Do you need mothers signature on form to get uk passport for thai kids

[2008bangkok]

Since me and my wife split the mrs has become very spiteful, i want to get the 2 kids we have together when married a UK passport, does anybody know if you need to wifes signature/ birth certificate in order to get one as im sure she wont do it or will try to charge me loads of money.

[ubonjoe]

Unless you have full parental rights I think she will need to sign the application.

Check the guidance notes you can open here: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y/thailand/applying/child/united-kingdom

When I went through the steps to get to that page I assumed you were born in the UK. If not you will have to go back and change that.

[2008bangkok]

Unless you have full parental rights I think she will need to sign the application.

Check the guidance notes you can open here: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y/thailand/applying/child/united-kingdom

When I went through the steps to get to that page I assumed you were born in the UK. If not you will have to go back and change that.

Thanks man, appreciate that, yes im born in UK with both parents born UK also

[digitalchromakey]

Unless you have full parental rights I think she will need to sign the application.

Check the guidance notes you can open here: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y/thailand/applying/child/united-kingdom

When I went through the steps to get to that page I assumed you were born in the UK. If not you will have to go back and change that.

Disagree, wife's signature is not required:

British Passport Application Notes - Parental responsibility

A child under 16 must have permission from a person with parental responsibility. If a child’s parents are married, either parent can give permission if they were:

• married at the time of the child’s birth (or, for those living in Scotland, when the mother became pregnant), or

• married at any time after the child’s birth.

However if your children are not resident with you, then you may be asked to prove that you have custody.

If there is an ongoing custody case or a dispute about parental responsibility of the child,

we may refuse to deal with the application if someone with parental responsibility has made an objection to the child having the passport. If the child is the subject of an ongoing custody case, we are unlikely to issue a passport without the express permission of both parents or on the direction of a UK court, or equivalent court order outside the UK. If we have already issued a passport to a child after an application has been made by one parent, the other parent or anyone else with parental responsibility cannot apply for a separate passport for that child – consent of the parent who originally applied must be provided before a replacement passport application can be considered.

I applied for first British Passports for both my kids in 2014 and my Thai wife did not have to sign either application form.

If you do manage to get UK passports, then I would however be most surprised if you were able to take your kids out of Thailand without their mother's permission.

[nontabury]

I recently applied for replacement British passports for my two children.When the documentation reached the Liverpool passport office, the applications were separated and passed to two separate officials. One official immediately issued the replacement, no problem. While the other official required extra paperwork, including a consent form from my wife in addition to her signature being already on the application form, they also required a copy of her identity card with her signature.

[digitalchromakey]

I recently applied for replacement British passports for my two children.When the documentation reached the Liverpool passport office, the applications were separated and passed to two separate officials. One official immediately issued the replacement, no problem. While the other official required extra paperwork, including a consent form from my wife in addition to her signature being already on the application form, they also required a copy of her identity card with her signature.

Interesting, what are the dates of birth of your kids and were you married at the time of their births?

[nontabury]

I recently applied for replacement British passports for my two children.When the documentation reached the Liverpool passport office, the applications were separated and passed to two separate officials. One official immediately issued the replacement, no problem. While the other official required extra paperwork, including a consent form from my wife in addition to her signature being already on the application form, they also required a copy of her identity card with her signature.

Interesting, what are the dates of birth of your kids and were you married at the time of their births?

Both of them under 10.my name on their birth certificates. Not married, but both registered at the Thai courts that I am their father.

Interestingly,we have travelled out of Thailand as a family, The two children's surname on their Thai passport,is the same as mine,while their mothers Thai passport was in her Thai name. We thought we would be stopped and asked for a letter from their mother giving permission to leave the country,but no,I suppose they just correctly assumed that she was their mother.

[digitalchromakey]

I recently applied for replacement British passports for my two children.When the documentation reached the Liverpool passport office, the applications were separated and passed to two separate officials. One official immediately issued the replacement, no problem. While the other official required extra paperwork, including a consent form from my wife in addition to her signature being already on the application form, they also required a copy of her identity card with her signature.

Interesting, what are the dates of birth of your kids and were you married at the time of their births?

Both of them under 10.my name on their birth certificates. Not married, but both registered at the Thai courts that I am their father.

