Babies Born In Thailand

[Another stranger]

Can anyone point me to any sites or threads about having babies here. I am British and would like to register the baby when it is born at the British Embassy but I find their site very unclear ie do I really need my Birth certificate and my wife needs a Thai Passport? If anyone has been through this and can advise I would appreciate it.

[billd766]

I registered our son last year and I have pasted the regulations from the British Embassy.

You need your FULL birth certificate, marriage certificate, your passport and your wifes passport (though if she does not have one her ID card is OK).

You also need an official translation of your childs Thai birth certificate and BE VERY SURE to check it for any errors before you go to the embassy as possibly the childs name will be incorrectly spelled and then you will have a big problem getting that changed.

Please note that the childs passport application photos must be signed by a lawyer, doctor etc just the same as your own does. I had a problem here in Thailand trying to find someone of that stature who has known me long enough.

It takes about a week.

I went to the embassy to get the form and ask exactly what was required before I gave in any paperwork at all. They keep all the documnets except the passport / ID cards.

I wish you the best of luck and if I were you I would ask for an extra copy of the birth certificate, just in case.

I have all my documents like that laminated so that they stay clean and are unlikely to get damaged.

CONSULAR BIRTH REGISTRATION

*** Birth outside of Thailand will need to be forwarded to the relevant Post for registering. ***

Birth registration is not compulsory, but we recommend it. The advantages are that

(1) A British style birth certificate is available as proof of identity and proof of nationality.

(2) A record of the birth will afterwards be held at the General Register Office in the United Kingdom. In the future, copies can be obtained from the General Register Office (www.gro.gov.uk)

The fee for registration plus one certified copy of the entry is Baht 9,488 additional copies of the entry can be obtained at a cost of Baht 2,625 per certificate.

Before processing an application to register a child’s birth, we need to see evidence of the child’s nationality status. Original documents are required (all documents will be returned to you when the application has been processed, parents passports will be returned on the day of application). We require certified translations (ie official translations from a translation bureau) of any document(s) not in English. We need to see:

Photocopies are not accepted in any circumstances.

• Child’s official birth certificate, issued by the Thai Authority. We will follow the names as they appear on the local document.

• Documentary evidence of father and/or mother’s nationality status: UK full-length birth certificate*, naturalisation or registration certificate

• Parents’ marriage certificate

• Evidence that any previous marriages of the parents have been dissolved ie divorce or death certificate as appropriate

• Both parents’ passports

• Child’s Thai passport (if applicable)

* We require the long form birth certificate of the parent transmitting nationality (ie with both parents’ names on it). If you do not already have your long form birth certificate, you may obtain it from the General Register Office (www.gro.gov.uk).

If you wish to apply to register your child’s birth, please complete the enclosed application form and return to Consular Section, with payment and documentation as specified above.

Please contact our Visa Section separately, regarding the Right of abode entry clearance.

CHILD’S PASSPORT APPLICATION

You may wish to apply for a first passport for your child at the same time as you apply to register their birth. Please note that children can no longer be added to their parents’ passports; they must have separate passports. The fee for a child’s passport (valid for five years) is Baht 2,738.

Please complete a C2 Passport Application Form in full and return it to us with payment and evidence of the child’s British nationality ie either a British birth certificate or full documentation as for a birth certificate (as above). We require two recent, identical photographs (35mm by 45mm), one of which must be countersigned on the back. (This is explained in detail in Note 5 of the “Notes for Form C2”.)

Birth registration/passport applications may be made in person or by post (straight forward applications only). Consular Section is open to the public Monday to Thursday 08.00 – 11.00 and 13.00 – 15.30 and Friday 08.00 – 12.00. It takes us five working days to process an application. (P.T.O.)

We accept payment in the form of cash, Thai Bank cheque (made payable to the British Embassy) or postal orders (to be cashed at Nana Post Office, Bangkok 10110). Applications made from Laos may pay by bank draft drawn at a Thai bank.

If you wish us to return the documents to you by post, please include an extra Baht 40 to cover the cost of Express Mail Service (EMS) postage. Applications made from Laos should include an extra Baht 310 for EMS postage or Baht 744 for DHL courier. Alternatively, they may arrange a pre-paid DHL return courier.

