Scoterican

I am both a British/US Citizen by birth. I knew I was born in Scotland, but I didn't realize that I am a British citizen until a few months ago. This made me very happy because I'm going back to the UK in a few months and was not looking forward to having get a visa! But this also means that I'm about to apply for my first British passport. Anyway I have three questions:

1) I have my British birth cirtificate, but the form for the first time passport from the British Embassy website tells me I need to have the passport I left the UK on. Does this mean that I have to find the passport my mom used to bring me to the US?

2) Do they just want a photocopy of my US passport, or do I have to send the actual document?

3) If anyone else has gone through this, you have any pointers on what I might be missing?

If anyone has been through this I'd much appriciate your advice. Thanks!

NC Penguin

Are you sure you're reading the application correctly? If you're applying for your first passport, you've never had one at all!

BTW- if you live in the US, you should apply at the British Embassy in Washington DC.

This is the site for the Embassy in the US:
http://www.britainusa.com/sections/i...sp?i=10080&D=1




NC Penguin

AdobePinon

But there's no mention of the 'British' passport he/she left the UK on. So I'd guess he/she's probably right. Might be worth contacting the embassy for clarification, because the mom probably doesn't want her passport sent away!

callé

Hi. yes I had to do the same. I came over when my parents emigrated and at that time was just listed on my Mums passport. When I sent for 'my first passport' I had to send my Mums ORIGINAL passport (no copies). They do send it right back though. In fact she lost the passport she came on and got another along the way and I wasnt listed. So still sent that one in stating that the other was lost and sent in my greencard as well as report cards or anything I still had with both my and my parents names on. I got my passport fine.

JAJ

1. The key document is your birth certificate (if you were born before 1983). Your mother's passport won't prove much, except that if it's still valid they may want to remove your details from it.

2. A grey area - Send a certified or notarised copy of the ID page and see if they accept this, if you don't want to send the original (and passports should only be sent by courier - never regular post).

If you were born in the UK in 1983 or later than additional evidence will be required.

Jeremy

denniss

hey Scoterican,

yeah, I've been through it. I found myself (happily) in the exact situation you're in a few years ago. born in England, never knew I was a citizen.

anyway:

1) yes, I remember that they wanted to see the passport I first left the UK on. I also believe they wanted my current US passport. Luckily, my parents still had the original passport from way back then. I'd imagine that if you don't have it, they have to allow for this (I mean, the birth certificate should be enough) ....but it definitely made the process go a lot smoother in my case because I had it.

2) yes they want the actual document. in all cases....I sent in the original passport, current US one, and birth certificate. I was a little nervous about that too, but they sent it all back no problem.

3) yeah, as I said - I went through it. no real pointers....it sounds like you are on the right track here. I just did everything they said (which you have already mentioned) and the passport (along with all the stuff i sent in) came in the mail about a month later. best of luck.

denniss

by the way, just to clarify....

that first passport I refer to was a US Passport (I assume the same in your case, but other replies have confused me a bit) and was my own, not a joint one with my mother.

Scoterican

Thanks all! Will be sending in my application as soon as my mom sends my her old passport (joint passport at the time). I suppose the worst that will happen is they will want more documents.

Don

JAJ - they don't seem bothered about people having 2 UK passports. I renewed mine a few years early as it was looking worn, I fully expected my first passport to be cancelled but they said there was no longer a policy to do this and I could happily use both passports until the first one expired.

Which comes in handy as a spare, eg drivng ID etc.