Interestingly, we have travelled out of Thailand as a family, The two children's surname on their Thai passport is the same as mine, while their mothers Thai passport was in her Thai name. We thought we would be stopped and asked for a letter from their mother giving permission to leave the country, but no, I suppose they just correctly assumed that she was their mother.

Ok, thanks - was the problem with your oldest, who was perhaps born overseas before 1st July 2006?

Since you were not and are not married to that child's Thai mother, there is no automatic right to British Citizenship for such a child.

If that was in fact the case, then I am pleased that you got it sorted and that your older child now has a British Passport, as it's not automatic for kids born before overseas before the 1st July 2006 with only one British Father 'not by descent'.

British Citizenship can be obtained in such cases, but is necessary to obtain extra papers to establish the nationality and country of birth for the mother, since British citizenship is not possible for children born out of wedlock to British Fathers and mothers of certain nationalities resident in particular countries prior to 1/7/2006.

It's an issue to do with whether illegitimacy is legally recognised in a particular country, reciprocity and international law plus it's super complicated.

UK GOV Website:

If you were born before 1 July 2006 and your parents weren’t married when you were born (and haven’t married since), you can’t get British citizenship through your father.

[nontabury]

I recently applied for replacement British passports for my two children.When the documentation reached the Liverpool passport office, the applications were separated and passed to two separate officials. One official immediately issued the replacement, no problem. While the other official required extra paperwork, including a consent form from my wife in addition to her signature being already on the application form, they also required a copy of her identity card with her signature.

Interesting, what are the dates of birth of your kids and were you married at the time of their births?

Both of them under 10.my name on their birth certificates. Not married, but both registered at the Thai courts that I am their father.

Interestingly, we have travelled out of Thailand as a family, The two children's surname on their Thai passport is the same as mine, while their mothers Thai passport was in her Thai name. We thought we would be stopped and asked for a letter from their mother giving permission to leave the country, but no, I suppose they just correctly assumed that she was their mother.

Ok, thanks - was the problem with your oldest, who was perhaps born overseas before 1st July 2006?

Since you were not and are not married to that child's Thai mother, there is no automatic right to British Citizenship for such a child.

If that was in fact the case, then I am pleased that you got it sorted and that your older child now has a British Passport, as it's not automatic for kids born before overseas before the 1st July 2006 with only one British Father 'not by descent'.

British Citizenship can be obtained in such cases, but is necessary to obtain extra papers to establish the nationality and country of birth for the mother, since British citizenship is not possible for children born out of wedlock to British Fathers and mothers of certain nationalities resident in particular countries prior to 1/7/2006.

It's an issue to do with whether illegitimacy is legally recognised in a particular country, reciprocity and international law plus it's super complicated.

UK GOV Website:

If you were born before 1 July 2006 and your parents weren’t married when you were born (and haven’t married since), you can’t get British citizenship through your father.

They were both born after that date. Also these passport were to replace their expired passports.

At the end of the day I put it down to Which civil servant deals with your application.

[digitalchromakey]

Both of them under 10.my name on their birth certificates. Not married, but both registered at the Thai courts that I am their father.

Interestingly, we have travelled out of Thailand as a family, The two children's surname on their Thai passport is the same as mine, while their mothers Thai passport was in her Thai name. We thought we would be stopped and asked for a letter from their mother giving permission to leave the country, but no, I suppose they just correctly assumed that she was their mother.

Ok, thanks - was the problem with your oldest, who was perhaps born overseas before 1st July 2006?

Since you were not and are not married to that child's Thai mother, there is no automatic right to British Citizenship for such a child.

If that was in fact the case, then I am pleased that you got it sorted and that your older child now has a British Passport, as it's not automatic for kids born before overseas before the 1st July 2006 with only one British Father 'not by descent'.

British Citizenship can be obtained in such cases, but is necessary to obtain extra papers to establish the nationality and country of birth for the mother, since British citizenship is not possible for children born out of wedlock to British Fathers and mothers of certain nationalities resident in particular countries prior to 1/7/2006.

It's an issue to do with whether illegitimacy is legally recognised in a particular country, reciprocity and international law plus it's super complicated.

UK GOV Website:

If you were born before 1 July 2006 and your parents weren’t married when you were born (and haven’t married since), you can’t get British citizenship through your father.

