Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
Jan 27th 2015, 10:09 am
#1
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Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
Hi,
I'm looking for some advice please regarding whether it would be possible for a child (British by descent) to enter the UK using either an Emergency Travel Document or an Angolan Passport + Vistor Visa and then starting the application for a British Passport.
I am a British Citizen working and living in Angola. My wife is Angolan and we have a 2 year old son who was born in Angola but has a British passport. We applied for his British passport from within Angola using the British Embassy here and after a few requests for further evidence, we finally received his passport after around 6 months.
We are now looking to move to the UK within the next 4-5 months but my wife is pregnant expecting our second child with the due date around the 25th of April. My concern now is with regards to travelling to the UK with the baby and the time taken for processing documents to do so.
As we would only have around 2 months left in Angola following the birth we would not be able to apply for our child's British Passport as it would take too long.
The options I am now thinking of are:
a) Obtain our child's Angolan Birth Certificate and an Angolan Passport and then get a 6 month Visitors Visa to enter the UK.
or
b) Apply for an Emergency Travel Document for our child to enter the UK.
My other question is if our child enters the UK using either of the above options, will we then be able to start the British passport application from within the UK even though our child was born in Angola?
I know that registering the birth at the British Embassy in order to get a Consul Birth Certificate is recommended, however when we did that with our first son that also proved to be very time consuming and unfortunately it seems that time is not on our side in this case.
Thank you for any advice or recommendations that you can provide.
I'm looking for some advice please regarding whether it would be possible for a child (British by descent) to enter the UK using either an Emergency Travel Document or an Angolan Passport + Vistor Visa and then starting the application for a British Passport.
I am a British Citizen working and living in Angola. My wife is Angolan and we have a 2 year old son who was born in Angola but has a British passport. We applied for his British passport from within Angola using the British Embassy here and after a few requests for further evidence, we finally received his passport after around 6 months.
We are now looking to move to the UK within the next 4-5 months but my wife is pregnant expecting our second child with the due date around the 25th of April. My concern now is with regards to travelling to the UK with the baby and the time taken for processing documents to do so.
As we would only have around 2 months left in Angola following the birth we would not be able to apply for our child's British Passport as it would take too long.
The options I am now thinking of are:
a) Obtain our child's Angolan Birth Certificate and an Angolan Passport and then get a 6 month Visitors Visa to enter the UK.
or
b) Apply for an Emergency Travel Document for our child to enter the UK.
My other question is if our child enters the UK using either of the above options, will we then be able to start the British passport application from within the UK even though our child was born in Angola?
I know that registering the birth at the British Embassy in order to get a Consul Birth Certificate is recommended, however when we did that with our first son that also proved to be very time consuming and unfortunately it seems that time is not on our side in this case.
Thank you for any advice or recommendations that you can provide.
Last edited by DuncLua; Jan 27th 2015 at 10:13 am.
Jan 27th 2015, 2:22 pm
#2
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Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
If your child is born in Angola, then you'll have to apply in Angola. Your child will not be eligible for a Visitor's Visa, because he'll/she'll be considered a UK citizen.
My suggestion is, if you can, to leave now and have your wife give birth in the UK. You won't need Consular Birth certificate and other checks when you apply for the child's passport. Plus, you won't have to wait for so long just to get a passport.
My suggestion is, if you can, to leave now and have your wife give birth in the UK. You won't need Consular Birth certificate and other checks when you apply for the child's passport. Plus, you won't have to wait for so long just to get a passport.
Jan 27th 2015, 2:40 pm
#3
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Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
I think I remember reading that ETDs for first time passport applicants are no longer available except in very exceptional circumstances.
Jan 27th 2015, 2:45 pm
#4
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Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
Hi knighstrike,
Thank you for the reply and recommendation.
When our first child was born in Angola, we got an Angolan passport for him and also a 2 year UK Visitor Visa so that we could travel for his grandparents to meet him. He now has both an Angolan passport and a British passport.
So we would look to do the same for our second child, get the Angolan passport and Visa for travelling to the Uk and then make the British Passport application from there.
We are also considering the option of travelling to the UK for my wife to give birth there, however she currently has a 2 year UK Visitor Visa and we are currently waiting in one final supporting document for her UK Spouse Visa application. This would mean having to enter the UK using the Visitor Visa, have the child there, then return to Angola (requiring extra travel/visa/passport documentation for our baby) to submit her UK Spouse Visa application.
