I went to The Trendy in Bangkok with all the relevant Documentation  for a U.K. Passport for our son, my Girlfriend is Thai.

The VFS rep checked every thing was in order gave me a receipt.

i received an email from the Liverpool Passport Office yesterday requesting his Mother writes, signs and sends a letter, not an email confirming giving them her permission too issue the Passport.

i am puzzled, the VFS rep didn't mention anything, he checked every thing thoroughly.

I signed the original Passport Application, I am named on his Birth Certificate, should his Mother have signed it instead of me ?

The person who signs the form must have parental responsibility for the child; see 'Parental responsibility' on page 9 of the guidance notes.

 

The child's mother automatically has parental responsibility; but, unless married to the mother, the father does not.

 

You say 'girlfriend' not 'wife.' So as you are not married, you do not automatically have parental responsibility; even though you are named as the father on the Thai birth certificate.

 

So, yes; your son's mother should have signed the form.

 

VFS should have picked this up; but as they are merely a handling agent, I am not surprised that having checked the documents they did not notice this; or, indeed, are aware of it!

 

However, a simple solution. Send HMPO the letter signed by his mother which they have requested. It will delay things a bit; but, assuming everything else is in order, he will get his passport.

20 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

The person who signs the form must have parental responsibility for the child; see 'Parental responsibility' on page 9 of the guidance notes.

 

The child's mother automatically has parental responsibility; but, unless married to the mother, the father does not.

 

You say 'girlfriend' not 'wife.' So as you are not married, you do not automatically have parental responsibility; even though you are named as the father on the Thai birth certificate.

 

So, yes; your son's mother should have signed the form.

 

VFS should have picked this up; but as they are merely a handling agent, I am not surprised that having checked the documents they did not notice this; or, indeed, are aware of it!

 

However, a simple solution. Send HMPO the letter signed by his mother which they have requested. It will delay things a bit; but, assuming everything else is in order, he will get his passport.

Thanks, letter on its way, it was an expensive exercise, I sent the letter by EMS from Pattaya Post Office, I said 'very fast' please, 850 baht, posted Friday, arrived  in the U.K. yesterday on its way to Liverpool today.

This is also a bit of a safety net for the child to minimise the risk of abduction in contested custody cases. Even in the UK an application by the father can be met with a request for permission from the mother.

You are not being singled out, it was Post Office staff that made me aware that the Passports Office may require permission from the mother as we were divorced!

With this document there should hopefully be minimal problems. Legally either parent can apply for a passport as long as they have parental responsibility, generally a result of being named on the birth certificate. Either parent is able to object as well!