cherry6

We are due to leave Perth to return to the UK on 27th Oct. Pickfords has collected the stuff, notices have been given etc. I sent off my husbands UK passport to be renewed along with our childrens applications (3 born uk, 1 here) and BHC received this on the 12th Sep. I sent a fax to them on the 17th Sep explaining my parents werent well and we had changed the date of our flight to the 27th Oct. This gave them nearly 6 weeks so felt confident. Money was taken out of my account on the 18th Sep, and heard no more until today. Then I get a letter this morning saying that 2 of my kids (uk born) werent automatically entitled to uk passports because they were born BEFORE me and my huband married! They want me to get a full UK birth certificate for my husband from the UK (they have a part certificate but thats not good enough) and send it to them, along with a letter from my husband stating he has not renounced UK citizenship (duh - he is applying for a renewal!) What the hell??? They seem quite happy with the other 2 kids applications, even though one is Aussie born, because we were married when we had them...... I have been on the phone to them in tears and all they say is "Its what the British Government requires". There is no way on earth I can get them that certificate before we fly, we go in just over 2 weeks! Am I supposed to leave 2 kids here? I cant stop crying I am so frustrated and upset. The BHC said they would contact me again later today but I am now having doubts that we will get the passports back in time, even without the certificate, as the other info they require (a form which asks questions like who has my husband been married to before, who are his parents, where is he planning to retire and be buried etc) has apparently to be double checked with the UK and that can take a while. I am gutted

Fleaflyfloflum

Oh no!! How awful for you all. I have no advice i'm afraid ...maybe JAJ can offer advice.

Just want to send m best wishes and hope it gets sorted

cherry6

Thanks

sel

What a nightmare for you all ... it is just ridiculous !!! Surely the fact that the kids already had passports to actually get here in the first place should mean it should be a straightforward renewal ?? Did you send the old passports with the forms ??

The only thing I can think that you could try is to get the birth certificates faxed directly to someone at the BHC, check with them to see if they would accept a faxed copy then its just a matter of phone calls and payment to where your hubby was registered ??

Really hope something can be done in time for you.

cherry6

Thanks, the two kids in question entered Australia on Aussie passports (as they were entitled to that through me as I am Aussie), but they have been on my husbands UK passport when they were small. The whole thing is so ludicrous. That passport and their old Aussie ones have all been sent in, along with all the other usual info. Even without the birth certificate the BHC said they have to double check the other info they want with the UK and there is no guarantee we will get our passports back in time.

sel

Oh ok ... I can see where they are coming from now, even though it is still crazy that they didnt tell you all this at the start to at least give you more of chance of getting the info you need.

Another option would be for you to go over with the kids you can take and hubby stays with the others until all is sorted. I know this may mean hotels or friends houses for hubby if you have finalised everything in Aus and is a major pain but at least you would be there for your parents and to sort UK side out and hubby and kids can join you as soon as ???

I know how upset I would be with all of this going on but I guess its a case of having to accept it and work around it ... hopefully the airline will be able to work out whatever you decide without to much hassle.

JAJ

The fact they were born before you got married normally does not matter, as under section 47 of the British Nationality Act 1981 (as in force before 1 July 2006) they automatically became British citizens upon the marriage.


If it was good enough for the other applications, no reason why it's not good enough for these ones.

That is a silly and unprofessional request. All renunciations are held on record by the Home Office (who process them) and a list of people who have renounced (and hence are ineligible for British passports) is made available to all British missions.



This last part of the request is normal where children are born before 1 July 2006 to an unmarried British father. I'll spare you the legal technicalities but the "domicile" of the father does have some bearing on how section 47 of the British Nationality Act operates to confer British citizenship on a child.

However, it does not matter for this purpose whether he has retained a U.K. domicile (very likely) or acquired an Australian one.

You need to get back to the High Commission and insist on having your case referred to someone more senior.

The request about citizenship renunciation is highly unusual and indicates a poor level of nationality law understanding on the part of the officer dealing with your case currently.

If you continue having problems, you need to contact your Member of Parliament in the U.K. who can in turn contact the relevant Foreign Officer Minister to intervene.

But - you didn't really book flights before having passports, did you?

cherry6

Thanks JAJ for that. Yes I booked flights, as my dad has a heart condition and my mum has being having tests for possible bowel cancer. I stupidly thought 6 weeks would be enough time for the passports.

Anyway, I spoke to a lady from the high commission this afternoon (who gave me her direct line) and she said the birth certificate would have to be gotten from the UK. She asked me to express post platinum the rest of the paperwork today, which I have done. I also got my poor mother in law to drive 20 miles to a birth certificate place and get a copy (express 10 quid) of my OHs full certificate. And guess what???? Its the SAME as the copy the high commission have. That IS the full certificate (even though it doesnt look it and doesnt have his parents place of birth on it). Now I am worried that the BHC are not going to believe me when I tell them thats the full one and insist on taking ages to check my claim.

JAJ

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/French/yearabro...tes/index.html

shows what is available in England and Wales.

Tr1boy

I'm going off memory but isn't there a check box for this on the std application form anyway?

cherry6

Probably. I rang the BHC to tell them they do have the correct birth certifiate, now they are saying they have NO birth certificate for my husband and I 'must have forgotten to send it'. Thats a lie as I KNOW I sent it, but its their word against mine I guess. It was the correct one as I checked with the GRO office in the UK, all birth certs prior to 1969 were in a shorter 'landscape' style as opposed to the 'portrait' style now available. I am so stuck as I now have to wait for a birth cert to come from the UK. There is no way my girls can come with me and I dont have the money to rebook all our flights so I will have to find a cheap hotel for my OH and 2 daughters whilst I fly with the other 2 kids. This really sucks.

Kate2112

Why dont you Fed ex the Birth certs? Hope all turns out well for you

Tr1boy

Yep, my BC (1965) is landscape style, hand written, with red printing, and a coffee stain on it!

I hope you can get it sorted quickly.

deborahjane

Feel really sorry for you. We are returning to the UK for good a few days after Christmas and hope nothing delays us from leaving Perth. If the flight is cancelled we'll get the boat!

Get back on to the High Commisssion today and take it up with someone senior. It is just stupid. Something must be done to speed things up and help you on your way.

I'll keep watching to see how things are going.

Take care and I'm sure things will work out okay.

cherry6

Good idea, have just looked at their website and it says they could deliver it by Tues 5pm, at a cost of 47 pounds, cant book it yet as I dont have an account with them so will have to wait until they open later today (darn this time difference!). The BHC say they will do all they can, but I am still miffed as I know they have lost the BC I sent originally. not that they will admit that.