Child born in NZ – proof of UK citizenship?

[Will_2007]

My wife and I have a little bundle of noise and dirt (aka a son ) who was born in here in NZ a year and a half ago. We have been here five years on full residency (need to get round to sorting out NZ citizenship now we’re eligible!) so he is a New Zealand citizen, but as we are both British by birth he is automatically a British citizen (by descent) too.

He has a Kiwi birth certificate and passport, but no documentation to say that he is a British citizen. A bit of Googling seems to show that we can’t apply for a British birth certificate for him, as he was registered in NZ (as legally required) and you can’t have both. The britishexpats.com website seems to say that the only option is to get him a British passport. This will cost about $250, and as he already has a Kiwi passport it would be entirely redundant. Are there any other (i.e. cheaper) options to get the UK to recognise him as a citizen? A child passport seems to cost 46GBP if applied for in the UK, so could we just wait until the next time we’re over there and apply – could get it delivered to parents who could either hang on to it or post it.

He may never need to ‘use’ or prove his British citizenship, but maybe in the future he’ll want to go on his OE and work in the UK (or anywhere in the EU I guess), in which case being a UK citizen could save him any visa headaches.

Cheers,

Will

[girlwithanewf]

My advice would be to definitely get your child a British passport- yes, it is expensive, but what that passport is buying is the option for your child to live and work not just in Britain but (as current regulations stand) in the rest of Europe. I know of so many New Zealanders who would gladly pay far more than $250 to have that option so they can work and study easily in Europe. There must be other people on this forum in your situation. And have you called the British High Commission in Wellington?

[Will_2007]

I haven't tried the BHC yet, this has finally got to the top of my 'things to do' list (after 18 months) and I started with a bit of googling and then thought I'd try on here. $250 won't break the bank (although on top of $470 each for me and my wide to become NZ citizens it might have to wait a little bit...) so if that's the only option then we'll go for it.

I'm guessing that if we get one and let just leave it in a drawer to expire, then he can just get a new one in the future as and when he wants it? By which I mean once he's 'in the system' he's there forever as a registered UK citizen, regardless of whether his passport is expired.

[dharder]

It's been a while since I've gone through this, but I seem to recall two different processes for the children: one certificate for citizenship, and one for the passport. Registering a child for citizenship is not the same as getting a passport, although you need to do the former in order to get the latter.

I am not sure about the fees for registering citizenship, though. It is all on their webiste, though:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/

Personally, I try to keep all my children's passports up to date. It's an expensive hobby, but you never know when it might be useful!

Daniela

[girlwithanewf]

I agree totally with Daniela, if you have the opportunity for your children to have more than one passport, you should take it (unless of course there are other implications) - your children will be grateful for the opportunities it affords them for travel, work and study.

[Will_2007]

Thanks for all the replies. I agree that having (or at least being eligible for) more than one passport is usually good as it offers more opportunities. However, my son already has one passport (a Kiwi one) and as he's only 18 months old there's no danger of him needing to work overseas within the 10-year lifespan of a British passport, so he'd have to get at least one replacement between now and then. That being the case, it'd be useful if there was a simple (and inexpensive) way of just registering him with the British authorities as a British citizen, then he can apply for a passport as and when required.

I guess we'll have to stump up $250 and let the passport expire in a drawer. Just seems like a waste of time and money to produce a document that's not even needed...

Some further googling shows that he appears to automatically be a British Citizen by descent, despite the fact that there is no evidence anywhere to show it, and the British government (specifically, and more importantly, the UK Border Agency) has no idea that he exists. It just seems bizarre to me.

It seems that a 'Right of Abode' certificate in his NZ passport will allow him to enter the UK and live and work there as long as he likes without a visa, although this expires every time the passport expires, and must be re-applied for. And it costs 400GBP if applied for from overseas...

Looks like the simplest option is to just get him a passport!

[FerrisW]

Hi Will,

Like your son, I'm a NZ citizen born to British parents so my parents have puzzled over what you're going through before. I don't know if things have changed in the last 20-something years, but here's how it worked for us:

I obviously have a NZ birth certificate, and didn't need a passport until I was 7, at which point my parents applied for one for me- all they had to do to prove my citizenship was to put their passport numbers on my passport application form. This proved they were British citizens, so I was automatically granted the passport with my citizenship listed as British. When I was 17 we ended up moving to the UK for several years, and while there and over 18, I applied for a NZ passport as well, which was easily done as I just had to provide my birth certificate number. Neither passport took long to process (ie, there was no delay because of the dual citizenship). I had two passports for many years, but despite being back in NZ I've let my NZ passport lapse since it's too expensive to have two! For what it's worth, it's easier and considerably cheaper to get a Returning Resident Visa (I think this name may have changed now) from NZ put in your British passport, than it is the other way around (45pounds vs 400). I have found having a UK passport really helpful (which is why I still have that one- they last longer too!).

Again, unless things have changed since I went through this, there's no deadline that you have to get your son a British Passport, unless you intend to go back to the UK for longer than a visit.

Hope that helps!

Ferris