Jo1973

I registered my baby's birth with the Embassy paying the fee for the registration and a copy of her birth certificate. Today I received back her stuff.

Here is the question...

Did you get 2 legal documents back? All I received is a "certificate of a Birth Registration", and no birth certificate or is this infact her actual birth certificate as it does have Father and Mothers birth place and occupations etc, just looks so boringly plain compared to our birth certificates.

Thanks in advance for any help on this.

Jo

meauxna

What Embassy where?

My girlfriend, a USC who was born in Germany has a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (errr... form #??) in lieu of a "birth certificate".

I don't know who "our" is in your post though.

Jo1973

The British Embassy in DC.

lapin_windstar

I would assume that the idea is that your US birth certificate is the actual birth certificate, and that all you've done is let the UK government know that a kid's been born. Someone better informed will be along in a minute to confirm/deny.

Rete

As do I. When a new certificate is needed, I have to obtain it at the DOS in DC.

Elvira

You can only get one birth certificate - from the place where the child was born, i.e. the US.

What you have received from the embassy is proof that your child is a British citizen. A very useful document to have

farmerwife

Some info -

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?...=1170863315267

JAJ

It is a birth certificate as well as proof of citizenship. It could be used as such if child had been born somewhere that doesn't routinely register births, or if child is born to diplomats and doesn't get a local birth certificate etc.

And it can normally be used as a birth certificate for any official purposes in the U.K.

Maz

Is there a time limit for registering British births abroad? (please say no )

Jo1973

Thanks for all your responses, makes me feel more at ease now.

Maz,

On the paperwork/forms you have 3 months to register the birth, after that time you need to provide Hospital records of the birth, so in effect it is easier to register right after the birth.

JAJ

If the child is a British citizen at birth, there is no limit but it is easier to do so as soon as possible (proof of ID and all that).

If child is not a British citizen then there are time limits because the registration needs to be done through the Home Office - depends on circumstances, either age 12 months or 18 years normally.

Maz

Thanks JAJ. I thought I had read somewhere that you have until the child is 7. Maybe that's for registering their name, or something similar. For reallly really indecisive people!

Now we're settled, I can get on with that. And getting hubby his Irish citizenship, too. So much paperwork involved with having more than one citizenship.