Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > USA
Reload this Page >

British Expat & US born child

British Expat & US born child

Old Aug 4th 2012, 10:13 pm
  #1  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1
Chantpleure is an unknown quantity at this point
Default British Expat & US born child

Hello,

I am a UK citizen living in the United States with my husband, who is a US citizen, and our baby boy. My son was born in the US and is now 2 months old. We plan on going back to England for Christmas this year, and need to know how to travel with my son, specifically what kind of passport he needs. Should we get him a US or UK passport, or both? If he has a US passport, and I have my UK passport, will we be separated in the airport when we arrive in London, or can I take him with me through the UK citizens line? Same when we return to the US?
Chantpleure is offline  
Old Aug 4th 2012, 10:35 pm
  #2  
BTJ
Occasionally Useful
 
BTJ's Avatar
 
Joined: Nov 2009
Location: Edinburgh, UK
Posts: 682
BTJ is on a distinguished road
Default Re: British Expat & US born child

He needs a US passport as legally US Citizens must leave and arrive in the US using a US Passport. It is certainly advisable to also have a UK passport to ease entry into the UK, but is not strictly necessary. He certainly won't be separated from you at the airport with or without a UK passport!
BTJ is offline  
Old Aug 4th 2012, 11:15 pm
  #3  
Account Closed
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 38,865
ian-mstm has a reputation beyond reputeian-mstm has a reputation beyond reputeian-mstm has a reputation beyond reputeian-mstm has a reputation beyond reputeian-mstm has a reputation beyond reputeian-mstm has a reputation beyond reputeian-mstm has a reputation beyond reputeian-mstm has a reputation beyond reputeian-mstm has a reputation beyond reputeian-mstm has a reputation beyond reputeian-mstm has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: British Expat & US born child

Originally Posted by Chantpleure
Should we get him a US or UK passport, or both?
He must, at least, have a US passport... as US law compels him to enter the US with a US passport. It won't matter if he uses a US passport to enter the UK... as the UK doesn't have a similar law. Start now to get him the passport, as it will likely take 8-10 weeks or more and Christmas will be here before you know it.

Ian
ian-mstm is offline  
Old Aug 4th 2012, 11:33 pm
  #4  
BE Forum Addict
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 4,913
md95065 has a reputation beyond reputemd95065 has a reputation beyond reputemd95065 has a reputation beyond reputemd95065 has a reputation beyond reputemd95065 has a reputation beyond reputemd95065 has a reputation beyond reputemd95065 has a reputation beyond reputemd95065 has a reputation beyond reputemd95065 has a reputation beyond reputemd95065 has a reputation beyond reputemd95065 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: British Expat & US born child

As others have already said, he definitely needs to get a US passport.

Getting a UK passport at this stage is not strictly necessary.

You certainly won't be separated from him going through customs and immigration in the UK.

Also remember that, assuming that you were able to pass UK citizenship by descent to your child (which I assume must be the case) then he is already a UK citizen regardless of whether or not he has a UK passport. The passport just makes it easier to prove that he is.
md95065 is offline  
Old Aug 4th 2012, 11:44 pm
  #5  
Septicity
 
fatbrit's Avatar
 
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 23,762
fatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: British Expat & US born child

Originally Posted by Chantpleure
Hello,

I am a UK citizen living in the United States with my husband, who is a US citizen, and our baby boy. My son was born in the US and is now 2 months old. We plan on going back to England for Christmas this year, and need to know how to travel with my son, specifically what kind of passport he needs. Should we get him a US or UK passport, or both? If he has a US passport, and I have my UK passport, will we be separated in the airport when we arrive in London, or can I take him with me through the UK citizens line? Same when we return to the US?
As others have said, the easiest solution is a US passport.