I'm weighing up the options for what would be the easiest and least stressful for my wife and although the option of having the baby in the UK does take away British passport part of the equation, it also opens up further complications with Angolan documents then required.
Thanks.
Thank you for the reply and recommendation.
When our first child was born in Angola, we got an Angolan passport for him and also a 2 year UK Visitor Visa so that we could travel for his grandparents to meet him. He now has both an Angolan passport and a British passport.
So we would look to do the same for our second child, get the Angolan passport and Visa for travelling to the Uk and then make the British Passport application from there.
We are also considering the option of travelling to the UK for my wife to give birth there, however she currently has a 2 year UK Visitor Visa and we are currently waiting in one final supporting document for her UK Spouse Visa application. This would mean having to enter the UK using the Visitor Visa, have the child there, then return to Angola (requiring extra travel/visa/passport documentation for our baby) to submit her UK Spouse Visa application.
I'm weighing up the options for what would be the easiest and least stressful for my wife and although the option of having the baby in the UK does take away British passport part of the equation, it also opens up further complications with Angolan documents then required.
Thanks.
Jan 27th 2015, 6:35 pm
#5
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Posts: 333
Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
HI,
I am in a slightly similar situation in that I am pregnant and we know we are moving back to the UK this year but are not sure if it will be in the months before or after birth (it is a new job for my husband).
If we go after Baby 2 is here our plan was to get him his US passport and have him enter the UK on that. We will then apply for his UK passport from with the UK and will register his birth within the UK.
If we go before he is due I am conscious that we will need to prove that we are now ordinarilly resident in the UK for NHS purposes. Fortunatly since we are moving over for a new job we will have employement contracts to show this but please think how your wife would prove she is not just being a health tourist?
I am in a slightly similar situation in that I am pregnant and we know we are moving back to the UK this year but are not sure if it will be in the months before or after birth (it is a new job for my husband).
If we go after Baby 2 is here our plan was to get him his US passport and have him enter the UK on that. We will then apply for his UK passport from with the UK and will register his birth within the UK.
If we go before he is due I am conscious that we will need to prove that we are now ordinarilly resident in the UK for NHS purposes. Fortunatly since we are moving over for a new job we will have employement contracts to show this but please think how your wife would prove she is not just being a health tourist?
Jan 27th 2015, 7:30 pm
#6
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Not in Paris
Posts: 18,194
Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
Neither option A or B should be an option as UK visas shouldn't be issued to British citizens and ETDs are for British citizens whose existing passport has been lost, stolen, damaged or expired.
As you point out however a visa application for a dual national will often be processed regardless if applied for using their non-British passport. If you're not willing to wait for a British passport/consular birth certificate in Angola then this may be doable. You can apply for your child's British passport from within the UK but it will take as long if not longer than if you applied from Angola.
The other option would be for your wife to give birth in the UK. However if she enters on a visitor visa then you may be billed for her NHS care.
As you point out however a visa application for a dual national will often be processed regardless if applied for using their non-British passport. If you're not willing to wait for a British passport/consular birth certificate in Angola then this may be doable. You can apply for your child's British passport from within the UK but it will take as long if not longer than if you applied from Angola.
The other option would be for your wife to give birth in the UK. However if she enters on a visitor visa then you may be billed for her NHS care.
Jan 27th 2015, 7:52 pm
#7
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Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
BritInPAris - is correct you should not use option A or B as a UK visa is not an option for a British citizen.
It sounds like your situation is a little more complicated because of where you are coming from. What is your wife's status relating to the UK?
It sounds like your situation is a little more complicated because of where you are coming from. What is your wife's status relating to the UK?
Jan 27th 2015, 10:42 pm
#8
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Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
Hi BritinParis,
Thanks for the reply and advice.
My way of looking at it is similar to when we had our first son. As we wished to travel so my parents could meet their grandson, we got the Angolan Passport with Visitor Visa. It was only after this trip that we registered him to get the Consul Birth Certificate and then applied for the British passport. So even though by rights he was a British Citizen, he was not actually one until we registered him.
I'm hoping that, due to the time restrictions we have, to do a similar thing with our second child but the only difference being that the registering as a British Citizen and Brit passport application will be done once we are in the UK. That is my concern, if it can actually be done from there and not from his country of birth.
