Can Baby travel multiple times to UK on Certificate of Entitlement - To Right of Abode, Oberv - Section 2(1)(a)

[yogesh24]

Hi, I am British Citizen By Naturalisation from last 6 years, My wife is Indian Citizen (UK Spouse Visa holder),
We have baby born in India last year and has travelled to UK this year on Certificate of Entitlement - Right of Abode ( Observ ; Section 2 (1)(a) ). We have not yet applied for Baby's UK passport but next month we are planning to go to India and to stay there for 2 months.

Q1. Can my baby come back to UK on Certificate of Ent- Right to Abode ) which has printed on her Indian passport? Is it valid for multiple entries? we already come to UK on this.

Q2. Also if I apply for Baby's UK passport then Can I travel to India based on her Indian passport and travelled back to UK based on Baby's UK passport? I will surrender Indian passport after coming back to UK, I guess some 3 months grace period allowed to surrender Indian passport ?

Any guidance will be highly appreciated and thanks in advance.

Thanks,
Yogesh

[yogesh24]

Moderators, experts and anyone can share their understanding around it? any information/views highly appreciated. Thanks

[alterhase58]

Hi, I am British Citizen By Naturalisation from last 6 years, My wife is Indian Citizen (UK Spouse Visa holder),
We have baby born in India last year and has travelled to UK this year on Certificate of Entitlement - Right of Abode ( Observ ; Section 2 (1)(a) ). We have not yet applied for Baby's UK passport but next month we are planning to go to India and to stay there for 2 months.

Q1. Can my baby come back to UK on Certificate of Ent- Right to Abode ) which has printed on her Indian passport? Is it valid for multiple entries? we already come to UK on this.
COE-RoE is NOT a visa - it certifies passport holder is a British citizen and therefore can enter the UK unrestricted, subject to foreign passport being valid. When foreign passport expires a new certificate needs to be applied for.

Q2. Also if I apply for Baby's UK passport then Can I travel to India based on her Indian passport and travelled back to UK based on Baby's UK passport? I will surrender Indian passport after coming back to UK, I guess some 3 months grace period allowed to surrender Indian passport ?
In principle yes to the first question. I believe though that Indian rules make things complicated so cannot comment on that.

Any guidance will be highly appreciated and thanks in advance.

Thanks,
Yogesh

[secret.simon]

Baby can re-enter the UK multiple times as long as both the passport and the CoE-RoA are valid.

Be aware that the baby can have either a British passport OR a CoE-RoA. When the British passport is issued, the CoE-RoA will be cancelled by a stamp mark across it.

Also be aware that if you apply for the baby's first British passport on the Subcontinent, it can take six months to a year.

It may be better to apply for the first British passport for the baby when they're back in the UK.