Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

Hi everyone. After looking at the Embassy & UK goverment sites I am still confused about the supporting docs for registering a birth at British Embassy in Washington DC. Can someone who has done this before please share their list of evidence and the timescale it took?

I am a UK citizen, my wife a US citizen. We have both been married before. Child born in USA.The list of supporting documents includes divorce certificates. My wife's document is many many many pages long. Do we need to provide the full document AND 2 copies of it or just the front page(s)?


On a side note I wanted to speak with the Embassy at Washington and couldn't get through. I noticed they had a facebook page but the email listed was gmail! I doubt the British Government would use that for official business. It seemed odd. See here:
https://www.facebook.com/ukinusa/info

Put downs and sarcasm welcome as always! :)

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

Are they asking for the divorce certificate or the divorce decree? I expect the certificate, but you seem to be describing the decree.

Two different things.

Regards, JEff

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

I have a certificate as I was divorced in the UK. My wife has a decree and was divorced in the USA. On the UK government website it says says "divorce documents" but on the downloaded word document it says

The parents’ marriage/civil partnership certificate and, if appropriate, evidence of the termination of any previous marriage/civil partnership(s) of either parent

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

Each state may be different in some respects, but there is likely both a certificate and a decree, the latter containing the gory details of the settlement. Have your wife check if there isn't a simple 1-page certificate of divorce available.

You didn't provide much of a description, but "just the front page(s)" might be all you need.

Regards, JEff

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

Not that uncommon actually these days. It's a good spam filter, so a lot of companies are using it as a gate way for info/jobs @ email address.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

We just finished the process with our twins. My divorce didn't include a bonus of a certificate, so the entire decree went.

We simply included everything listed on the application and ignored the site as it was confusing.

We sent it all priority mail as it includes tracking already these days.

A few days later, we got an email from a nice lady in the consul section with a few questions (they wanted to be sure we were registering TWO new British subjects) and confirmation to charge our CC.

They'll get in touch with you if something is missing.

Everything came back within a week after the email.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

Following on from our situation is there a time limit for registering the birth at the British? Also does it matter if you apply for a British Passport before said certificate?

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

I don't think there is a hard limit as such but the longer it is left the more suspicious of evidence they might be. Mainly in relation to the date of issue of the birth certificate. This is because in adoptions the original birth certificate ceases to exist. I have seen suggestions it is best to register within three months.

Probably easier to wait until you have a copy of the British registration certificate before applying for the passport will make that process smoother.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

We just got her amended (due to spelling mistake) birth certificate. My daughter is 2 months old. Where can I get concrete information that I need to register before 3 months old?
Many thanks

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

You can't, there is just a rule of thumb just because of amendments.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

I did this in January.
I forgot to mail my divorce documents.
They emailed me and asked me to scan it to them and email it.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

I still haven't done this and the bin lid will be 2 in August. Bollocks.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!! :thumbsup: Have you also visited the British bakery in Pooler?

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

Hi Cindy. A work colleague of my wife brought us some pasties from there once. They were pretty tasty :)

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

From memory I think the three month rule applies to having the US birth certificate issued no later than three months after the birth otherwise the embassy will also need to see the hospital records as well.

https://www.gov.uk/register-a-birth

You can apply for the passport before birth registration, but it's easier to do it afterwards as all you'll need to send is their consular birth certificate.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

If I recall correctly you can actually apply for both at the same time. We did this with our first born. No probs.
There is a very nice antipodean who works at consul, very helpful.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

Yeah, you can do that too :)

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

I tried to phone them and email them but couldn't get through to a person. It was just an automatic email and phone system that keeps you in a loop :(

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

Dean, who is on BE sometimes can be reached here, Brit Consul, I think it was.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

Bob could you send me a private message or email with Dean's username?
Cheers

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

I need to register my kids, they are 6 & 7 years old.

I don't need UK passports they can just use there American ones for visits. I see no point paying silly money for the passports with a chip when they can't use the chip gates at UK passport control as they are under 18.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

It was in the post.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

How long does it take to get the British birth certificate? My application pack should have arrived with them yesterday via Fedex. Yes I am keen as mustard ;)

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

I haven't heard anything yet. I tried calling the Washington Embassy but just got into a phone loop as my query doesn't fit into their phone options. I have used the email [email protected] on their website but I just get an automatic reply. Also tried send a PM to the member on here that I was told works there. Can I assume all is ok and they are just processing it if I haven't received a phone call back with a query?

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

Have you been charged for it?

Birth regs go on the back burner if consular staff are required elsewhere in the region. I understand Washington is pretty quick normally but elsewhere can take months.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

I drew out the cash and went to Kroger to get the money order so not sure yet. By the way Bank of America would charge me $5 for a money order and Kroger $0.69 only.

Re: Supporting documents for Registering Birth at Embassy
 

Got the birth certificate yesterday 9th July. Even if my daughter were not to get a UK passport this very second this document will help her when we decide to do it. Very happy about that now :)