Martinw02

Hi all. Hope someone might be able to help, since the British High Commission charge $1.50 per min for the privilege of talking to them.

I'm a British national and my wife is Irish, but my 3-year old son is Aussie (there is a joke in there somewhere). Anyway, we're moving back to the UK permanently very shortly and we overlooked the need to get him a passport. I'm sure he'd be entitled to a British passport, but it's very expensive to get one here in Oz and it's very short notice.

If we go back to the UK without a British passport for him, at some point we'll have to get one, but I assume he'd be entitled to stay for a while as an Aussie whilst we sort it out there.

Any advice would be welcome.

JAJ

Unclear why this is in a part of the forum intended for off-topic posts, but ...

Are you sure he's a British citizen? Were you born in the UK? If so, read on:

There are two other options:

1. Get a Right of Abode stamp in Australian passport. Not cheaper than a British passport, but perhaps quicker and easier in complex cases (although you do have to send away Australian passport), OR
2. If your wife was born in Ireland or Northern Ireland, get an Irish passport for the child.

In both cases, you can then get a British passport back in the UK.

Showing up as a tourist on an Australian passport, best that can be said that others have done it, but there may be problems if he needs healthcare, etc, before proper documentation to allow residence has been obtained.

If son is an Australian citizen, make sure you also get a citizenship certificate to avoid problems later on:
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Eviden...an_Citizenship

Martinw02

Thanks for your advice, but you still sound a bit of a dill; re the above comment. It must be obvious that my posts placement here, if it's not supposed to be, was a mistake and pointing it out to me in a nice way would have gone down better .

All those stars have gone to your head, perhaps.

sadieb

Hi

Jaj is always straight to the point but the advice he gives is excellent.

You are rich enough to buy 3 houses for cash when you return to the UK
Well done by the way, You have worked hard and prospered.

My only advice is time permitting pay the money in Oz and get a British passport, seriously how expensive is it....

You are not short of cash and it may save a lot of messing around at immigration in the UK

Antney

Why the arsey comment, it wasn't required. You got the answers you needed.

canadaeh

Why not get your child an Irish passport (bit cheaper). You can then also get the British one later down the line.

Martinw02

If you went to the shops to buy tea bags and the checkout chick tried to embarrass you in front of everyone because you were in the wrong queue, but served you anyhow, you'd still have your teabags but you'd also feel awkward. So I said something.

If the advice could not have been given courteously, then why did the person bother?

I'll tell you why - because they are one of those forum participants that get full of their own self importance because they have 5 stars, and they demonstrate this by chucking about their "weight", if that's the right word. Although I suspect this type of person is very diminutive in stature, since they spend all their time "overseeing" forums like this, when they'd rather be a bouncer in a night club where they would actually get the girls (real ones, anyhow).

If you translate this type of behavior, and yours for that matter, into real life, you'd both probably get a slap if you said it to the wrong person. But in this world you people hide behind your keyboards in your bedroom in your mum's house. It really is a case of an adrenalin kick for the nerd-herd, or people with other social skill issues.

northernbird

JAJ has made 28,000 posts on this site and is well respected for his professional opinion. You have made 8 posts, I suggest that you take a long hard look in the mirror at your own posting style before criticising others.

Martinw02

What a ridiculous thing to say; "take a long hard look in the mirror at my posting style" Do you seriously think that I should sit down and contemplate my comments in depth and think about how I can improve how I post? I've got far better things to do, and I'd suggest with 28,000 posts to his name JAJ should look at getting out a bit more, and for that matter you too for even bothering with your post!

Do they still use the term "wally" in the UK meaning nerd, geek, looser, or perhaps a person who's company is found to be undesirable or uninspiring?

northernbird

What an odd person you are

Martinw02

I'd say no more odd than someone who has all those stars and feels the need to spend their time interjecting with comments on discourses that have nothing to do with them.

Martinw02

PS to Northernbird - I notice you quote from Dr. Seuss, I also have one: "I do not like red headed nosy northern wallies, I do not like them Sam I am!", or something like that.

Lorna at Vicenza

Are you always so jolly?

northernbird

You are definitely VERY odd if you think I have red hair!!!

Martinw02

I'm being sardonic, which is kind of humour. But it needs a bit of intellect to pick it out. Oops, there I go again!