Getting Aus citizenship for our newborn

[Kenny202]

Living with a Thai lady here, not married just had our first son. Been together 4 years. First year long distance, then she lived with me in Australia 1 year and I've been living here 2 years so shouldn't be hard to prove length of relationship with Australian immigration records.

My name on sons birth certificate.

From another post I made sounds like, apart from jumping through the hoops and doing the paperwork it should be fairly certain he will get Australian citizenship or is that not correct?

1) We're not married so in the eyes of Thai law I beleive he's not legally recognized as my son. Will Australian immigration require proof of blood (genetics) or is the stat dec from the doctor who delivered the baby enough?

2) Will the fact were not married nullify our application?

3) Should our application be accepted does that make him a full Australian citizen or only permanent resident etc?

4) Does it have any negative impact on the application the fact we plan for now to live in Thailand?

Prefer the post doesn't run off the rails or turn into a bun fight with moral judgements, IMHO's etc. Looking for facts here.

Any advice from people with personal experience appreciated.

[goatfarmer]

Call the Australian Embassy. They will give you a definitive answer.

[inu]

The process is very straightforward and I am sure that there are many other TV members who have made the same application. Here's a brief overview:

You apply under a 118 visa (Citizenship by Descent.) You will need a copy of the birth certificate noting you as the father and also a DNA paternity test. The Embassy will advise you where to get the test done as it must be taken by a lab recommended by them.

https://www.border.gov.au/Forms/Documents/118.pdf

Whether you are married or not is not an issue.

Once citizenship has been granted you can apply for an Australian passport and your son will have full Australian citizenship.

Where you live has no relevance. I applied for my daughter in Bangkok 5 years ago but haven't lived in Australia for over ten years - or Thailand for the past 4.

My experience with the Embassy was that they were extremely helpful and guided us through the process.

Good luck!

[ljd1308]

I was in a similar situation.

The citizen by descent was probably the easiest thing I have ever applied for from the government. Just send the application off with all the listed document s and you will have it in a couple of weeks. There was no secondary look into it at all, no need to prove the relationship.

The harder one was applying for the Australia passport(after we got the citizenship).

[woody087]

Very easy to do,should have no problems.i got oz citizenship for both my daughters and it was extremely easy.things might have changed but no paternity test was asked for.

[mihalis]

Just did it with my child, citizenship by decent, do it online, not hard, they tend to ask for birth cert, your details, mothers details, proof of relationship, i.e., pics, where you met, and so on..

[mihalis]

I was in a similar situation.

The citizen by descent was probably the easiest thing I have ever applied for from the government. Just send the application off with all the listed document s and you will have it in a couple of weeks. There was no secondary look into it at all, no need to prove the relationship.

The harder one was applying for the Australia passport(after we got the citizenship).

Well, myself and a friend needed proof, i.e. with pics of our spouses, together... Passport, i havent done yet, mate did, was easy as..

[Mudcrab]

Any implications later as he will be an Australian citizen? Or will he also be Thai i.e dual nationality?

[Kenny202]

Any implications later as he will be an Australian citizen? Or will he also be Thai i.e dual nationality?

good question? I assumed dual citizenship with full rights in both countries.

I'm guessing the only thing would be not living there is he wouldn't be a resident for medicare etc? Or maybe it's not the same for kids?

[Coota]

It can be done, I have got citizenship by descent for my 2 kids. Like you said just jump through the hoops, be patient and it will work out.

[ripstanley]

I applied for our boy in 2012. There was no paternity test required. I did need MY birth certificate. I did not read on any forms that this was required but was advised when I telephoned the Embassy.

His birth certificate and our marriage certificate had to be translated from Thai to English. I lodged the documents in person at the Embassy. I received a telephone call the next morning that his citizenship was approved.

[Kenny202]

Do you need to get the DNA test? Sounds like some people are saying yes and no. I'm guessing would entail a trip to Bangkok?

[Coota]

Do you need to get the DNA test? Sounds like some people are saying yes and no. I'm guessing would entail a trip to Bangkok?

I did not have to provide a DNA test, I assume your name is on your child's birth certificate. If so then no DNA test should be required, if it is not then you may have a problem.

The application is handled in Bangkok and a case worker is normally assigned, it would be an advantage to you being in Thailand during the application process.

On both pf my applications I had to provide a history of my relationship with my wife, where, how we met, living arrangements, length of relationship etc.

[Kenny202]

Yes. My name is on the birth cert for what it's worth. I didn't sign anything at the hospital and not even sure I gave them a copy of my passport?

I live in rural Thailand so hoping can avoid a trip to Bkk. Some here say they did all online.

Shouldn't be any problem proving our history. She came and lived with me twice in Australia 3 months and 6 months over the last 3 years so tgat should be pretty strong. We provided all of the history of relationship back then

Edited May 13, 2016 by Kenny202

[machans88]

Yes. My name is on the birth cert for what it's worth. I didn't sign anything at the hospital and not even sure I gave them a copy of my passport?

I live in rural Thailand so hoping can avoid a trip to Bkk. Some here say they did all online.

Shouldn't be any problem proving our history. She came and lived with me twice in Australia 3 months and 6 months over the last 3 years so tgat should be pretty strong. We provided all of the history of relationship back then

Both my young kids became citizens by descent last year, no dna test was required, my name was on birth certificate,we are divorced not married, all done at vfs in Bangkok, we now have 2 thai passports for them and have just received 2 Australian passports for them.

[BespokeMan]

 

Do you need to get the DNA test? Sounds like some people are saying yes and no. I'm guessing would entail a trip to Bangkok?

I did not have to provide a DNA test, I assume your name is on your child's birth certificate. If so then no DNA test should be required, if it is not then you may have a problem.

The application is handled in Bangkok and a case worker is normally assigned, it would be an advantage to you being in Thailand during the application process.

On both pf my applications I had to provide a history of my relationship with my wife, where, how we met, living arrangements, length of relationship etc.

 

Absolute rubbish ^^

they can put 'superman' on the Birth Certificate and it's legal.

Do you realise that, if your Thai GF/Partner was recently divorced and a child is born, your child, legally, in Thailand, the child is decided to be the ex-husbands.

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

[ripstanley]

 

Do you need to get the DNA test? Sounds like some people are saying yes and no. I'm guessing would entail a trip to Bangkok?

I did not have to provide a DNA test, I assume your name is on your child's birth certificate. If so then no DNA test should be required, if it is not then you may have a problem.

The application is handled in Bangkok and a case worker is normally assigned, it would be an advantage to you being in Thailand during the application process.

On both pf my applications I had to provide a history of my relationship with my wife, where, how we met, living arrangements, length of relationship etc.

 

Absolute rubbish ^^

they can put 'superman' on the Birth Certificate and it's legal.

Do you realise that, if your Thai GF/Partner was recently divorced and a child is born, your child, legally, in Thailand, the child is decided to be the ex-husbands.

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

You have quoted what is required in Thailand as regard to what is required to be the father. The applicant has to satisfy the Australian Embassy staff that he is the father under Australian law. That is why if there is any doubt they can call for DNA evidence.

Edited May 15, 2016 by ripstanley