First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

Hi all,

I require a bit of help/clarification on some of the questions around applying for a first time British Passport.

A little background info before I go into the questions:
I was born in New Zealand (in the year 1992) have always live here and therefore applying from here. My Father and Mother were both born in India, however my Father went to the UK in the 60’s and became a British Citizen. He came to New Zealand 30 years ago and got married and has been living here. He has held his UK passport, and he receives the pension from the UK. I have therefore applied for a British Passport (I followed the checks, and hopefully I am able to receive a UK passport as well because of my Father).


Question 1 – Previous passports
I am unsure whether I have filled this section in correctly, because of the word ‘included’ confused me, see the question and my answers below.

“If the applicant has held or been included on a British passport before you must state this here. Provide the passport number below. You must send it with the application” – “Applying from outside the UK - you must send us a full colour photocopy of the non-British passport, or British Overseas Territories Citizen passport (every page including blank pages) and put the passport number in the additional information box.”

Required information Has the applicant been included on ANY passport before?
Yes No I checked No as I do not have a British passport (this is what I understood from the word ‘included’

Required information How many uncancelled passports are you sending us?
None One Two Three I checked None

Passport 1
Passport number I left this blank


Question 2 – Provide the following documents
I am trying to be a dual national, so do I need to send a copy of my New Zealand passport? I do not hold any other passports. This question also relates to my question 3. See question 2 from the application below.

For dual nationals a full colour copy of any uncancelled non-British or British Overseas Territories Citizen passport relating to you


Question 3 – Documents
From my understanding of the below question, I will need to send my original passport and not a full colour copy of it?
I am trying to obtain my dad’s birth certificate (this is lost and he would need to get another from India since he is born there. He also does not have a naturalisation certificate on him. Is it worth emailing the commission if there is a way around this? Like would they have his details on file and just my birth certificate and his passport details would be enough to prove my relationship? Or is it all just a matter of process and if he is unable to provide his birth certificate it doesn’t progress any further? The marriage certificate is easy to get a new one reissued since they married in New Zealand. See the question below.

If applicant born or adopted outside the UK: • The passport you entered the country from which you are applying, and if different, any non-British passport held as well as the evidence below: o If born on or after 1 January 1983 • One of your parents' full birth certificate (showing both the child's and parents' details) or naturalisation or registration certificate; and • If this is your father, his marriage certificate to your mother (this does not apply for those born on or after 1 July 2006).


Any help would be much appreciated, and if you have any further questions please feel free to let me know :)

Re: First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

If you have a NZ passport then the answer to the question regarding any previous passports is ‘Yes’. You’ll need to send a colour photocopy of this passport. You won’t need to provide your father’s birth certificate; you will need his UK naturalisation/registration certificate and your parents’ marriage certificate in addition to your own full NZ birth certificate.

Re: First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

Hi BritInParis,

Thanks for your prompt response.

Oh right, the 'included' part really confused me, as when I first read it, I thought 'included' meant British passport only. Yes I do have a New Zealand passport (current and only passport ever held).

Now that you mention it, I've read it again and can see the 'ANY' passport highlighted. I will state I made a mistake, and include the passport number and also a full colour photocopy of the passport. I'm glad I don't need to send the original passport I guess.
'If you've made a mistake or need to add more information, include the details in a signed and dated
letter with your declaration form and documents.'

Oh yes I see it is either or re the my dads birth certificate or his naturalisation certificate. Would you happen to know how one can obtain another copy of a naturalisation certificate for the UK if he is not in the country? I think trying to get a hold of the Indian birth certificate may be easier, so we are trying to go down that route at the moment, but if that doesn't pan out, I think we will need to try source the naturalisation certificate (original would of been from the late 1960's!). The marriage cert of my parents should be easy to get, and I've got a copy of my birth certificate.

Cheers :)

Re: First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

Your father’s Indian birth certificate is useless if you’re applying for a British passport. You’ll need his naturalisation or registration certificate as a Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies. If he’s lost it then that’s a serious problem. He may be able to obtain a replacement copy from the National Archives.

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...hip-1949-1986/

Re: First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

Oh right that does that make sense, as I was wondering the same thing as well. Eg why would they want his birth certificate when he was born in India.

Thank you for the link, I have put in an application for someone to search the archives as it would of been from the late 1960's. So hopefully they can dig it up, otherwise i'm stuck as he has lost it....

Re: First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

There are other options but they are not guaranteed to work. Getting a certificate copy from the National Archives is easily the first choice.

Re: First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

Hi BritInParis and anyone else who reads this,

I've heard back, but not the news I was after. Please see below.

Thank you for contacting The National Archives of the United Kingdom.

We have a name index to the duplicate certificates of citizenship 1949 – 1986, which I have searched on your behalf but unfortunately I could find no entry for Firstname Middlename Surname.