They were both born after that date. Also these passport were to replace their expired passports.

At the end of the day I put it down to Which civil servant deals with your application.

Thanks - appreciate your update.

Yes, it looks like you got a different interpretation of policy from different HMPO examiners.

As you are not married to the mother of your kids, then HMPO can ask for the child's mother's permission/details, etc.

In summary, passport applications for a British Father on behalf of their kids who have a Thai Mother are definitely more straight forward if you are married.

Your point re needing the mother's details/signature is certainly significant in the case of a passport application for a child when one is not married to the Thai Mother.

[ChiangmaiRob]

Unless you have full parental rights I think she will need to sign the application.

Check the guidance notes you can open here: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y/thailand/applying/child/united-kingdom

When I went through the steps to get to that page I assumed you were born in the UK. If not you will have to go back and change that.

Thanks man, appreciate that, yes im born in UK with both parents born UK also

I just got my 2 kids British passports, and although you don't need the mothers signature, you do need her birth certificate and certified translation plus her proof of residence and certified translation as well as the kids birth certificates and certified translations.

Even though they are submitted together, they are actually processed individually in HMPO Liverpool, and I did get an email from HMPO requesting a letter of permission from my sons mother for him to be issued a British passport but my daughters application went through no problem with no such request. I got a call from VFS Bangkok 12 days after I applied, that my daughters passport was ready for collection and only today I got a call from VFS that my sons passport is now ready for collection, a mere 14 days after I applied for them ... HMPO have really got their act together from 12 - 18 months ago ... great job HMPO and of course VFS Bangkok.

Best of luck with your applications but you will need your wife's input for you to get your kids British passports.

p.s. I am not married to my kids mother but the whole process was easier and faster than I had expected. I even got away with scanning the signed permission letter and emailing it to the relevant people at HMPO.

Edited July 24, 2015 by ChiangmaiRob

[Barnet]

So, I'm attempting to do this for my 7 month old son next month. I have my birth certificate, my son's plus the translation. I understand we don't need to show the marriage cert if he's under a certain age. Both mine and my wife's passports plus the UK citizen who will testify to my son's likeness. 2 passport sized photos both signed by the afore mentionned.

I will get my wife's BC translated also but I haven't been advised about her proof of residence plus translation. Is that a certainty? We have our housing contract.

Thanks

[MaeJoMTB]

Unless you have full parental rights I think she will need to sign the application.

Check the guidance notes you can open here: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y/thailand/applying/child/united-kingdom

When I went through the steps to get to that page I assumed you were born in the UK. If not you will have to go back and change that.

Disagree, wife's signature is not required:

More importantly, the British government don't know what her signature looks like.

[digitalchromakey]

So, I'm attempting to do this for my 7 month old son next month. I have my birth certificate, my son's plus the translation. I understand we don't need to show the marriage cert if he's under a certain age. Both mine and my wife's passports plus the UK citizen who will testify to my son's likeness. 2 passport sized photos both signed by the afore mentionned.

I will get my wife's BC translated also but I haven't been advised about her proof of residence plus translation. Is that a certainty? We have our housing contract.

Thanks

You are correct in that the HMPO Group 2 Guidance notes state:

Born on or after 1 January 1983

For both of your parents, please provide evidence under either 1 or 2. We need to see:

1.full birth certificates

or certificates of registration or naturalisation; and

their marriage certificate (this does not apply for those born or adopted on or after 1 July 2006 or same-sex adoptions).

However, if you don't it could confuse the issue since the main HMPO guidance notes state:

British Passport Application Notes - Parental responsibility

A child under 16 must have permission from a person with parental responsibility. If a child’s parents are married, either parent can give permission if they were:

• married at the time of the child’s birth (or, for those living in Scotland, when the mother became pregnant), or

• married at any time after the child’s birth.

So, if you have a marriage certificate, it would probably be better to provide it, along with a translation if necessary, else provide both parents' signatures on the application form..

[eaglesflight]

I recently applied for replacement British passports for my two children.When the documentation reached the Liverpool passport office, the applications were separated and passed to two separate officials. One official immediately issued the replacement, no problem. While the other official required extra paperwork, including a consent form from my wife in addition to her signature being already on the application form, they also required a copy of her identity card with her signature.