NOTES ON BRITISH NATIONALITY

You will be able to transmit your British nationality to your child born overseas if you acquired your British nationality “otherwise than by descent”. If you were born in the UK, naturalised in the UK or (in some, but not all cases) registered in the UK, you acquired your British nationality otherwise than by descent. If you are not sure, please ask us for further advice.

If you were born overseas to a British parent, you acquired your British nationality “by descent” (unless your father was in Crown Service at the time of your birth). Your child born overseas will not automatically have a claim to British nationality but it may be possible to register him or her as a British Citizen at the Home Office (www.uknationality.gov.uk) or ask us for form MN1. If your intentions are to settle in the UK you will be advised to apply in the UK.

British fathers cannot transmit their nationality to illegitimate children automatically (see below). If the parents marry after the child’s birth, it is possible that the child’s birth will be “legitimated” by its parents’ marriage. In order for us to establish whether or not legitimation has taken place, we require both parents to sign paternity declarations in person at the Embassy (the fee for which is Baht 5,000) and the father to complete a “domicile questionnaire”. Please ask for the paternity declaration forms and the domicile questionnaire.

An appointment is necessary for the domicile questionnaire. All declarations and documents should be submitted at least 24 hours prior to the appointment date.

The purpose of this is to establish whether the father has retained a domicile in the UK (this basically means close connections) and can therefore benefit from the provisions of British nationality law. The completed domicile and documentation will be sent to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. Those applying should expect to receive a decision in 4-6 weeks.

British mothers, whether married or not, may transmit their nationality to their children.

However, in order to include the father’s name on the birth certificate we require either the parents’ marriage certificate or paternity declarations signed by both parents in person at the British Embassy. The fee for the paternity declarations is Baht 5,000. Please ask for the paternity declaration forms. Please note declarations are a 24 hour service.

British Fathers, who are not married, can now apply to register children who are born abroad, with the Home Office. It must be noted this is discretionary. All applications must be received within the childs first year of age. Those applying should expect to receive a decision in 6 months. The fee for this will be £144 plus Consular forwarding fee Baht 2,625. Please ask us for form MN1 (www.uknationality.gov.uk). The fee is not refundable.

For further information please contact the Passport Officer (Ext. 2278).

Consular Section Tel. 0-2305-8333 ext. 2334, 2318, 2273

1031 Wireless Road Fax 0-2255-6051

Bangkok 10330 E-mail: [email protected]

[Another stranger]

Thank you for your reply and useful information. I do not have any idea where my birth certificate is. Is it possible to order a new one from the Embassy and pay money there as I do not have a credit card to order one from England. Also is it essential to register the baby at the Embassy as soon as it is born or can it wait for a few years until I visit England to sort out the Birth Certificate?

[vinny]

Is it possible to order a new one from the Embassy and pay money there as I do not have a credit card to order one from England.

Answer from General Register Office:

Please enclose the appropriate fee in the form of a cheque or postal order made out to ONS (Office for Nayional Statistics). Payments from abroad should be by an international money order, cheque or draft (payable in London) made out to ONS and expressed in pounds sterling, quoting a UK clearing bank. Please do not send cash by post.

For details of our priority service, see Delivery.

Also is it essential to register the baby at the Embassy as soon as it is born or can it wait for a few years until I visit England to sort out the Birth Certificate?

Assuming that the baby is already automatically a UK citizen, i.e. you, the father, did not acquire your British nationality "by descent", answer from Consular Birth Registration:

Birth registration is not compulsory, but we recommend it.

However, the following (to register your child as a British Citizen at the Home Office) generally has a time limit of one year:

If you were born overseas to a British parent, you acquired your British nationality "by descent" (unless your father was in Crown Service at the time of your birth). Your child born overseas will not automatically have a claim to British nationality but it may be possible to register him or her as a British Citizen at the Home Office or ask us for form MN1. If your intentions are to settle in the UK you will be advised to apply in the UK.

Edited February 9, 2006 by vinny