In carrying out a search of the relevant documents using the information you have provided, we have met our requirements under the Freedom of Information Act. Since most British citizens go on to apply for British passports, details of the certificate may have been submitted with a previous passport application, you may wish to contact HM Passport Office through their website or on 0300 222 0000 to look in to this.

Duplicate certificates for a grant of British citizenship (citizenship of the United Kingdom and colonies or British subject status) made from October 1986 onwards are held by the UK Visas and Immigration not The National Archives. Use the request form on the UK Visas and Immigration website to request a duplicate certificate. Completed request forms should be sent to the UKVI not to The National Archives.

I have since lodged a query with the HM Passport Office with my dilemma... Anything else I can do? Strange how there is no record of certificate.

Re: First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

A Subject Access Request to HMPO would’ve been my next suggestion so glad you’re already on it.

Re: First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

Hi,

A further update, not looking good!

This is from the HM Passport Office Operations (someone from the customer service management team)

Thank you for your enquiry.

Without your father’s naturalisation certificate, you potentially would not have a claim for a British passport.

You could contact UK Visas and Immigration and ask about the possibility of naturalising as a British Citizen on 0300 123 2241

If you require any further information, please contact us through our helpline on +44 (0)300 222 0000 or via e-mail [email protected]

Please ensure the application reference number is included in any email correspondences sent to us if applicable.

Re: First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

Hi,

It seems like I'm not getting anywhere.I don't understand why a naturalisation certificate is required when my fathers has a British passport, that clearly states he is a British citizen. No record of his naturalisation according to the archives which is strange, how would he have got the British passport etc?

Here is what I received from HM Passport Office Operations, in the Customer Services Management Team.

Thank you for your enquiry.

Without your father’s naturalisation certificate, you potentially would not have a claim for a British passport.

You could contact UK Visas and Immigration and ask about the possibility of naturalising as a British Citizen on 0300 123 2241

If you require any further information, please contact us through our helpline on +44 (0)300 222 0000 or via e-mail

Please ensure the application reference number is included in any email correspondences sent to us if applicable.

Re: First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

A British passport means that your father is a British citizen but gives no information on how and when he became a British citizen which is what is needed to assess your claim to British citizenship.

I think you’ve contacted the wrong department. Your father will need to submit a Subject Access Request to HMPO in Peterborough, or give you permission to do so, asking for the details regarding his entitlement to British citizenship. There should hopefully be a record of his naturalisation certificate details.

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...s-request-form

Re: First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

Hi, thanks for linking this form.

I have recently just come back from a quick holiday and need to get onto this.

Before I went away I gave UK Visa's and Immigration a ring (I called National Archives and they told me to contact them).

They then told me to email [email protected] with my request for obtaining my fathers naturalisation certificate.

I will also complete this form in the mean time. Do you know if it can be done via email? It does say on the form to send it to an address in Peterborough, but it also has an email [email protected] ?

I also may create another thread, specifically about obtaining a lost naturalisation certificate from the 1960's to see if anyone else had any luck...not to sure which section to post in but i'll take a look.

Cheers

Lost UK Naturalisation/Citizenship Certificate
 

Hi all,

My father was born in India and moved to the UK and became a UK Citizen (he says between 1965-1967).

He lives in New Zealand with me and holds a UK passport.

I am trying to obtain a first time British Passport, however one of the required documents is a naturalisation/citizenship certificate which he no longer has in his possession.

I have contacted the National Archives team, but they said 'We have a name index to the duplicate certificates of citizenship 1949 – 1986, which I have searched on your behalf but unfortunately I could find no entry for ...'

They then directed us to UK Visas and Immigration and called them and they told us to send an email to [email protected] so we did, and this was sent back with an automatic response with some info - 'IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE AS THE INFORMATION YOU REQUIRE MAY BE GIVEN BELOW. YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE ANOTHER RESPONSE TO THIS ENQUIRY. IF THE ANSWER TO YOUR ENQUIRY IS NOT FOUND HERE, FURTHER CONTACT INFORMATION IS PROVIDED.

We then over a week ago emailed [email protected] about a week ago, but they say the standard processing time is 20 business days and they also mentioned this which doesn't sound promising in my case? - 'International Enquires – Any queries relating to making an application outside of the UK are not handled by this mailbox and so you will not receive a response. '

I am planning to complete the 'HMPO data subject rights request form' ( https://www.gov.uk/government/public...s-request-form ) and hopefully the passport office may have some further info?

We are unsure what other steps to take to retrieve this certificate which is definitely needing as a supporting document for my passport application.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation or know how we should proceed?

Re: Lost UK Naturalisation/Citizenship Certificate
 

My previous advice still stands - make a SAR to HMPO for details regarding your father’s naturalisation/registration certificate. Depending on the result a further course of action can then be recommended.

Re: First Adult UK Passport - Applying from New Zealand
 

Naynay...please do not open more than one thread on the same subject. I have merged your threads but normally duplicate threads are deleted. Thank you. :)