Child born in Pakistan to UK citizen

[Usmanm501]

Hi, we are due to have our child born in Pakistan. We were on family holiday in Pakistan before the lockdown started and now cant travel back due to the last 2 months of pregnancy. Father is a British citizen (by naturalisation) and mother has ILR (application for naturalisation is in process). Is it possible to apply for the British passport in Pakistan (once UK VFS centres open)? What is the process/timeframe and documentation required? I do not have my original naturalisation certificate with me. Would it be okay to apply with the passport only and explaining that before the Covid situation we were not planning to have our child in Pakistan? Any helpful advice will be much appreciated.

[CR001]

Is it possible to apply for the British passport in Pakistan (once UK VFS centres open)?

Yes.

What is the process/timeframe and documentation required? I do not have my original naturalisation certificate with me. Would it be okay to apply with the passport only and explaining that before the Covid situation we were not planning to have our child in Pakistan?

Passport should be ok. Note that passports from abroad can take anywhere between 16 weeks and 12 months. There is also likely to be long delays due to COVID-19 as there are even delays for passports being applied within the UK.

https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

[Usmanm501]

Thank you as always for your advice. Do you know the documents required for the child’s passport application? I presume birth certificate for the child, our marriage certificate (copy) and passports are enough? Do we need to submit originals or scan like other visa applications? Also just to confirm that we wont need to use MN1 form etc as this will not be immigration related application?

[CR001]

Thank you as always for your advice. Do you know the documents required for the child’s passport application? I presume birth certificate for the child, our marriage certificate (copy) and passports are enough? Do we need to submit originals or scan like other visa applications? Also just to confirm that we wont need to use MN1 form etc as this will not be immigration related application?

The link i have provided should explain what is required. Minimal documents, originals.

MN1 is not required. Note also that MN1 is NOT an immigration application either, it is a citizenship application under nationality laws.

You could also get a Pakistan passport and apply for a Certificate of Entitlement to Right of Abode then apply for a British passport when back in the UK. CoE/RoA costs a lot more than the British passport though.

https://www.gov.uk/right-of-abode

[Usmanm501]

Thank you again for your guidance. I have searched the documents and procedure for the certificate of entitlement or right of abode which appears to be similar to the British passport application. Regardless of the cost, do you think it will be quicker and easier to obtain the certificate of entitlement/right of abode document in Pakistani passport than applying for a British passport?

We are minded to return to UK as this likely delay after the baby is born may mean that we are stuck for an unspecified period of time.

[CR001]

Certificate of Entitlement is usually quicker than a British passport application.

Note however, that you cannot make appointments at VFS as yet for biometrics etc.

[Usmanm501]

Hi, we had our baby girl and have started the online application form for her certificate of Entitlement as suggested previously however facing difficulty filling the form. In addresses section, the form is asking for 3 years address history and fails to recognise that the child is a newborn. It is also asking how long have you lived at this (UK) address. Should I provide our UK address history (and add Pakistani address in correspondence) even when it is understood that our newborn child has not lived in UK since she was born a few weeks ago!? I am trying to answer the questions on behalf of the child as much as possible. Any suggestion from anyone who has applied for COE for their new born child will be very helfpul. Kind regards

[vinny]

If you do not live in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man

You cannot apply on this form. You must apply here. (This includes people who live in a British Overseas Territory.)

[Usmanm501]

It is the same online form that I am using to apply. It is asking for address history. We still have address history in UK as was stuck here in Pakistan due to covid.

[vinny]

If the child has never been to the UK, then it’s not applicable. Can you put "N/A"?

[Usmanm501]

No there is no such option. It is a mandatory requirement to give the address history for 3 years. Bizarre. Has anyone else submitted the online application for COE new born in Pakistan?

[vinny]

I don’t believe it’s a mandatory requirement. It’s necessary and sufficient to prove that the applicant is a British citizen.

[Usmanm501]

Thanks Vinny, I have filled the online form and have additional questions please:

1. Nationality- Do you currently hold, or have you ever held, any other nationality or citizenship? It then asks if you hold a valid passport or National Identity card.

Should I fill in British Citizen as an additional nationality for the new born held since the date of birth? I have stated that the new born does not have a valid UK passport or ID card.

2. Do you have any family in the UK?

I have given both parents details already. Should I state that the new born has family in UK and provide details of mother and father though technically we are currently in Pakistan?

3. Do you have any family in your country of birth, nationality or any other country where you have lived for more than 5 years?

I selected ‘No’ as the answer and then it asks why not. I have stated that the child is born on 1st September so not applicable in the free format box.

Tuberculosis- do we need to take the baby for Tuberculosis testing even when she is only a month old?

Please share your thoughts to help me finalize the application.

[vinny]

1. Yes. Put all nationalities, including British. The CoE-RoA for people born from 1983 is solely dependent on being a British citizen without a British passport.
2. Yes.
3. Should be okay. There is no TB test requirement for people with RoA, as they are not subject to any medical restrictions.

[Usmanm501]

Thank you Vinny. I have applied and paid the fee only to be told that the visa centre ‘Lahore Pakistan’ is not accepting new appointments. Getting this message ‘Due to the impact of COVID-19 there are no appointments available at your chosen Visa Application Centre. Please visit the website for your country of application for more details.’ There is nothing on the website about the appointments.

Is it worth cancelling/refunding the appointment and instead applying for the British Passport instead from Pakistan?

[Usmanm501]

It is October 13th and I am still waiting for an appointment at VFS Global/Gerry’s. I get the message below before the appointment page which is very frustrating. I have tried to contact VFS Lahore without success. The country VFS page is saying that the centre is open for all visa types. Anyone else struggling with appointments?

‘Due to the impact of COVID-19 there are no appointments available at your chosen Visa Application Centre. Please visit the website for your country of application for more details.’

[musanuman]

Hi,
Did you manage to get to the COE sorted from Pakistan?
I'm in a similar situation and was wondering where you were in the process.

[Usmanm501]

Hi, we got Gerry Lahore appointment on 18th November. Received the COE on 30th November. I had uploaded all documents online and did not include TB test as suggested by Vinny.

Thank you Vinny for your expert advice. The process was smooth with the only issue in obtaining the visa appointment.