Interesting, what are the dates of birth of your kids and were you married at the time of their births?

Both of them under 10.my name on their birth certificates. Not married, but both registered at the Thai courts that I am their father.

Interestingly, we have travelled out of Thailand as a family, The two children's surname on their Thai passport is the same as mine, while their mothers Thai passport was in her Thai name. We thought we would be stopped and asked for a letter from their mother giving permission to leave the country, but no, I suppose they just correctly assumed that she was their mother.

Ok, thanks - was the problem with your oldest, who was perhaps born overseas before 1st July 2006?

Since you were not and are not married to that child's Thai mother, there is no automatic right to British Citizenship for such a child.

If that was in fact the case, then I am pleased that you got it sorted and that your older child now has a British Passport, as it's not automatic for kids born before overseas before the 1st July 2006 with only one British Father 'not by descent'.

British Citizenship can be obtained in such cases, but is necessary to obtain extra papers to establish the nationality and country of birth for the mother, since British citizenship is not possible for children born out of wedlock to British Fathers and mothers of certain nationalities resident in particular countries prior to 1/7/2006.

It's an issue to do with whether illegitimacy is legally recognised in a particular country, reciprocity and international law plus it's super complicated.

UK GOV Website:

If you were born before 1 July 2006 and your parents werent married when you were born (and havent married since), you cant get British citizenship through your father.

This law was amended in April I believe. Children born before July 2006 now have the same rights as those born after.

[digitalchromakey]

Ok, thanks - was the problem with your oldest, who was perhaps born overseas before 1st July 2006?

Since you were not and are not married to that child's Thai mother, there is no automatic right to British Citizenship for such a child.

If that was in fact the case, then I am pleased that you got it sorted and that your older child now has a British Passport, as it's not automatic for kids born before overseas before the 1st July 2006 with only one British Father 'not by descent'.

British Citizenship can be obtained in such cases, but is necessary to obtain extra papers to establish the nationality and country of birth for the mother, since British citizenship is not possible for children born out of wedlock to British Fathers and mothers of certain nationalities resident in particular countries prior to 1/7/2006.

It's an issue to do with whether illegitimacy is legally recognised in a particular country, reciprocity and international law plus it's super complicated.

UK GOV Website:

If you were born before 1 July 2006 and your parents werent married when you were born (and havent married since), you cant get British citizenship through your father.

This law was amended in April I believe. Children born before July 2006 now have the same rights as those born after.

Could you please provide a link to information regarding this change (Hansard or HMPO guidance notes)?

The HMPO website still indicates non marriage of parents (one non British) of a child born before 1/7/2006 as a potential barrier to citizenship for said child.

Follow this link:

https://www.gov.uk/check-british-citizen/y/on-or-after-1-january-1983/no/yes

[eaglesflight]

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/418010/Section_65_of_the_Immigration_Act_2014_-_web_page_-_update_March_2015.pdf

[Richard W]

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/418010/Section_65_of_the_Immigration_Act_2014_-_web_page_-_update_March_2015.pdf

Those born before 1st July 2006 aren't automatically British; they have to register (or be registered) as British.

[digitalchromakey]

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/418010/Section_65_of_the_Immigration_Act_2014_-_web_page_-_update_March_2015.pdf

Thanks for the link, much appreciated..

As regards first UK passport applications, there is still no automatic citizenship for a child born before 1/7/2006 with a British Father if the parents have never married.

Now Section 65 of the 2014 Immigration Act, which you linked to, provides a clear process to allow registration of citizenship, which then can facilitate a UK passport issue for such children.

As regards your earlier post, said children do not now have the same rights, but with registration they can obtain a UK Passport and become UK Citizens by Decent..

[eaglesflight]

Yes, maybe not exactly the same rights but effectively the same.

It certainly contradicts what you posted from the government website earlier, i.e.this:

If you were born before 1 July 2006 and your parents werent married when you were born (and havent married since), you cant get British citizenship through your father.

[Jay2013]

I recently obtained my sons passport who was born in june 2013.

At the time of the application me and my now wife wasnt married. She didnt sign the form but i did get an email from the hmpo asking me to get a letter written from my sons mother stating she gives consent for my son to be issued with a uk passport signed etc.