First UK Child Passport application Woe...

[mutes00]

I am currently a British passport holder (through obtaining registration certificate back in 1993) and my wife is a Japanese national holding Japanese passport with a PR in the UK.

We are currently apply for our third child (first two children also born in UK and have both UK and Japanese passports) who was born in the UK earlier this year. Assuming this was also a straightforward process, I was very surprised to be asked to provide a copy of the original reg certificate which was issued to me over 24 years ago! This is for the examiner to satisfy that I am a British national..

This is in contradiction to the supporting document required as it clearly states either UK passport number OR reg certificate.

Unfortunately, I have misplaced the original reg certificate after all these years and been told that it could be up to 10 weeks before I can get hold it!

I am thinking of appealing to the examiner again but anybody has got similar experiences or any suggestions??

We have got travel plan at the end of June while this passport application already started back in beginning of April, sigh...

Many thanks!!!

[vinny]

When you applied for your first British passport, didn't you send them your original registration certificate at that time? If they have had sight of it in the past, then it should be in their records. Then give them notice if you intend to claim costs back from them for the replacement certificate.

Ask them to advance cogent reasons why they are not accepting your British passport as evidence now.

There are some Surprised Brits with similar problems.

Moreover, if your wife has provided proof of ILR/PR granted to her prior to child's birth in the UK, then this sufficed too. Ask them to provide justifiable reasons why they also now doubt your wife's status?

[mutes00]

Thanks Vinny for your comments. I wouldn't think that I had sent them the original certificate when I first applied for the British passport. The reason being that my younger sister still has hers and she was in the same situation as me. I only entered my details (as only one of the parents is needed plus the first 2 children went through the process smoothly 7 and 4 years ago......) on the passport application form thinking that it would be easier given that I have got the UK passport for over 24 years.

I think you are right that we need to know why the examiner requests further evidence other than my valid UK British passport number. The copy of the certificate is already additional information which should not be required per the guidance. On top of it, I have to pay additional £234 for the duplicate copy to be forwarded to them.

The officers answering the calls at the Passport office also not very helpful as they basically just read out the examiner's notes without being able to help any further.....

I am going to arrange a lawyer to write back to them seeking clarification while wait for the duplicate to turn up hopefully way before the maximum 10 weeks.....

[vinny]

Did you send evidence of your wife's ILR/PR?

[mutes00]

No, I didn't as it is not part of the required documents and previous children got passport without as well. Don't think people around us in similar situation sent either as well....

[vinny]

Providing evidence of wife's settled status (ILR or PR) is an alternative possibility.

[mutes00]

Thanks Vinny, I understand what you mean. However, my wife's PR also comes from my British nationality. Again, I just worry that they will use the same illogical argument to argue about my own British nationality if you can see where I am coming from.....

[mutes00]

I also wonder now whether the examiner is actually trying to "prove or challenge" the date of which I got the British citizenship rather than questioning the citizenship per se....But again if he/she bothers to cross against my passport number and the copy of registration certificate, this should not be an issue really...sigh!!

[vinny]

Their problem with a British passport may be that although it's evidence of British citizenship, it doesn't actually confer Brtish citizenship. They apparently want your original registration certificate to confirm that they didn't issue your passport in error. This says a lot about their apparent lack of confidence with their verifications in the past 24 years! Moreover, they should give cogent reasons for their doubts.

However, if your wife has the original document granting ILR or confirming PR, then this may satisfy them. Does your wife have ILR under the Immigration Rules or PR under the EEA regulations? The grant of ILR actually confers her settled status. They may have a hard time disputing the original document, irrespective of how she obtained it.