However, you should consider as a very minimum registering the birth with the UK consulate so as not to cause your child issues later in life.
fatbrit is offline  
Old Aug 5th 2012, 12:38 am
  #6  
Bob
BE Site Lead
 
Bob's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,167
Bob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: British Expat & US born child

To add, on top of registering the birth, but getting the UK passport while you're in the UK, it is a shed load cheaper....and you don't need to bother getting the certified birth cert when you register the birth as you can get that in a subsequent trip to the UK next year for a tenner from the GRO.
Bob is offline  
Old Aug 17th 2012, 4:00 am
  #7  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Aug 2011
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 98
100weight has a brilliant future100weight has a brilliant future100weight has a brilliant future100weight has a brilliant future100weight has a brilliant future100weight has a brilliant future100weight has a brilliant future
Default Re: British Expat & US born child

Originally Posted by Bob
To add, on top of registering the birth, but getting the UK passport while you're in the UK, it is a shed load cheaper....and you don't need to bother getting the certified birth cert when you register the birth as you can get that in a subsequent trip to the UK next year for a tenner from the GRO.
What does registering a birth do? I ask because to register a birth is $173 and to apply for passport is $133 (plus $33 for delivery). So in my mind, it seems cheaper to just apply for the passport and be done with it rather than registering and then still applying for the passport? Am I missing something?

CWT
100weight is offline  
Old Aug 17th 2012, 5:02 am
  #8  
Septicity
 
fatbrit's Avatar
 
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 23,762
fatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond reputefatbrit has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: British Expat & US born child

Originally Posted by 100weight
What does registering a birth do? I ask because to register a birth is $173 and to apply for passport is $133 (plus $33 for delivery). So in my mind, it seems cheaper to just apply for the passport and be done with it rather than registering and then still applying for the passport? Am I missing something?

CWT
The registration lasts for ever; the passport does not. Additional proof may be required for renewing a passport beyond simply the expired passport, or the passport may be lost. For British children born in the US, there is an additional complication that the UK authorities may not accept copies of US birth certificates issued more than 6 months after the date of birth.
fatbrit is offline  
Old Aug 17th 2012, 10:18 pm
  #9  
Bob
BE Site Lead
 
Bob's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,167
Bob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: British Expat & US born child

Originally Posted by fatbrit
The registration lasts for ever; the passport does not. Additional proof may be required for renewing a passport beyond simply the expired passport, or the passport may be lost. For British children born in the US, there is an additional complication that the UK authorities may not accept copies of US birth certificates issued more than 6 months after the date of birth.
Issued 3 months after birth.

They might not have a issue with them, but they do on occasion, lot depends on how the state issues them. If they do have a issue with them, you then have to find proof that you're the birth parent, so medical insurance or hospital records will be needed. Major pain years down the line.
Bob is offline  
Old Aug 20th 2012, 1:52 am
  #10  
Just Joined
 
Joined: Nov 2011
Location: Bay Area CA
Posts: 17
brit0ninusa is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: British Expat & US born child

I applied for my daughters passport a few days before her 18th, I just sent in her us birth certificate, two photo id's, copies of mine and my wife's passport, they asked for two additional references for my daughter. I received the passport within two weeks.
brit0ninusa is offline  
Old Oct 6th 2012, 3:07 am
  #11  
Just Joined
 
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1
CharlieEck is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: British Expat & US born child

We asked the lawyers at my husbands work the same question. They advised that we should get a US passport for ease of travel but we could also apply for a UK passport without the child losing its US citizenship. Once our baby is born we will do exactly that. Hope that helps a little.
CharlieEck is offline  
Old Oct 6th 2012, 10:59 am
  #12  
 
Weeze's Avatar
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 2,262
Weeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: British Expat & US born child

They'll make you all stand in the visitors line when you enter the UK. We travelled 3 UK passports, 1 baby on a US passport. The nice man said to stand in the much shorter EU line. The woman looking at the passports moaned like hell and said we had to use the visitors line from now on as she asked two month old mini mini Weeze various questions about her stay. We've applied for her British passport to use to enter the UK next time.
Weeze is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.