Illegal Immigrants - How to obtain Birth certificate for our baby

[ashp67172008]

Hi,

My wife and I came to Ireland 3 years ago. Our Irish Visas expired 2 years ago without being renewed. We just had a baby girl a couple of weeks ago and the labour was conducted with the assistance of a unlawful 'midwife' at our home. We now want to apply for a passport for the baby from our national embassy but it requires a birth certificate from here to evident her birth details. Therefore I wonder if there is a way in which we can still obtain a birth certificate for her from the local Registrar's Office based on our immigration circumstance?

Look forward to any advise and comments.

Much appreciated

[crisbella218]

I notice you have a Chinese flag on your profile so I will assume your Chinese in my response.

I'm not clear about getting a birth certificate in Ireland as I'm based in Northern Ireland but I would say you would have difficulties as the birth has taken place at home without official recognition by medical staff. I would assume if you have a baby in the hospital you are given something from the hospital to register for a birth certificate.

The part I know about in your response is the passport issue. The Chinese officials at the embassy will ask you and your husband to provide documents to prove your stay in Ireland is lawful (they will also do checks as I know from applying for my passport in the UK). So in your situation you will be refused a passport for your child if you can't get this provided. To return to China you will probably need to apply for a Travel document or speak to the embassy about your situation.

However as you have stated your an illegal immigrant and have not had your birth through official channels you would be safer trying to apply for a visa again, leave and go back to China with the help of the embassy or if you fear for some reason going back to China, apply for asylum.

Unfortunately whichever way you turn in this situation you will find issues.

Good Luck.

[ashp67172008]

I notice you have a Chinese flag on your profile so I will assume your Chinese in my response.

Hi crisbella218, Thanks so much for you reply and advise. Yes I am a Chinese too. The Chinese Embassy told us we will need to get a birth certificate for our baby before they can help us with issuing a Chinese passport or temporary travel document. Unfortunately, we have not figure out a way of register her birth in Ireland yet.

Thanks again for your comments anyway.

[crisbella218]

Hi,

Just for your information as stated on the citizensinformation.ie website:

A birth may be registered in the office of any Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths, regardless of where it took place. The staff of the hospital where your child was born, or of your local health centre, will be able to tell you where you can register the birth. The birth should be registered not later than 3 months after the date of the birth.

A Birth Notification Form (Form BNF/01) is usually completed with the parent(s) by hospital staff (in the case of hospital births) or by a doctor or midwife (in home births) to guarantee that correct and accurate information is recorded. This form outlines the information to be recorded in the Register of Births. The form is forwarded to the Registrar's office letting the Registrar know that a birth has occurred. This is not enough, however, to register the birth

So I assume you do not have the Birth notification form. As for a home birth would need to be supplied by a doctor or midwife. So you will probably need to visit your local doctor to obtain this.

There is more information on this website: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/bi ... _baby.html but again as your situation is different best thing to do would be to approach a doctor and ask. Plus you will need to get your children registered for all the various vaccinations etc and register with a doctor anyway.

Good luck.