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UK PASSPORT FOR SON BORN IN US

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 9:24 pm
by kerry916
Hi,

I made applied for a UK passport for my son who was born in the US and the passport office are asking me to provide documents that prove my parents status at the time I was born (this is how i acquired British Citizenship)

1, I am a British Citizen and hold a UK passport currently living in US with a green card.

2, My son was born in US and has a US passport

3, My parents became British citizens and applied for a UK passport AFTER i was born

So, the real problem is, my parents no longer hold any documents that prove their status nor do they still have their passports that had a stamp in it.

They came to the UK with a document that was titled 'Good for single journey to the United Kingdom' from
Vietnam as a Settlement/refugee.

Is there any way I am able to obtain copies or records of such information? or is there any other way to get my son his UK passport??

Re: UK PASSPORT FOR SON BORN IN US

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 11:01 pm
by contorted_svy
As you naturalised, your son has an entitlement to British citizenship by descent and your parents' details aren't needed. Write what you know at the best if your ability. You will need to send in your naturalisation certificate and provide details of your passport. The form tries to cover all bases.

Re: UK PASSPORT FOR SON BORN IN US

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 1:06 am
by secret.simon
Where and when (month/year) were you born?

Re: UK PASSPORT FOR SON BORN IN US

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 10:31 pm
by kerry916
Hi,

At the time of my birth my parents had ILR/settled, this was my claim to citizenship. My parents naturalised after i was born so they would not accept these documents. They are asking for documents that prove my parents status in the UK at the time of my birth, year 1986.

I spoke to someone from the passport office yesterday who informed me that there is no formal document and that a written letter from home office to confirm there status would suffice but the problem is, i am having trouble getting through to anyone at the home office. I have tried calling and emailed them also, still pending a response.

does anyone know any way to contact them for this information?

Re: UK PASSPORT FOR SON BORN IN US

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 10:43 pm
by contorted_svy
Apologies, I realise I completely misread the initial post.

You could try to apply through form NS for a letter that confirms you are British https://visas-immigration.service.gov.u ... 1665433767
It is not what they are asking, but it is confirmation you have an entitlement to British nationality and therefore your son also is entitled to it.

There is a service here https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/con ... 1949-1986/ to look up your parents' naturalisation certificate if it was issued before October 1986. i couldn't find anything about confirming ILR at a certain point in time.

Re: UK PASSPORT FOR SON BORN IN US

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 12:02 pm
by secret.simon
kerry916 wrote:
Fri Oct 21, 2022 10:31 pm
At the time of my birth my parents had ILR/settled, this was my claim to citizenship...my birth, year 1986.
You'd need the passport of at least one of your parents with an ILR stamp in it that predates your birth, and assuming that you were born in the UK, your birth certificate.

Re: UK PASSPORT FOR SON BORN IN US

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 1:10 pm
by vinny
contorted_svy wrote:
Fri Oct 21, 2022 10:43 pm
You could try to apply through form NS for a letter that confirms you are British https://visas-immigration.service.gov.u ... 1665433767
It is not what they are asking, but it is confirmation you have an entitlement to British nationality and therefore your son also is entitled to it.
Useless.

Re: UK PASSPORT FOR SON BORN IN US

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 4:31 pm
by kerry916
Thank you so much everyone!

I found out that you can you can request personal information about you that is held on the Home Office’s immigration records (this is also known as a ‘subject access request’). and it's FREE!!!

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... mmigration

Re: UK PASSPORT FOR SON BORN IN US

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 5:50 pm
by contorted_svy
A SAR from your parents is worth a shot. They should specify they are requesting their full immigration history in the period you were born - I did the general one and they didn't include details I would have expected to come up. Good luck!!

Re: UK PASSPORT FOR SON BORN IN US

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 8:23 pm
by secret.simon
contorted_svy wrote:
Sat Oct 22, 2022 5:50 pm
A SAR from your parents is worth a shot. They should specify they are requesting their full immigration history in the period you were born - I did the general one and they didn't include details I would have expected to come up. Good luck!!
Immigration records are kept only for a period of time and records before a certain period of time are unlikely to be kept by the Home Office.

The onus is on the migrant to maintain a copy of their records in case they are required in the future.

In this case, it is the OP's responsibility to have the passport of at least one parent that shows that they had ILR at the time of their birth in the UK. And such proof would need to be preserved for the long term, as it would be required for passport and other applications in the lives of generations to come (as in the case of the OP's US born child).

There is no harm in the OP or their parents submitting an SAR, but it is unlikely to yield any meaningful help.

As an aside, the OP should be aware that because his child was born outside the UK, they would be British citizen by descent and therefore be unable to pass British citizenship automatically to their own children (the OP's grandchildren) born outside the UK.

Re: UK PASSPORT FOR SON BORN IN US

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2022 9:30 am
by vinny
If you have a British Passport, then also ask HMPO for your personal data that they have on you. Perhaps they may still have the relevant evidence from your first British passport application that confirms that you are British otherwise than by descent.