Hi GillyMonkey,
Yes, rather complicated I'm afraid. It all seemed to be fine last year as I had originally been informed by a member of staff at the British Embassy in Angola that my wife could apply for her UK Spouse Visa from within the UK using her Visitor Visa to enter. It was just at the end of last year that I found out this was not true, that it had to be done from within Angola. That then started a mad dash to get all the required supporting documents together and set up an English Exam and a Tuberculosis test as well. It was also around that time that we found out about the pregnancy so even more panic!
Unfortunately we are not going to have all the documents together in time to apply for my wife's UK Spouse Visa before her cut-off date for flying at 36 weeks pregnancy. So that us why we are now looking at what would be the best option for where to have the baby. In Angola, travel to the UK and then deal with the registration. Or travel to the UK for the birth and then deal with the additional travelling and also additional travel paperwork/documents.
So in answer to your question GillyMonkey, my wife has a current 2 year Visitor Visa but we will be applying for her UK Spouse Visa soon, at the appropriate moment depending on our place-of-baby-birth decision.
Also GillyMonkey, regarding the NHS, I was aware that we would have to cover the costs should the baby be born using my wife's Visitor Visa. However my mum has also contacted the relevant NHS maternity person in Aberdeen (where we will be moving to), informed them of the situation to find out about the costs, but was told that as we were going to be moving back to the UK, if we could provide evidence of our marriage (ie certificate) and also a letter from my work stating the end of my contract in Angola and change to UK employment, then the birth could be covered by the NHS. We've also paid a deposit on a soon to be completed house there as well, so further evidence if required.
I've more or less given up hope of any assistance from the British Consul in Angola as e-mails never get replied to and their phone seems to either be engaged or never answered. The one time I did manage to meet one of the Consul members of staff, I'd been waiting from 3-4pm at the general consul enquiries area with no-one there, eventually managed to speak to one of the visa staff members who seemed surprised that I wianted to meet with the consul, got a pass to go through to the Consul area only to be greeted by the Consul member (with large security guard in tow) whose first words to me (it was now 10 minutes after 4) was 'You have a visa enquiry? We're actually closed now'. I got the impression that he just wanted rid of me.
It's just been very stressful and frustrating time of late. We could handle it if it was just my wife and I but when it also involves a 2 year old and also a soon to be born baby it just frustrates me even more that no help can be provided and a young family might possibly have to spend time apart.
Sorry, I was just releasing a little of my frustration there.
Thank you again for your advice
Thanks for the reply and advice.
My way of looking at it is similar to when we had our first son. As we wished to travel so my parents could meet their grandson, we got the Angolan Passport with Visitor Visa. It was only after this trip that we registered him to get the Consul Birth Certificate and then applied for the British passport. So even though by rights he was a British Citizen, he was not actually one until we registered him.
I'm hoping that, due to the time restrictions we have, to do a similar thing with our second child but the only difference being that the registering as a British Citizen and Brit passport application will be done once we are in the UK. That is my concern, if it can actually be done from there and not from his country of birth.
Hi GillyMonkey,
Yes, rather complicated I'm afraid. It all seemed to be fine last year as I had originally been informed by a member of staff at the British Embassy in Angola that my wife could apply for her UK Spouse Visa from within the UK using her Visitor Visa to enter. It was just at the end of last year that I found out this was not true, that it had to be done from within Angola. That then started a mad dash to get all the required supporting documents together and set up an English Exam and a Tuberculosis test as well. It was also around that time that we found out about the pregnancy so even more panic!
Unfortunately we are not going to have all the documents together in time to apply for my wife's UK Spouse Visa before her cut-off date for flying at 36 weeks pregnancy. So that us why we are now looking at what would be the best option for where to have the baby. In Angola, travel to the UK and then deal with the registration. Or travel to the UK for the birth and then deal with the additional travelling and also additional travel paperwork/documents.
So in answer to your question GillyMonkey, my wife has a current 2 year Visitor Visa but we will be applying for her UK Spouse Visa soon, at the appropriate moment depending on our place-of-baby-birth decision.
Also GillyMonkey, regarding the NHS, I was aware that we would have to cover the costs should the baby be born using my wife's Visitor Visa. However my mum has also contacted the relevant NHS maternity person in Aberdeen (where we will be moving to), informed them of the situation to find out about the costs, but was told that as we were going to be moving back to the UK, if we could provide evidence of our marriage (ie certificate) and also a letter from my work stating the end of my contract in Angola and change to UK employment, then the birth could be covered by the NHS. We've also paid a deposit on a soon to be completed house there as well, so further evidence if required.
