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Child born outside UK, applying for British passport from India - countersign query
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2025 6:06 am
by Mohan321
Hi,
We have had our child born in India and currently preparing application to apply for her British passport from India. The guidance around countersign states that the person must live in the UK and be a British citizen. But we are currently in India. How do we do this?
Re: Child born outside UK, applying for British passport from India - countersign query
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2025 6:58 am
by contorted_svy
Who can be a referee for a customer applying from overseas
A referee for a customer who applies from overseas, must:
live in the UK or overseas (this does not need to be the same country as the customer)
pass our automatic identity checks (if they are a digital referee)
complete the 1 page form (if they are a paper referee (1 page form))
complete section 10 of the OS form (if they are a paper referee (countersignature))
They must hold (in order of preference), a current and valid (unexpired and uncancelled):
British passport recorded on our electronic passport records (this includes any variant type passport or British nationality)
Irish passport
European Union passport
United States passport
Commonwealth passport
If you know someone who is British you can get them to sign the form digitally. If you can't, follow the list of preferences from the guidance I shared above. Referee must not live in the UK.
Re: Child born outside UK, applying for British passport from India - countersign query
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2025 7:23 am
by Mohan321
Thanks, there is also a requirement for a referee to sign the photograph. How would I be able to do that digitally? Apparently, there is only a paper form to apply for a child first passport overseas. Please suggest
Re: Child born outside UK, applying for British passport from India - countersign query
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2025 1:54 pm
by contorted_svy
I don't think you need to send that. Review here
https://www.gov.uk/get-a-child-passport ... d-passport
Ask someone to confirm your child’s identity
After you’ve paid and submitted the application, you’ll need to ask someone to confirm your child’s identity.
Let the person know that they’ll receive an email from HM Passport Office telling them what to do. They’ll confirm your child’s identity online - they do not need to sign a printed photo.
Find out who can confirm your child’s identity and what they need to do.
Re: Child born outside UK, applying for British passport from India - countersign query
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2025 2:00 pm
by secret.simon
In any case, be aware that first British passports for children born in the Subcontinent made from the Subcontinent can take six months to a year. So plan for that.
BC application from overseas for a child born abroad - Birth Certificate of mother query
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2026 6:01 am
by Mohan321
Hi,
Our child is born in India and we had applied for her BC application from India itself (through father naturalisation route). Mother is still an Indian citizen where as father is a naturalised British citizen. HMPO has asked for additional docs in which they have asked for mother’s birth certificate. We do have the original but it is in Hindi. Question is do we submit the original hindi or apply for a new one with translated in English? Or do we get it translated? Please suggest
Re: BC application from overseas for a child born abroad - Birth Certificate of mother query
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2026 1:44 pm
by contorted_svy
Can you please clarify why you are applying from India directly? Has the mother ever lived in the UK?
You would need to get the birth certificate translated by an approved translator.
Re: BC application from overseas for a child born abroad - Birth Certificate of mother query
Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2026 8:19 pm
by Mohan321
We live in the UK.
My mother had a brain stroke when my wife was 8 months pregnant so we had to travel to India (as I couldn’t be in both the places to look after the both). So eventually she had to give birth in India. (She is currently on a spouse visa
Of a British citizen).
Re: BC application from overseas for a child born abroad - Birth Certificate of mother query
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2026 11:37 am
by contorted_svy
Did you apply for British citizenship or passport? You said BC but your earlier post suggests that your daughter is a British citizen by descent.
I am not sure why HMPO wants the birth certificate of your wife. Did you submit the relevant evidence that your child's claim to British citizenship is through descent from your side?