Passport for half Thai, half British baby

[AprilBKK]

Hi,

I need some advice. My daughter is 3 months old. She was born in Thailand. I'm British and my husband is Thai. We hold a Thai marriage certificate. I would like to take my daughter to the UK to visit family, but i am not sure which route would be easier, quicker or cheaper. My questions are:-

1) If i get my daughter a Thai passport, which i understand is quite straight forward as she was born here, do i need a visa for her to visit England (i assume i do, even though i, as her mother, am British and hold a UK passport. I know at one time babies could travel on their mothers passport)? Has anyone recently applied for a visa for a baby and how much was it?

2) Do i need to register my daughter with the UK home office before applying for a UK passport or can i skip that step, as its not necessary to get a passport for her?

3) Has anyone recently applied for a UK passport for their half Thai/British baby? What documents were required, how long did it take, how much did it cost and was it quite straight forward?

I know i can look on the UK government website for information, which i have, but i would like some opinions from people who have already done this for their babies/children recently.

Thanks in advance for any advice given.

[brewsterbudgen]

If she's entitled to UK citizenship she can't get a visa for the UK, so you'll have to get her a UK passport. My son's took about 2 weeks to be issued and it's quite straightforward. There is no need to register her birth with the UK. There are threads here and the website lays out what is required.

Edited February 15, 2016 by brewsterbudgen

[stoneyboy]

Yes she will need a visa if travelling on a Thai passport.

You don't need to register the birth with them first.

You will need her Thai birth certificate translated to English,your British birth certificate long version with both your parents details on.

Copies of all pages of your passport,Thai husbands ID card and house book,Thai husbands passport all pages copied.

Cost was £73 odd pounds including postage.

Up to 6 weeks,often 2/3/4 though.

If I've forgotten anything I'm sure others will add to the list.

Good luck,it's pretty straightforward and much easier for your daughter to travel anywhere on a British passport.

Edited February 15, 2016 by stoneyboy

[bobrussell]

Being pedantic, she is 100% British and 100% Thai. The OP's question has been answered! The child should get both passports. Neither are difficult to get but getting a UK visa in a Thai passport belonging to someone entitled to a British one, technically would be wrong. It has happened though!

Edited February 15, 2016 by bobrussell

[barry553]

I need to do this for my 1 year old son as well.

I find the process very confusing because there are a lot of threads which have conflicting or what seems to be superfluous information on them.

A lot of information is also out of date as the embassy is no longer involved in issuing passports.

Please could someone correct me if I am wrong but it seems you can do it all through the British Gov website.

There is now no need to go to the embassy or the VFS place.

Just fill in the application form, attach relevant documents and the cash and then post it all to the UK.

Edited February 15, 2016 by barry553

[lopburi3]

As said both passports should be obtained as she will want to return on Thai passport. So easy way is leave on Thai passport and return on Thai passport. Us UK passport for entry/exit in UK and for show to airline at check in proving visa not required.

[brewsterbudgen]

I need to do this for my 1 year old son as well.

I find the process very confusing because there are a lot of threads which have conflicting or what seems to be superfluous information on them.

A lot of information is also out of date as the embassy is no longer involved in issuing passports.

Please could someone correct me if I am wrong but it seems you can do it all through the British Gov website.

There is now no need to go to the embassy or the VFS place.

Just fill in the application form, attach relevant documents and the cash and then post it all to the UK.

If applying from Thailand you submit the form and original documents at VFS and then collect the passport from there as well. It is however issued in Liverpool.

[barry553]

I need to do this for my 1 year old son as well.

I find the process very confusing because there are a lot of threads which have conflicting or what seems to be superfluous information on them.

A lot of information is also out of date as the embassy is no longer involved in issuing passports.

Please could someone correct me if I am wrong but it seems you can do it all through the British Gov website.

There is now no need to go to the embassy or the VFS place.

Just fill in the application form, attach relevant documents and the cash and then post it all to the UK.

If applying from Thailand you submit the form and original documents at VFS and then collect the passport from there as well. It is however issued in Liverpool.

Yes I would be applying from with in Thailand. What is VFS? Why do you have to use them?

[brewsterbudgen]

I need to do this for my 1 year old son as well.

