Adult naturalization approved while abroad and first passport for child (new-born) overseas

[sambha]

I am a naturalized British Citizen living in UAE.

My wife is an Indian national but has an ILR received almost 7 months back in the UK, and also has an approved naturalization application, with her citizenship ceremony booked for 20 SEP 2023.

My wife just delivered our second child here in UAE in JUL 2023. Her medical and personal conditions favored the birth in UAE and not in the UK.

Now, I have 3 key issues to solve:

1) How do I get my wife to the UK for the minimum duration for the citizenship ceremony, and perhaps the passport too?
1.1) is it possible for her to attend the ceremony, apply for the passport and travel back to UAE haven requested the delivery address for the passport to be in UAE?
1.2) If the above option has issues, the delivery address could be a friend's and they can courier us the passport, which they would receive locally?
1.3) Last and least preferred option would be for her to stay in the UK till she receives her passport in-person and then travels back to UAE.


2) Getting the newborn international-travel-ready in less than 2 months from now?
- Ideally, the newborn should be traveling with the mother as it will be very difficult otherwise for obvious reasons. The little one has his birth certificate issued locally and is under the Ministry of foreign affairs (MOFA) attestation process.
2.1) I looked through these forums and it seems that it could take up to 6 months to get the passport. is that only for applications from India? What are the average turn-around times for applications made through UAE?
2.2) Should I apply for "Register the Birth Abroad"? What advantages does it have? My understanding is that it is not a pre-requirement for the British passport application, but would it help speed it up? If it would, what are the turn-around times for the birth registration alone?


3)My wife traveling back to UAE on an Indian passport.
3.1) She will be traveling back to UAE at least as a naturalized British citizen, if not with a British passport in hand.
3.2) She will be surrendering her Indian passport here in UAE and switching her work visa to a British passport.

For this potential issue - I have already reached out to the Indian embassy in UAE to guide, but any commentary there would be appreciated.

Lastly, let me commend and highly appreciate this community for the support through my wife's ILR and Naturalization applications - the results were straightforward though our case was a bit unusual.

Many Thanks

[secret.simon]

2) Getting the newborn international-travel-ready in less than 2 months from now?
- Ideally, the newborn should be traveling with the mother as it will be very difficult otherwise for obvious reasons. The little one has his birth certificate issued locally and is under the Ministry of foreign affairs (MOFA) attestation process.
2.1) I looked through these forums and it seems that it could take up to 6 months to get the passport. is that only for applications from India? What are the average turn-around times for applications made through UAE?
2.2) Should I apply for "Register the Birth Abroad"? What advantages does it have? My understanding is that it is not a pre-requirement for the British passport application, but would it help speed it up? If it would, what are the turn-around times for the birth registration alone?

A first passport for a British citizen child has the expected target of between six and sixteen weeks. As you mentioned above, such applications from the Sub-Continent are subject to higher scrutiny and are known to take longer.

As for how long applications from the UAE take, you may want to look through the British applications timeline. Do not post any questions in that thread though.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no benefit to a consular birth certificate when it comes to passport processing. What that does do is it causes the birth to be registered in the birth registries of the UK, which may be relevant much later (such as after generations, while researching births in the family, etc).

1) How do I get my wife to the UK for the minimum duration for the citizenship ceremony, and perhaps the passport too?
1.1) is it possible for her to attend the ceremony, apply for the passport and travel back to UAE haven requested the delivery address for the passport to be in UAE?
1.2) If the above option has issues, the delivery address could be a friend's and they can courier us the passport, which they would receive locally?
1.3) Last and least preferred option would be for her to stay in the UK till she receives her passport in-person and then travels back to UAE.

There have been two cases on these forums where an applicant who had recently naturalised applied for a first British passport from abroad and that caused the naturalisation to be reexamined. One of the questions in the naturalisation application is about the future intention to reside in the UK. If the newly naturalised citizen's first action is to leave the UK, that gives lie to that intention.

Couriering a document as sensitive and as central to a person's identity as a passport may not be wise. Too many risks with identity theft, etc.

Much better for her to wait for the passport and return with it. Or have a friend or relative travel to the UAE with the passport and bring it along with them.

As regards the questions about the Indian passport, post them in the Other Countries forum, perhaps with a link back to this thread for context.

[Ticktack]

@secret.simon

One of the questions in the naturalisation application is about the future intention to reside in the UK. If the newly naturalised citizen's first action is to leave the UK, that gives lie to that intention.

I believe that the OP's wife must have applied as the spouse of a British citizen. If this is the case, this (make UK your future home) does not apply to spouses/CP of British Citizens.

[sambha]

@secret.simon

One of the questions in the naturalisation application is about the future intention to reside in the UK. If the newly naturalised citizen's first action is to leave the UK, that gives lie to that intention.

I believe that the OP's wife must have applied as the spouse of a British citizen. If this is the case, this (make UK your future home) does not apply to spouses/CP of British Citizens.

Thanks @Ticktack, yes that is indeed the case. Moreover, my assignment in UAE is a temporary one as explained to the home office on my wife's applications.

[enruler]

Hi,
I am in a similar situation with my Mrs, thinking of applying for passport from UAE after travelling back following ceremony. Would be great if you could update your plans.

Thanks

[sambha]

Hi,
I am in a similar situation with my Mrs, thinking of applying for passport from UAE after travelling back following ceremony. Would be great if you could update your plans.

Thanks

We will be applying from overseas for my wife