jackattack

I'm not sure if this is the best place to put this since it's the US forum and I'm asking about UK passports but it's worth a shot. A bit of background...

I am UKC living in the US on green card thanks to marriage to USC. I have three kids (twins are just four weeks old tomorrow) and am going back to the UK with them this summer to be closer to family in the hopes of getting some much needed sleep. We'll be there for about 4 weeks.

I am in the process of getting US passports for the twins and the kids will leave the US (and enter the UK) on these. From my friend Dr Google, I can see that it is MUCH cheaper to get the kids UK passports while in the UK rather than through the US consulate. The UK website says that you aren't supposed to do this if you're not a UK resident, but has anyone done this and what are the risks? We don't technically need the UK passports to leave the UK when we return to California and my parents (UK residents) can just post them to me when they arrive.

Thoughts?

sir_eccles

As an expectant father myself I have been considering the passport issue recently and came to the conclusion that really they don't need to consider a UK passport until they are over 16 and can happily travel on a US passport until then. I can't see the point (and cost) of renewing it every five years.

I will be doing consular registration though (puts can down carefully, hopes worms don't spill everywhere).

jackattack

Well that was my thought too but it's far cheaper to get a UK passport in the UK (£49) than it is to get a consular birth registration ($175) which is why I thought that I'd do the passport route instead; even though I know that the passport is valid for only 5 years and needs to be renewed so you have to factor in the repeated costs each time.