Baby's first UK passport from India

[susangill]

Hi All,

I was wondering if someone could guide me as i have gone through different posts but there are still some questions which i am not sure.
Me and my wife have got British citizenship since 2018. My wife is in India and we are blessed with a baby boy recently.
1. To apply for the British passport directly from India, is it Form OS that we need to complete ?
2. To apply and then submit the documents is it through post from india to UK ?
3. Once we get the British passport do we need to get the baby indian visa for the time he will stay in india before flying back ? As on some other post an individual's baby was fined for overstaying without visa ?

Please can someone help me..

Gill

[susangill]

Hi all,

Please can someone guide me if i need to apply through form MN1 or apply for British passport directly for my child.
Both me and my wife got our British citizenship in July 2018.
My child is now born in india, do we need to apply through form MN1 or apply for British passport directly?
Please someone guide me..
If can i apply for British passport directly for him which form do i need to fill?

[vinny]

M

[vinny]

If child is automatically British, then child may apply for either a British passport or CoE-RoA directly.

[susangill]

Hi Vinny,

Thank you for your reply.

I have searched on the forum and found a post where someone's Coe-Roa was approved in 10 days. So, rather than applying for passport i am thinking about applying for RoA instead. But i have got some questions please can you guide me.

My son is born on 18 july 2022 in India. I and my wife,we both are british citizen by naturalisation and are currently in india with our son. I tried applying for right for abode for my son. In the application form, it asks for passport details and doesnt let me go forward with application without filling these details.
I want to know if this is the correct pathway I am following.
Once right of abode is given, is there time limit to leave India
What are further steps needed once reached UK

[vinny]

I think a CoE-ROA is a sticker placed in a foreign passport. If both parents are non-Indian, then can child hold an Indian passport?

[susangill]

Hi Vinny,

Thanks for coming back.

So, just to get the right understanding before i can apply for Coe-Roa the baby must have a passport of any country to get the sticker. A Coe-Roa application is only successful if the baby has a passport of a country to get the sticker or in other words the if there is no passport then you cannot apply for Coe-Roa.

[CR001]

You need a foreign passport for CoE-RoA. As your son doesn't qualify for an Indian passport, your only option will be to apply for a British Passport.

[secret.simon]

A CoE-RoA in an Indian passport is an option for either
(a) a child born in India to one British parent and one Indian parent, or,
(a) a child born in the UK to at least one Indian parent holding ILR.

In both the circumstances above, the child would hold both British (so they can apply for a CoE-RoA) and Indian (so that they can apply for a non-British passport) citizenships.

In your case, as both parents were not Indian at the time of the birth of the child in India, the child is not eligible for an Indian passport and therefore not eligible for a CoE-RoA either (which requires the child to have a non-British passport already).

As @CR001 has mentioned above, the only choice for your child is a British passport. The process can take between six months and a year when applying from abroad.

the baby must have a passport of any country to get the sticker. A Coe-Roa application is only successful if the baby has a passport of a country to get the sticker or in other words the if there is no passport then you cannot apply for Coe-Roa.

Correct. The baby must already have a non-British passport in order to be able to apply for a CoE-RoA.

[susangill]

Hi All,

Thank you so much for your replies.

I really appreciate the time and effort you guys devoted on this forum. As i remember using this forum in 2011 and Vinny, CR001 were on this forum then too and as helpful as they are today.

I can't imagine how many guys you have helped with your valuable information.

GOD BLESS YOU.

[susangill]

A CoE-RoA in an Indian passport is an option for either
(a) a child born in India to one British parent and one Indian parent, or,
(a) a child born in the UK to at least one Indian parent holding ILR.

In both the circumstances above, the child would hold both British (so they can apply for a CoE-RoA) and Indian (so that they can apply for a non-British passport) citizenships.

In your case, as both parents were not Indian at the time of the birth of the child in India, the child is not eligible for an Indian passport and therefore not eligible for a CoE-RoA either (which requires the child to have a non-British passport already).

As @CR001 has mentioned above, the only choice for your child is a British passport. The process can take between six months and a year when applying from abroad.

the baby must have a passport of any country to get the sticker. A Coe-Roa application is only successful if the baby has a passport of a country to get the sticker or in other words the if there is no passport then you cannot apply for Coe-Roa.

Correct. The baby must already have a non-British passport in order to be able to apply for a CoE-RoA.

Thanks a lot for answering my query Secret.Simon

[susangill]

Hi All,

I have got another question about the passport application form for the baby.
As me, my wife and baby are in India and the passport application form requires countersignatures. So, do i need to get the form and baby photograph signed by someone from UK and sent here to me in India.
Also the passport application form is a paper version only and there is no online application from outside of UK.

Does anyone know?

[susangill]

Anyone guys

[Ticktack]

Hi All,

I have got another question about the passport application form for the baby.
As me, my wife and baby are in India and the passport application form requires countersignatures. So, do i need to get the form and baby photograph signed by someone from UK and sent here to me in India.
Also the passport application form is a paper version only and there is no online application from outside of UK.

Does anyone know?

The requirement for a BP is that the referee must have met the person in question and have a relationship with them. For babies, the HMPO isn't that bothered and allows some discretion.
Baby born in India and referee in the UK just completely looks like you're taking the Mickey out of the system. Because it shows that there's obviously to correlation between the 2.