I find the process very confusing because there are a lot of threads which have conflicting or what seems to be superfluous information on them.

A lot of information is also out of date as the embassy is no longer involved in issuing passports.

Please could someone correct me if I am wrong but it seems you can do it all through the British Gov website.

There is now no need to go to the embassy or the VFS place.

Just fill in the application form, attach relevant documents and the cash and then post it all to the UK.

If applying from Thailand you submit the form and original documents at VFS and then collect the passport from there as well. It is however issued in Liverpool.

Yes I would be applying from with in Thailand. What is VFS? Why do you have to use them?

They are the company used by UKVI to process all passport and visa applications. It's all on the UKVI website.

[barry553]

I need to do this for my 1 year old son as well.

I find the process very confusing because there are a lot of threads which have conflicting or what seems to be superfluous information on them.

A lot of information is also out of date as the embassy is no longer involved in issuing passports.

Please could someone correct me if I am wrong but it seems you can do it all through the British Gov website.

There is now no need to go to the embassy or the VFS place.

Just fill in the application form, attach relevant documents and the cash and then post it all to the UK.

If applying from Thailand you submit the form and original documents at VFS and then collect the passport from there as well. It is however issued in Liverpool.

Yes I would be applying from with in Thailand. What is VFS? Why do you have to use them?

They are the company used by UKVI to process all passport and visa applications. It's all on the UKVI website.

Ok. Thanks for that.

[bobrussell]

Starts on-line at: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

Follow the instructions from start to finish! Download the form and follow the guidance notes. Make an appointment to take the documentation.

[Richard W]

Being pedantic, she is 100% British and 100% Thai.

Dubious. Her Britishness is attenuated by being born overseas and never having resided in the UK and is not secure because of her Thai nationality. She has not yet acquired any right to transmit British citizenship to her children. The degree of insecurity depends on what Parliament is deemed to have intended in the 2006 act. The worst case is that the law means what it says, and a Treasury Counsel has needlessly claimed that it does, though the judge wasn't convinced.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Richard W

[bobrussell]

A person is British or not British. Thai or not Thai.

The status of any offspring depends on a number of factors, including the nationality of the other parent involved. The rules are there to prevent perpetual passing on of nationality to people with no real connection with the UK. Someone in this situation has the perfect right to pass on British citizenship subject to the requirements.

Nothing dubious about it at all.

[honu]

It doesn't add much beyond what has been said but both my children are Thai and American and hold two passports, one for each citizenship they possess.

I couldn't say for sure the process and rights are the same for the UK as the US but for the case of the latter birth really should be registered with the embassy and passport obtained when they are newborns, as in the case of your child. I would expect an embassy website to make the registration process steps and documentation required clear. In my own case the process wasn't difficult or expensive, for what that's worth.

Beyond assigning them the citizenship rights they really should have it makes travel easier since countries vary in which other countries' citizens they require a visa from, so depending on where we go using one of the passports over the other is much easier. There is nothing wrong with entering countries as a citizen of one country versus the other since they really possess both nationalities.

[brewsterbudgen]

It doesn't add much beyond what has been said but both my children are Thai and American and hold two passports, one for each citizenship they possess.

I couldn't say for sure the process and rights are the same for the UK as the US but for the case of the latter birth really should be registered with the embassy and passport obtained when they are newborns, as in the case of your child. I would expect an embassy website to make the registration process steps and documentation required clear. In my own case the process wasn't difficult or expensive, for what that's worth.

Beyond assigning them the citizenship rights they really should have it makes travel easier since countries vary in which other countries' citizens they require a visa from, so depending on where we go using one of the passports over the other is much easier. There is nothing wrong with entering countries as a citizen of one country versus the other since they really possess both nationalities.

There is no requirement, or much point, in registering the birth in the UK. You should just apply for the UK passport.

[theoldgit]

OK guys there's no need to derail the thread, a number of posts have been removed.

The answer is that the OP's child can apply for a British Passport and thus doesn't need, indeed shouldn't be issued with, a UK visa in her Thai passport.

[Richard W]

There is no requirement, or much point, in registering the birth in the UK. You should just apply for the UK passport.

There's no requirement, but if the child moves to the UK it may be a useful source of spare birth certificates that don't have to be expensively translated and then legalised.

