Countersignatory - British Passport For Baby

[ear8jp]

Hi,

My baby is due beginning of December and I'm preparing as much of the paperwork beforehand. I am British, finace is Thai. I've been on the British Embassy website and registering a birth seems painless along with the first passport application (which can be done at the same time).

The information seems vauge on who can countersign the baby's photograph. The link goes to a UK directgov website, i.e. assumes the enquiry is within the UK. It says the countersignatory should be a person in good standing, known you for 2 years and be British. For a baby photograph the countersignatory has to have known the parent and declares as such.

I'll be in Thailand for the birth. I do not know any British people in Thailand who could be my countersignatory. So I plan to mail off a photo and the C2 form to have it signed in UK. But then that person cannot truely state on the photo, "I certify this is a true likeness of..." as they would not have met baby. Are they expected to come to Thailand ? Surely for a newborn baby the doctor or midwife would be the ideal countersignatory... but clearly not British.

The telephone line on the embassy is uterly useless too.

Has anybody else applied for a British passport for their baby and if so who did you get to sign the photo ?

Cheers,

JP

[MikeyIdea]

Don't know, someone else will pop in soon with the British info you need.

I want to draw your attention to that if you are not married, then the mother has sole custody and she has the right to deny you to see your child at any time in Thailand. There are a few things that I recommend you to do as a pre-cautionary measure. There's a pinned topic by Mario2008 about it

Good Luck Proud Daddy, this will change your life, in a very positive way of course

[GooEng]

might i suggest acqainting yourself with some brits?

we're a friendly lot and most of us would sign your photos for the price of a pint!

good luck with the newborn - being a dad is the best thing out!

[billd766]

might i suggest acqainting yourself with some brits?

we're a friendly lot and most of us would sign your photos for the price of a pint!

good luck with the newborn - being a dad is the best thing out!

good luck with the newborn - being a dad is the best thing out!

Been there, done that twice.

Agree 100%

[chris5346]

hello,

i had my babies doctor sign the counter sign for her uk passport and where it says how many years known me for we put 0-1 , the doctor was american but i think any nationality is fine, also supplied a card to make it look more genuine.

i applied for passport via the uk embassy here in chiang mai and came back in 3 weeks - the embassy also okayed the photos and took copies of my passport etc so if your sending the application directly to hong kong yourself don't make any mistakes.

are you going to register the birth also ?

[chris5346]

i did mine several weeks after the birth,

if your going to do it at time of birth then it's the photos you need to arrange and get right.

i did all the thai things first and when it came to the uk things no problem - helps having babies birth cert and thai passport when doing the uk paperwork.

any questions please ask,

where are you having the baby and living ?

[ear8jp]

Hi

Thanks for all the advice and well wishes.

We are attending Yanhee International Hospital near Bangkok. They have a birth registration service which will deal with all the local registration formalities and we'll end up with a Thai birth certificate. Once we have this we will register the birth at the British Embassy in Bangkok and also apply for baby's first passport at the same time. The application form for the passport (C2) requires section 8 to be filled out by a countersignatory where they have to declare that they are a British citizen and give their passport number (if have). The person that countersigns the application must also sign the photo; although that is for an adult application. So maybe for a baby they can accept a local non-British doctor as in "Chris5346's" experience. Inserting the contact card is a good idea. I guess the main thing they want to prevent is people creating false identities. Why you can't put babies on parent's passports anymore is beyond me. I'm sure in 12 months time the photo certainly won't be ...'a true likeness of...'.

I'll have another try at the British Embassy phone line.

Thanks again and congrats to all the other daddies out there.

JP

Edited November 21, 2010 by ear8jp

[aniMAL]

Hi

Thanks for all the advice and well wishes.

We are attending Yanhee International Hospital near Bangkok. They have a birth registration service which will deal with all the local registration formalities and we'll end up with a Thai birth certificate. Once we have this we will register the birth at the British Embassy in Bangkok and also apply for baby's first passport at the same time. The application form for the passport (C2) requires section 8 to be filled out by a countersignatory where they have to declare that they are a British citizen and give their passport number (if have). The person that countersigns the application must also sign the photo; although that is for an adult application. So maybe for a baby they can accept a local non-British doctor as in "Chris5346's" experience. Inserting the contact card is a good idea. I guess the main thing they want to prevent is people creating false identities. Why you can't put babies on parent's passports anymore is beyond me. I'm sure in 12 months time the photo certainly won't be ...'a true likeness of...'.

I'll have another try at the British Embassy phone line.

Thanks again and congrats to all the other daddies out there.

JP

It also states on the notes on form C2 that somebody from the country that you are residing can also countersign the form. If they have known you for 2 years, are of good standing ect.

[bkk_mike]

Actually the person needs to have known you for 2 years, and can take your word for it that the picture is of your child.

i.e. I've had someone at the office in Hong Kong, who's never met my daughters, do the countersignature thing. (I've also had it done by teachers at the school, etc.)

So far, I've never had a problem finding someone British that's known ME long enough to sign.