I've more or less given up hope of any assistance from the British Consul in Angola as e-mails never get replied to and their phone seems to either be engaged or never answered. The one time I did manage to meet one of the Consul members of staff, I'd been waiting from 3-4pm at the general consul enquiries area with no-one there, eventually managed to speak to one of the visa staff members who seemed surprised that I wianted to meet with the consul, got a pass to go through to the Consul area only to be greeted by the Consul member (with large security guard in tow) whose first words to me (it was now 10 minutes after 4) was 'You have a visa enquiry? We're actually closed now'. I got the impression that he just wanted rid of me.
It's just been very stressful and frustrating time of late. We could handle it if it was just my wife and I but when it also involves a 2 year old and also a soon to be born baby it just frustrates me even more that no help can be provided and a young family might possibly have to spend time apart.
Sorry, I was just releasing a little of my frustration there.
Thank you again for your advice
Jan 27th 2015, 10:48 pm
#9
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Location: Not in Paris
Posts: 18,194
Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
Hi BritinParis,
Thanks for the reply and advice.
My way of looking at it is similar to when we had our first son. As we wished to travel so my parents could meet their grandson, we got the Angolan Passport with Visitor Visa. It was only after this trip that we registered him to get the Consul Birth Certificate and then applied for the British passport. So even though by rights he was a British Citizen, he was not actually one until we registered him.
I'm hoping that, due to the time restrictions we have, to do a similar thing with our second child but the only difference being that the registering as a British Citizen and Brit passport application will be done once we are in the UK. That is my concern, if it can actually be done from there and not from his country of birth.
Thanks for the reply and advice.
My way of looking at it is similar to when we had our first son. As we wished to travel so my parents could meet their grandson, we got the Angolan Passport with Visitor Visa. It was only after this trip that we registered him to get the Consul Birth Certificate and then applied for the British passport. So even though by rights he was a British Citizen, he was not actually one until we registered him.
I'm hoping that, due to the time restrictions we have, to do a similar thing with our second child but the only difference being that the registering as a British Citizen and Brit passport application will be done once we are in the UK. That is my concern, if it can actually be done from there and not from his country of birth.
Jan 28th 2015, 5:08 am
#10
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Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
Thanks again for the advice BritInParis, everything helps in trying to decide what the best option would be.
Regarding the Emergency Travel Document, I've had a further look on the Gov.uk website and it states:
Emergency travel documents for children
Parents or guardians of children living overseas who wish to travel may be able to apply for an emergency travel document in place of both new (first time) passport and passport renewals for their children.
Customers will need to provide the same information as when applying for a passport for a child if the child has not held a British passport before. In most cases, we will also ask customers to provide evidence that all those who have parental responsibility for the child agree to apply for an Emergency Travel Document for the purpose of the proposed travel, or provide evidence that they have sole responsibility for the child, e.g. a court order. Customers can then follow instructions to apply for an Emergency Travel Document
It is the first paragraph that I have highlighted that makes me believe we could possibly go down this route. However I really need to talk to someone at the British Embassy/Consul to get clarification on this so here's hoping I can get a more engaging response from them than I have in the past.
Cheers.
Regarding the Emergency Travel Document, I've had a further look on the Gov.uk website and it states:
Emergency travel documents for children
Parents or guardians of children living overseas who wish to travel may be able to apply for an emergency travel document in place of both new (first time) passport and passport renewals for their children.
Customers will need to provide the same information as when applying for a passport for a child if the child has not held a British passport before. In most cases, we will also ask customers to provide evidence that all those who have parental responsibility for the child agree to apply for an Emergency Travel Document for the purpose of the proposed travel, or provide evidence that they have sole responsibility for the child, e.g. a court order. Customers can then follow instructions to apply for an Emergency Travel Document
It is the first paragraph that I have highlighted that makes me believe we could possibly go down this route. However I really need to talk to someone at the British Embassy/Consul to get clarification on this so here's hoping I can get a more engaging response from them than I have in the past.
Cheers.
Jan 28th 2015, 7:48 am
#11
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 116
Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
Thanks again for the advice BritInParis, everything helps in trying to decide what the best option would be.
Regarding the Emergency Travel Document, I've had a further look on the Gov.uk website and it states:
Emergency travel documents for children
Parents or guardians of children living overseas who wish to travel may be able to apply for an emergency travel document in place of both new (first time) passport and passport renewals for their children.
