qualifications, you can use a Thai citizen. (Didn't Thaksin say something about being willing to help expats? )

The only thing I noticed as I was handing in the form is that the person is supposed to have know the parents for 2 years. That is difficult for us to achieve as we've only been in Thailand for 1 year! The paediatrician put down that she had only known him for 1 month but the embassy didn't seem too bothered by that. I don't think they checked with the paediatrician (though no doubt they reserve the right to.)

The Irish consulate on the other hand don't mind how long we have known the reputable person but they do double check with them.

When I get time, I'll post a thread about the paperwork we've gone through for others in a similar situation.

[dereklev]

Congratulations on the stork arriving...

Make sure you have someone in mind to counter-sign the photos.

I live here and i'm darned if I can think of anyone reputable I know locally !

Anyone here a MP or Minister of Religion ?!

The British Embassy were sympathetic to this point and told me that a nurse or bank clerk (both Thai) both of whom I had known for just over 2 years would be fine.

The most important thing is you must be on the child's Thai birth certificate and must have a notarised english transalation of this.

Other documents you need are your full birth certificate, your marriage certificate, divorce certificate (from previous marriage) if applicable, both your and your wife's passport and the child's Thai passport if they have one..

Congrats Toddy, I too have a new son nearly 6 months old now, it's great!!

[350torana]

Hi Toddy,

I'm working on the assumption that you were born in the UK before 1.1.83.

If this is the case, and you are married to the mother, which I presume you are because you describe her as your wife, then, yes, your son will be automatically entitled to British citizenship, although any children which he fathers in due course would not be British if born outside of the UK. The embassy has a good link which details the requirements and procedures. Here it is.

Cheers,

Scouse.

Just curious Scouse, what happens if you were born after 1.1. 84 . Some new law come into practice ? God, it seems scary that children born in 84 would be 20 ....pushing 21

[the scouser]

Hi 350t,

You'll be sorry you asked.............

On 1.1.83 the British Nationality Act 1981 came in to force. This legislation altered how someone qualifies to be a British citizen. Beforehand, anyone born in the UK was automatically Britsh but this act provided that birth, in itself, was not enough and that at least one of the parents has to be "settled"; i.e. be a British citizen themselves or be a foreign national possessing permission to stay in the UK indefinitely.

Therefore, when in 2005, someone is wondering whether their child born in Thailand is a Brit. cit., the year of their own birth can be a determining factor.

Fallen asleep yet?

Scouse.

[Thaicoon]

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S Toddy.

[dereklev]

Hi Toddy,

I'm working on the assumption that you were born in the UK before 1.1.83.

If this is the case, and you are married to the mother, which I presume you are because you describe her as your wife, then, yes, your son will be automatically entitled to British citizenship, although any children which he fathers in due course would not be British if born outside of the UK. The embassy has a good link which details the requirements and procedures. Here it is.

Cheers,

Scouse.

Hi Scouse

Again congrats on the most amazing performance by the 'Pool.

You helped with advice on registering my sons birth etc last December and all went very smoothly.

From your post above am I right in assuming that any children he has will have to be born in the UK to be British?

If he marries a Thai which as he will be raised and educated here is very probable he will have to apply for a visa for his then wife to go to the UK to have the baby, is that correct.

I know that that is 20 years in the future and things change but as of today do the British embassy issue visas under such circumstances??

Thanks in advance.

[the scouser]

Yes, all of your assumptions are correct. As things stand, your future daughter-in-law would have to satisfy the requirements of the immigration rules for whichever capacity in which she sought a visa. However, I wouldn't go telling a visa officer that the intention in going to the UK was for the purpose of ensuring the child was British.

Cheers,

Scouse.