Child born abroad - do I need to apply for a dependent visa?

[dthornton]

Hi Everyone,

I have a question to ask about my newborn daughter.

I am a British citizen and my wife is Taiwanese. I am going to be leaving Taiwan in a couple of weeks to start a new job in England.

I plan to register my daughter's birth in England and get her a British passport when I return to England and then post the passport to my wife in Taiwan.

Then, after she has her permission to enter the UK (spouse visa), I am hoping she can bring my daughter to England with her (without me).

I am assuming that because my daughter will have a British passport and is a British citizen by descent, she will be able to leave Taiwan on her British passport and enter the UK without having her specified on my wife's visa.

Meaning we have to meet £18,600 financial requirement and not £22,400 (with dependent child)

Is this correct?

[Lucapooka]

You need to apply for the passport in Taiwan. It can't be done inside the UK if the child is not inside the UK. Furthermore you can't regsiter the birth of a British child that is born outside the UK. You have to do this at the consulate in Taiwan but it's not a compulsory requirement. Most people skip this (I did not bother in the case of my children) and simply apply directly for the passports.

[dthornton]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Ah that has thrown a spanner in the works

I'm leaving Taiwan on the 9th May. I've looked on the GOV.UK website and it says that an interview may need to be attended if applying from Taiwan. Is that interview for me or my child?

[Lucapooka]

They won't interview a child. They only interview adults who are making a claim that is not considered straightforward. For you, as British father of a new born child, it's a really simple process to apply if you provide the relevant paperwork to show the child is a British citizen by descent. They may want your passport (they needed mine!) so you might have to organise your travel around that event.

[dthornton]

Thanks for your help. I have found the relevant forms for applying for her passport and will get the wheels in motion.

Hopefully they won't ask for my passport as if they do, I will have to post it from England lol