By all means, you can give it a go and it might land on the table of someone nice. But if it doesn't, you'll delay a lengthy process longer.

Piece of advice, find someone in India that has been to the UK before. In addition to the person's data page of passport, also attach the UK visa copy to it. It speeds up the verification process and reduces the inter-agency confirmations. As they would have the individuals data on the central database.

[susangill]

Hi Ticktack,

Thank you for replying.

But isn't the requirement for countersignatory that they must be a british citizen?

Also, does any one know if we need to take the baby to the vfs passport centre for applying as well. Or can the parents apply on infant's behalf.

Thanks

[vinny]

See also

Making your application

You must apply in person. If you’re unable to, someone else can go on your behalf. You must bring photo ID with you. …

Guidance notes - applying for a passport if you’re outside the UK

Countersignatures

Applying for a passport from outside the UK: guidance notes

The countersignatory must:

• have known you personally for at least 2 years (for example, a friend, neighbour or colleague, and not someone who is related to you or only knows you professionally)
• be a professional person (please see occupations for countersignatories on page 14)
• hold a British, Irish, EU, US or Commonwealth passport which has not run out
• send us a colour photocopy of their passport details page

The countersignatory needs to:

• read through the completed application form to make sure the information is accurate
• fill in section 10 of the form, giving their passport number, and then sign the box
• give their full address and contact details, including their email address. This can be a business address or home address, but should be one that we can contact them at. The countersignatory can give an email address on a separate piece of paper if this is more convenient.
• for an adult application,‘certify’one(not both) of your photos – signing and dating one of the photos as shown in the example below.
• for a child application (under16), confirm that they have known the adult who signed the declaration in section 9 of the form for at least 2 years, and certify one photo (giving the child’s full name), signing and dating it as shown in the example below, and
• put their initials next to any mistakes they may make in section 10.

[Ticktack]

Hi Ticktack,

Thank you for replying.

But isn't the requirement for countersignatory that they must be a british citizen?

Also, does any one know if we need to take the baby to the vfs passport centre for applying as well. Or can the parents apply on infant's behalf.

Thanks

India is home to almost 60% of the commonwealth citizens. You'll be fine. It might take longer, but you can shorten the process by finding UK travelled referees! Easier for the verification exercise.

[susangill]

Hi All,

Please can someone guide me urgently as i have got the passport Appointment tomorrow at the UK embassy jalandahar and i have also rang the passport hotline but cannot get the answer to my query.

Do i need to take my one month old son to the appointment as well or not.

Please can someone help....

[alterhase58]

Hi All,

Please can someone guide me urgently as i have got the passport Appointment tomorrow at the UK embassy jalandahar and i have also rang the passport hotline but cannot get the answer to my query.

Do i need to take my one month old son to the appointment as well or not.

Please can someone help....

Not sure/hope this helps - but the section quoted here doesn't specifically state that child has to attend:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... le-version

Quote:
"Interviews: customers who apply from overseas
We assess overseas customers applications based on the documents they provide and where they live. We will ask customers who live or whose documents come from a group 3 country, to attend an interview if they are an adult:

applying for their first British passport
applying for a first British passport for a child
When the intended passport holder is a child, the person who must attend the interview will be (in order of preference) the:

claim parent (if they have parental responsibility (PR))
parent who gave consent for the application (if the claim parent is not available or does not have PR)
anyone who has PR for the child (if the parents with PR are not available)
person without PR but who is acting in place of a parent (known as loco parentis)"

[susangill]

Hi All,

Please can someone guide me urgently as i have got the passport Appointment tomorrow at the UK embassy jalandahar and i have also rang the passport hotline but cannot get the answer to my query.

Do i need to take my one month old son to the appointment as well or not.

Please can someone help....

Not sure/hope this helps - but the section quoted here doesn't specifically state that child has to attend:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... le-version

Quote:
"Interviews: customers who apply from overseas
We assess overseas customers applications based on the documents they provide and where they live. We will ask customers who live or whose documents come from a group 3 country, to attend an interview if they are an adult:

applying for their first British passport
applying for a first British passport for a child
When the intended passport holder is a child, the person who must attend the interview will be (in order of preference) the:

claim parent (if they have parental responsibility (PR))
parent who gave consent for the application (if the claim parent is not available or does not have PR)
anyone who has PR for the child (if the parents with PR are not available)
person without PR but who is acting in place of a parent (known as loco parentis)"

Hi Dear,

Thank you so much for your reply.

I am extremely stressed as I don't want to travel to the appointment if i need to take my baby with me. I have read the guidance too and it seems like i can apply on his behalf but not 100 percent sure.
Also, what confused is that VFS global website states that a digital photo will be taken of children under 5 years which means the child needs to come to the appointment.

[alterhase58]

Seems it would be safer to take baby with you - not familiar with local VFS requirements. Unless you can get in touch with the local office to clarify.

[susangill]

Hi All,

Please can someone guide me on how to track my sons passport application from india as i applied in August and haven't even recieved a confirmation.

I have tried ringing the UK passport number 03002220000 and they don't have a clue.


Please help.

[contorted_svy]

Do you have a reference number? You should be able to track your application on the government website https://www.gov.uk/track-passport-application

[susangill]

Hi,

The link you sent is only for applications applied via online and also with reference number PEX.

I applied through post from india at VFS jalandahar.

[contorted_svy]

Did they give you a reference number for the application? Without one, it will not be possible to attempt tracking.