Info on passport and birth certificate

[sean88]

Hi everyone my name is Sean, i need some help if possible, i am engaged to a Filipina from Cebu she just give birth to our beautiful baby girl. My question is when we apply for the baby's British Passport and Birth certificate how do we do it and can it be done in Cebu or do we have to go to Manila, also is it possible for the baby to have dual citizenship and is it easy to get the Filipino Passport. Also on a side note if we where to travel to another country could the baby fly on my passport or does she need to have her own. thanks guys need this help.

[Terpe]

I think you'll find that our moderator Steve.r has given full detail for you on your previous post.
Well I hope it's still there.

On the birth certificate issue, you cannot get a British one. You can only register it. It's not needed to do that in order to get your child a passport.

[sean88]

Thanks for the advice Terpe, i'm still trying to get use to this site still a noob. Hey Terpe can you advice me on the Filipino passport, i'm gonna arrive next month an we want to travel in Asia a little with the baby. If we don't get the passport in time can the baby travel on mine or her mothers passport. Any advice would be really appreciated.

[Terpe]

Sean, I stand to be corrected but I believe the baby will need own passport. It's better to have a passport for the baby anyway.
I do not believe that baby can travel on a parents passport. Most countries stopped this practice years ago.
How old is the baby? Travelling around with a very young baby can be difficult and needs great care and good planning.

I'd get to work asap on securing that British Passport.

[grahamw48]

The baby will certainly need a full set of innoculations if any travelling to 'exotic' locations is planned.

[sean88]

Thanks for the help guys, i been reading up on the passport info trying to get as much knowledge as i possibly can its very confusing but i think i'm starting to understand it now.

[Jenky]

Hi

My first post for a while. I had a similar situation to you back in 2003. But back then unmarried British fathers of their illegitimate children born abroad could not automatically pass their British nationality onto the child. I had to register her as a British citizen under section 3(1) of the British Nationality Act. Lucky for you that rule was changed in 2006 and now your illegitimate child is automatically British. (but by descent only I think)

You will not be able to get a British birth certificate for her in the UK whatever you do. You can have her birth registered in the UK but its just a waste of money as you do not need it for any applications here in the UK. But from experience I advise you to get as many certified copies of her Filipino bith certificate from the NSO in the Fil as you can, as you will need these! I have 10 for my daughter!

What you do need to have available is that Filipino birth certificate for your child upon which you MUST be named as the childs father. The birth of the child needs to be recorded to the NSO (National Statistics Office) in the Philippines. You can get copies of the birth certificate from them and in your case once again I advise you to get at least six copies for future use. They do not cost a lot.

Ideally the surname of the child on the Fil birth certificate should be the same as your own and not that of your gf or some other. Because you will only be able to get a Filipino passport in the name recorded on that birth certificate. But if it is not your surname on the birth certificate dont worry. If you ever come to live in the UK you can change her name here by deed poll as I did for my daughter.

Back in 2003 there was one more important thing that I seem to remember. It may or may not still be applicable in 2013. Maybe one of the wiser moderators can confirm or correct me. Their are two types of British Citizenship. One by descent and the other otherwise than by descent. If you register your child as a British citizen while you are still not married to the childs mother then your child will be British by descent. The difference being that by descent any of your childs children born out of the UK will not automatically be British citizens themselves. As you are engaged to the childs mother and I presume intend to marry, then I would advise you to wait until after you are married before you apply to register you child as a British citizen. Doing this will for sure make your child British otherwise than by descent, and so the childs children will automatically be British Citizens wherever they are born.

I think the procedure for applying for a British passport for your child can be found on the British embassy website for Manila. I had to fill in a form MN1 (I think) along with other forms that were literally a signed confirmation that I was the childs father. Your wife will also probably have to submit a Cenomar to show that she is also not married to anybody else. (as they do not like adultery in the Fil)

In the mean time you can go ahead and get a Filipino passport for your child and go visit countries in Asia that accept Filipino passport without visa. These include Hong Kong and Singapore as I went to both of them with my tribe.

[joebloggs]

put in simple terms, if your child is not born in the UK, then they will probably be a British citizen by descent. meaning their own child cannot AUTOMATICALLY be British citizens unless born in the UK. there maybe other ways thou eg registration

[sean88]

Thanks a lot jenky this has helped us out so much. I will keep you informed if changes are made.