vinegarboy

Sorry but I couldn't find an answer anywhere here on B.E. by searching for this as a topic/subject, and this morning I was unfortunately (quite incredibly though, I think) unable to raise a human that I could speak to at our consulates in Calgary or in Vancouver, nor indeed could I get anyone to pick-up at either of our embassies (Ottawa or Washington). (Presumably this reflects the reigning paradigm of 'austerity'?)

Anyhow, just a very quick question here about the 'Place-of-Birth' status of a baby who was born to British parents at The Princess Mary's RAF Hospital, Akrotiri, Cyprus.

If the British birth certificate (issued November 1964) says "BIRTH occurring outside the United Kingdom.", and is duly signed by a Squadron Leader of the Command of the Near East Air Force (the father of the baby was a serving officer in the RAF at that time), should the baby for the remainder of its life, when & as required to by various governmental bureaucracies worldwide (particularly regarding the United States), should that person's 'Place of Birth', when specifically asked for the country, be listed as "U.K." or as "Cyprus"?

In the U.K. passport it just says "Akrotiri" as the place of birth...

james.mc

My eldest son (Born to British parents serving in the military overseas) was born in the British military hospital in Berlin. His place of birth on his passport and other personal documentation is Berlin. His place of birth is on the British registry for overseas births. 'Place of birth: Berlin'. It detracts in no way from him being a British citizen and would make no difference to an application for Canadian PR IMHO.

Garbatellamike

That is true James: however, Akrotiri is on one of the UK Soverign Base Areas (SBA) which has never been part of the Republic of Cyprus and is technically UK territory whereas Berlin is in Germany. So putting Cyprus is slightly misleading, I would go for UKSBA Cyprus if I were the OP!

Jim Humphries

Exactly, facts are facts so report Akrotiri, Cyprus.

vinegarboy

Hi and many thanks for your prompt reply this morning. Yes I'd heard that the 'Sovereign Base Area' at Akrotiri is technically a little bit of sovereign U.K. territory (i.e., presumably diplomatically/politically/legally/etc. independent of the Republic of Cyprus).

Unfortunately, "UKSBA Cyprus" isn't an option in the 'drop-down' box that I am being straitjacketed into making a selection in on the piece of 'virtual' paperwork that I'm having to fill-in; basically I'm stuck with being obliged to select either "U.K." or "Cyprus" as the place-of-birth / country-of-birth.

While it shouldn't really be a big deal (as it ought to be a readily-explainable situation to any bureaucrat or law-enforcement officer with an ounce of common-sense, or so one'd think), it happens to make a big difference on United States paperwork, or so I'm being told, as a "Cyprus" listing gets red-flagged and goes into a totally different 'stream' for processing, presumably owing to something to do with the terrorism business that occurred in Cyprus the 1950s?/1960s? and which is (apparently) still 'on-the-books'...

Garbatellamike

Yes, totally independent of Cyprus, legally and politically.

Upon independence, the Treaty of Establishment of the Repubic of Cyprus was signed by UK, Cyprus and Turkey (the Guarantor Powers) and 99 sq miles (Arch Bishop M was determined that it would be less than 100) remained UK territory for military use - primarily around Dhekelia and Akrotiri/Episkopi.

You can legitimately claim to have been born in the UK imho!

vinegarboy

Many thanks for responding on this thread for a second time. The reason that I'd hesitate ever to put "Cyprus" onto any U.S. paperwork is because the last time I did that (i.e., not thinking that it'd make a jot of a difference, and just trying to do the right thing by completing it as "Akrotiri, Cyprus", quite as I can see that another helpful respondent on here has suggested), on some piece of bureaucratic paperwork that I filled-in at LHR, I was unceremoniously & embarrassingly pulled from the boarding line-up, held by both arms, and taken 'out the back' into a windowless room by several plainclothes officers, where I was then forced into a chair, to then be stood over by three burly blokes who proceeded to try to intimidate me by firing questions at me all about Cyprus and something to do with terrorists/terrorism. The result was that I nearly missed my flight, and of course got very wary looks from other passengers and the flight attendants who'd all been kept waiting (i.e., because my bags were already aboard), and all owing to the accident of my having been born in the SBA at Akrotiri, while my father was a serving officer in the RAF. Somehow Allies and 'Coalition of the Willing' became something quite frightening.

james.mc

I hear you, but judging by what the OP is saying I doubt if there is an option for that.

+1

No matter who owns what patch of land then or now, the place of birth should be entered as per the physical place of birth. I'd do exactly as Jim suggests. If anyone would know what to put he would.
Fit into the box CIC provide and it'll all go OK.

Try to convince CIC that Akrotiri was part of anywhere else other than Cyprus at the time and you'll likely be......

vinegarboy

Hi and thanks for your advice.

Yes I am indeed in the midst of applying for Canadian PR and my application at CIC/CPPO seems to be going swimmingly so far, with "U.K." (i.e., rather than "Cyprus") listed as my country-of-birth on my CIC/CPPO stuff, no problem.

So the Canadian CIC officers obviously 'get it' that "Akrotiri" is SBA and is thus technically a far-flung 'bit' of the U.K. proper.

But the virtual paperwork that I'm referring to and struggling with isn't Canadian, it's United States stuff, and this is simply because my particular job for my Canadian parent-company employer requires me to make frequent trips down into the USA to visit their wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary's office.

So while the thread-respondent Mr. Humphries (who I'm presuming is a retired Canadian visa officer) is of course geographically correct in saying to just stick to the geophysical reality that Akrotiri is located on the island of Cyprus, this designation actually opens up 'red-flags' for me U.S.-wise (see previous comment & LHR experience described above).

Jim Humphries

What does your passport say as you place of birth?

vinegarboy

Hi Mr. Humphries, and thank you for your interest in my situation and query.

My (full, unrestricted) U.K. passport just says "Akrotiri" for place-of-birth; it doesn't actually specifically say either "U.K." or "Cyprus".

orly

Well it's definitely not Cyprus...

I'd go with UK

JonboyE

Apropos of nothing at all, JonboyE Jnr. was born at The Princess Mary's RAF Hospital, Wendover, Bucks.

Anyway, back on topic, I would pay more attention to Mr. Humphries' advice.

Dorftrottel

No- Jim you are giving out wrong information. RAF Akrotiri is an SBA a Sovereign Base. All births are registered with and at the Hospital and then registered at the Consulate at Nicosia. The SBA is British Ground and has its own rules which are based in British legal system. You are not a Cypriot if you are born there. Please do not misinform people if you do not know the answer to the question.

Jim Humphries

I go with the British passport authorities who know he was born in Akrotiri and put it in his passport. But I am tired of the thread and its tone.