LaraCS

It wont let me retrieve his email address. Says he doesn't accept emails. Oh no. Does he come onto the forum often?

Jerseygirl

Our posts must have crossed.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...3&postcount=15

Elvira

See Jerseygirl's post - unfortunately it seems Dean has gone awol...

LaraCS

He was probably my last hope.

Jerseygirl

Is there not a consulate or embassy in SA you can contact?

LaraCS

There is. I finally got through to them after days of constant phoning and was told that they can not give any information or advice. I was told to phone the care line in England 72p + vat per minute, just can't do it. Who knows how long that call will take.

Jerseygirl

I'm sorry.

Try contacting your local MP where you used to live in the UK. Several of our members living in the US did this recently to get their passports expedited. You never know the MP may be able to help you.

Failing that couldn't you take your children into the UK as visitors...then adjust their status once you are there? When entering the UK make sure you have all your and their paperwork with you ie your birth certificate/marriage licence/their birth certificates etc...so you can prove you are a UKC, your place of birth and that they are your children.

Elvira

But if they have SA passports, wouldn't they need visas?

Jerseygirl

I don't know. Where is JAJ?

Elvira

You're a moderator - you should know

JAJ

1. It appears that you are a British citizen by descent, assuming there is no UK-recruited Crown Service or equivalent for you or your parents. But there is still an outside chance you may be British otherwise than by descent. Do you have a consular birth registration document proving that you are British? Or a Home Office registration document?

2. Assuming you are British by descent, your children are not British. There are TWO options generally to get them British citizenship:

a. As you've lived in the UK for 3+ years and (presumably) have a British born parent yourself, you can register them as British citizens by descent under section 3(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981. The age limit for this used to be 12 months, but in January 2010 was increased to age 18.

b. Bring them to the UK with settlement visas and after 3 years, you can register them as British citizens otherwise than by descent under section 3(5) of the 1981 Act.


3. You're not going to get nationality advice from the consulate, probably. Two reasons for this, a. they have given a private company the right to charge for advice on passports and hence forbid staff from speaking to anyone on this, and b. the quality of advice is often terribly bad. The fact that often staff in embassies don't understand the difference between applying for a passport and applying for citizenship is indicative.

4. SO ... the first step is to decide which way to get British citizenship for your children.

5. Either way, they need either British passports or the right visa stamp in their South African passports before you depart the country.

6. Have you looked at including the children on your husband's spouse visa application?

Jerseygirl

Found him.

LaraCS

1. It appears that you are a British citizen by descent, assuming there is no UK-recruited Crown Service or equivalent for you or your parents. But there is still an outside chance you may be British otherwise than by descent. Do you have a consular birth registration document proving that you are British? Or a Home Office registration document? (Yes I have a consular birth certificate issued from the consul in JHB. It has all my folks details on it and their citizenship, if memory serves me correctly)

2. Assuming you are British by descent, your children are not British. There are TWO options generally to get them British citizenship:

a. As you've lived in the UK for 3+ years and (presumably) have a British born parent yourself, you can register them as British citizens by descent under section 3(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981. The age limit for this used to be 12 months, but in January 2010 was increased to age 18. (Both of my parents are British (dad's from Manchester, mum's from Scotland. They both have British passports. All of their family are British the whole way down the line) Would I have to register the children before applying for a British passport? I have the forms and of course it asks mothers citizenship at the time of the childs birth which is British.

b. Bring them to the UK with settlement visas and after 3 years, you can register them as British citizens otherwise than by descent under section 3(5) of the 1981 Act. (Its such a huge amount of money Of course I will go this route if it is absolutely necessary)


3. You're not going to get nationality advice from the consulate, probably. Two reasons for this, a. they have given a private company the right to charge for advice on passports and hence forbid staff from speaking to anyone on this, and b. the quality of advice is often terribly bad. The fact that often staff in embassies don't understand the difference between applying for a passport and applying for citizenship is indicative.

4. SO ... the first step is to decide which way to get British citizenship for your children.

5. Either way, they need either British passports or the right visa stamp in their South African passports before you depart the country.

6. Have you looked at including the children on your husband's spouse visa application?[/QUOTE] (We were advised that my husband and the children would all have to go on seperate settlement visa's - one for each other them. Is this not the case?)

Just want to thank you for taking the time to help me with this. I truly appreciate it.

LaraCS

I was speaking to my dad last night and he and my mum will send their passports and birth certs with the childrens applications. My passport will go with too as I'll be renewing it at the same time. What if I sent a covering letter with all of the documents? If mother (by decent), and both grandparents (by birth) are British Citizens then surely my little monkeys can some chance.

moneypenny20

Just one small point which may or may not be relevant. I seriously wouldn't worry about your son starting school when he's 'supposed' to. It honestly doesn't matter if he doesn't start until January or even later. If you're getting stressed about timescales because of this, don't.