My Thai girlfriend is expecting our first child at the end of the year. I'd very much like to get him dual-nationality as soon as possible to make it easier when we eventually want to go back and live in the UK.

I've been searching Google for a step-by-step guide, but it's very confusing and the information is seemingly spread across multiple UK Government Agency websites.

Does anybody have a link to a clear, concise step-by-step guide for the application process?

Cheers.

Try the other forum, "visa's to other countries", you may find more relevant stuff there than in a "Thai" visa forum.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/25-visas-and-migration-to-other-countries/

Assuming you did not get your British citizenship by descent only, your son is British at birth, and you do not need to apply/register him as British. You also do not need to register his birth at the embassy. When he requires a passport, just apply at the embassy - details on their website.

Bardeh, it is indeed a question of what type of British citizenship you have. Start with this page on the website of UKBA, the last section entitled "If you were born outside the United Kingdom on or after 1 January 1983". Note that "you" does not refer to you, the father, but to your son.

You need to get his Thai birth cert translated to English take to uk embassy in Bangkok and apply for a British birth cert and a passport at the same time, plus you need your passport and long birth cert and Thai Id ect, I was married and it was easy but I think it takes a bit longer if only a girlfriend

Great, thanks for all the advice guys. My citizenship isn't by descent, so no problems there. If it's simply a matter of applying for his passport before we want to return to the UK, that's not too complicated. We'll almost certainly be married by the time the little one is born, too.

Don't forget, as you are not marreid to the mother you will not be considered the father as far as Thai law is concerned as long as you don't legitimize your child under Thai law. In essence go to court and ask to be recognised as the father of the child.

See: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/381917-how-to-gain-parental-rights-as-a-father/

Hello Bardeh, just done what you are now doing. My son is now 1 year old and my girlfriend and I are not married. Basically I think the above posts cover it all but in the case of not being married, you have to have a letter of consent from the mother of your child and I also took a copy and her original I.D. card. We all went to the British Embassy on Wireless Rd. and as it turns out it is only yourself that needs to go. I think someone mentioned about YOUR birth certificate, you need the A4 version and it cannot be a copy. As for the babies birth certificate, there are translation companies over the road from the embassy, they charge 300 baht for one page translation from thai to english(although somebody said 200 was normal, try your hagling skills or go to the next company. Like I said, I just did the passport for my lad and I have had it back now, no problems, it took a little over 2 weeks to come back. The whole thing cost me about 4000 baht, not including hotel etc.

Hope everything goes well for you and yours.

Great, thanks for all the advice guys. My citizenship isn't by descent, so no problems there. If it's simply a matter of applying for his passport before we want to return to the UK, that's not too complicated. We'll almost certainly be married by the time the little one is born, too.

Don't forget to get him a Thai passport as well for travel from and to Thailand.

You need to get his Thai birth cert translated to English take to uk embassy in Bangkok and apply for a British birth cert and a passport at the same time, plus you need your passport and long birth cert and Thai Id ect, I was married and it was easy but I think it takes a bit longer if only a girlfriend

It is not necessary to register the birth at the embassy to get the British style birth certificate. In fact, it states on their website that the certificate is not an official replacement for the Thai birth certificate. Many people do not bother getting this document to save on costs, but i would say it is worth getting if you intend to return to the u.k at some point, and money is not a problem.

Another thing you should consider: if your girlfriend gives birth in Thailand - i am guessing that is the case - your grandchildren will not get British citizenship automatically. If giving birth in the U.K is an option, then you should do that.