Customers will need to provide the same information as when applying for a passport for a child if the child has not held a British passport before. In most cases, we will also ask customers to provide evidence that all those who have parental responsibility for the child agree to apply for an Emergency Travel Document for the purpose of the proposed travel, or provide evidence that they have sole responsibility for the child, e.g. a court order. Customers can then follow instructions to apply for an Emergency Travel Document
It is the f
irst paragraph that I have highlighted that makes me believe we could possibly go down this route. However I really need to talk to someone at the British Embassy/Consul to get clarification on this so here's hoping I can get a more engaging response from them than I have in the past.
Cheers.
Regarding the Emergency Travel Document, I've had a further look on the Gov.uk website and it states:
Emergency travel documents for children
Parents or guardians of children living overseas who wish to travel may be able to apply for an emergency travel document in place of both new (first time) passport and passport renewals for their children.
Customers will need to provide the same information as when applying for a passport for a child if the child has not held a British passport before. In most cases, we will also ask customers to provide evidence that all those who have parental responsibility for the child agree to apply for an Emergency Travel Document for the purpose of the proposed travel, or provide evidence that they have sole responsibility for the child, e.g. a court order. Customers can then follow instructions to apply for an Emergency Travel Document
It is the f
irst paragraph that I have highlighted that makes me believe we could possibly go down this route. However I really need to talk to someone at the British Embassy/Consul to get clarification on this so here's hoping I can get a more engaging response from them than I have in the past.
Cheers.
Anyway, if it helps, I was being offered an ETD which I had to turn down since it's Australia that I needed to go to (for work). And I would still need a working visa, but in order to do that, I would need a passport which I still don't have.
I have friends though with exactly the same problem that you have. They were able to get ETDs for their children.
Jan 28th 2015, 7:55 am
#12
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Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
Well after all that it seems that the decision has been made for us.
The last remaining Supporting document my wife required for her Spouse Visa applicationwas her A1 level English Language Exam. We have missed the registration deadline for the next exam in Luanda on the 21st February and the next one after that is not until 16th May, which will be too late to receive the results and then apply for the Visa as we will be leaving Angola in June.
So it now seems that the only option will be to travel to the UK to have the baby (also for my wife to take the English exam there) there and then go through the travelling/visa/passport merry-go-round that will follow.
At least we now know what to aim for.
Thank you again for your help and good advice.
The last remaining Supporting document my wife required for her Spouse Visa applicationwas her A1 level English Language Exam. We have missed the registration deadline for the next exam in Luanda on the 21st February and the next one after that is not until 16th May, which will be too late to receive the results and then apply for the Visa as we will be leaving Angola in June.
So it now seems that the only option will be to travel to the UK to have the baby (also for my wife to take the English exam there) there and then go through the travelling/visa/passport merry-go-round that will follow.
At least we now know what to aim for.
Thank you again for your help and good advice.
Jan 28th 2015, 7:57 am
#13
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Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
Hello All,
i need some advice from you. i am nigerian with a 4 months old boy. i have also got a spouse visa and my husband is british. i had my baby in nigeria so that i could get the support of family because this is my first baby.
i am looking for a way to get my baby to the uk... i am wondering which is the fastest route back to uk for my baby: British Passport or Right of Abode.
i have been trying to contact the Nigeria British High Commission to no avail....
please help
i need some advice from you. i am nigerian with a 4 months old boy. i have also got a spouse visa and my husband is british. i had my baby in nigeria so that i could get the support of family because this is my first baby.
i am looking for a way to get my baby to the uk... i am wondering which is the fastest route back to uk for my baby: British Passport or Right of Abode.
i have been trying to contact the Nigeria British High Commission to no avail....
please help
Jan 28th 2015, 7:57 am
#14
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Posts: 10
Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport
Hello All,
i need some advice from you. i am nigerian with a 4 months old boy. i have also got a spouse visa and my husband is british. i had my baby in nigeria so that i could get the support of family because this is my first baby.
i am looking for a way to get my baby to the uk... i am wondering which is the fastest route back to uk for my baby: British Passport or Right of Abode.
i have been trying to contact the Nigeria British High Commission to no avail....
please help
i need some advice from you. i am nigerian with a 4 months old boy. i have also got a spouse visa and my husband is british. i had my baby in nigeria so that i could get the support of family because this is my first baby.
i am looking for a way to get my baby to the uk... i am wondering which is the fastest route back to uk for my baby: British Passport or Right of Abode.
i have been trying to contact the Nigeria British High Commission to no avail....
please help
Jan 28th 2015, 8:00 am
#15
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Re: Child born overseas - Applying for Brit Passport