child nationality

[yardie]

i am a born british and my misses is jamaican but we are not married yet. our child was born here in England in Jan 2006 and we were told we cannot get a passport for her as she is not a british. The Jamaican High Commission wont give her a passport either as she is not a jamaican until she is natuaralized there which takes 1-2 years. therefore, my child is a alien!!!!!!!. I want my daughter to be able to travel back and forth to visit me as her mom. do u think i could register my daughter as a british citizens and get her a passport. what can i do??? any suggestions.

[mightyWBA]

If you have a British passport,and your child was born here,all you have to do is go to the post office and get a passport application form.

I don't know who told you your baby isn't British but they are wrong.As long as you are the named father on the birth certificate there shouldn't be a problem.

All you need is the correct documentation,�34.00,and a couple of photos of the nipper,and some help filling out the form!

The only problem may arise with the mother been allowed into the UK as she is a Jamaican citizen.I suggest you get married.

[maximo]

Hi ! I posted a similar question the other day, and got very interesting answers. Here's a copy and paste from a wikipedia article on Brittish nationality :

"A child born in the UK to a parent who is a British citizen or 'settled' in the UK is automatically a British citizen by birth"...

..."if only the father meets this requirement, the parents must be married. Marriage subsequent to the birth is normally enough to confer British citizenship from that point.
where the father is not married to the mother, the Home Office will usually register the child as British provided an application is made and the child would have been British otherwise. The child must be aged under 18 on the date of application. "

Read the whole article here

[JustSia]

My ex and I were not married and our daughter immediately assumed my nationality.

If your partner has an indefinite leave to remain she can apply for your child's Naturalization (around �200), and only then for a passport. If your partner isn't a resident then you both will have to fill in the Naturalization form and submit it for consideration, mind you the answer doesn't have to be yes in this case.

It's a pain in a backside but I hope you 2 sort it out.

Good luck.

S.

[yardie]

migthy, we applied to the passport office after receiving all the info and the documents were returned. my misses is still here in England with me but leaves in May as her 6 months is up but i wanted the baby to go with her and come back as my misses have a five year visiting visa. its really doing my heading. i am also on the child's birth certificate. If she takes her to jamaica she wont be able to come back here with her as jamaica will not give her a passport either until two years time. its so pathetic and confusing.

[yardie]

Maximo, i read your website but the law is so complicated. we even went to a solicitor who said my misses must leave the child here but she doesnt want to. i just cant understand. i support them totally without public funding as im in a proper job. i just want my daughter to be able to come n go without hassle

[Clownie]

So many previously wrong answers.

If you are a British citizen, and not married to your partner then your child could have no claim to BC (British Citizenship) through yourself. The law has recently changed on this but only takes effect on children born after July 2006.

That said, if your child's mother had Indefinite Leave to Remain or Enter the UK at the time of your daughter's birth then your daughter is automatically a BC under section 1 (1) (b) of the 1981 Nationality act. Therefore no need to Naturalise her.

Hope this helps.