[surat04]

There is no requirement, or much point, in registering the birth in the UK. You should just apply for the UK passport.

There's no requirement, but if the child moves to the UK it may be a useful source of spare birth certificates that don't have to be expensively translated and then legalised.

It's far more expensive to get a birth registered and birth cert. issued than translating a Thai birth cert. Also HMPO do not accept consular issued birth certificates for new passport applications. I just found that out this week after applying for my sons first passport.

[blackcab]

The other thing to recognise is that this document is not a UK birth certificate. It is a Consular Birth Registration. As has been noted, these documents are not accepted in the same way as a birth certificate.

There is actually a disclaimer at the bottom of a Consular Birth Registration that says:

"This copy of the consular birth registration is not a UK birth certificate and should not be used as one. It does not replace the original birth certificate issued by the authorities in the country in which the birth took place. It is not a certificate of identity. A person does not acquire British nationality by virtue of having a consular birth registration."

Overall it's a bit pointless and expensive. That being said I still paid the money for one.

[surat04]

No disclaimer on my son's. I just automatically thought it would be accepted. The staff at Trendy didn't advise me otherwise.

[7by7]

There is no requirement, or much point, in registering the birth in the UK. You should just apply for the UK passport.

There's no requirement, but if the child moves to the UK it may be a useful source of spare birth certificates that don't have to be expensively translated and then legalised.

Cheaper to have the Thai birth certificate translated in Thailand than pay £105 for a consular registration plus £65 for a copy of the certificate!

£170 will pay for a lot of translations!

The original Thai birth certificate accompanied by a translation should be accepted for all purposes in the UK; including passport applications, whether applying in the UK or abroad. See Register a birth abroad

The translation does not need to be 'legalised', simply certified by the translator.

From Certifying a document

Certifying a translation

If you need to certify a translation of a document that’s not written in English or Welsh, ask the translation company to confirm in writing on the translation:

• that it’s a ‘true and accurate translation of the original document’
• the date of the translation
• the full name and contact details of the translator or a representative of the translation company

Passport applications etc. are expensive enough as it is; why give HMG another 170 quid when there is no need?

[surat04]

There is no requirement, or much point, in registering the birth in the UK. You should just apply for the UK passport.

There's no requirement, but if the child moves to the UK it may be a useful source of spare birth certificates that don't have to be expensively translated and then legalised.

Cheaper to have the Thai birth certificate translated in Thailand than pay £105 for a consular registration plus £65 for a copy of the certificate!

£170 will pay for a lot of translations!

The original Thai birth certificate accompanied by a translation should be accepted for all purposes in the UK; including passport applications, whether applying in the UK or abroad. See Register a birth abroad

The translation does not need to be 'legalised', simply certified by the translator.

From Certifying a document

Certifying a translation

If you need to certify a translation of a document that’s not written in English or Welsh, ask the translation company to confirm in writing on the translation:

• that it’s a ‘true and accurate translation of the original document’
• the date of the translation
• the full name and contact details of the translator or a representative of the translation company

Passport applications etc. are expensive enough as it is; why give HMG another 170 quid when there is no need?

There's 25 quid postage on that as well!

[blackcab]

No disclaimer on my son's. I just automatically thought it would be accepted. The staff at Trendy didn't advise me otherwise.

The FCO probably got sick of the complaints and changed it. That disclaimer is also on the application forms too.

[Richard W]

Cheaper to have the Thai birth certificate translated in Thailand than pay £105 for a consular registration plus £65 for a copy of the certificate!

<snip>

Passport applications etc. are expensive enough as it is; why give HMG another 170 quid when there is no need?

What I had in mind was replacing a lost birth certificate issued in Thailand when in the UK.

[blackcab]

That's the point though. It's not a birth certificate.

[AprilBKK]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for all your replies/advice. So the only document i need to get translated into English is my daughters Thai Birth Certificate. Anyone have any experience with translation services here i.e. a good, trustworthy and cheap translation service?

I find it odd that to apply for my daughters passport they would need a copy of my husbands Thai ID card and also copies of his passport; all pages. I would have thought they would only need one or the other, but anyhow not a problem to copy both.

I'm guessing i don't need to get the house book (Tabien Baan) translated?

Many thanks.