Passport Hell

[mummystudent]

Applying for DS's first passport (need it by 19/12/2012) and I came to the part about parents... Which is fine as DS's father is on his birth cert and I got his birthdate, middle name (we broke up 5 years ago, I actively 'forgot' his details due to him being an arse)... Then I come to the section where I need his address... He's withheld it from me. Shit.

Then I come to the part that says "If any parent was born after 1982 we need their parent's details" Double shit.

Due to the animosity between us just now there is NO chance I can contact him asking for his mum and dad's details. What should I do? Leave it blank? Say we are estranged? How important is this section? I don't even think ExP HAS a passport as he has never been out of the country!

Time's running out and I'm starting to panic.

(For the record, ExP knows we are going away as it has been proposed by my lawyer and accepted by his- I'm not planning on doing a runner... Just Xmas in Portugal).

[LoveMyBoots]

Try this number (passport helpline): 0300 222 0000

[OddBoots]

Am I looking at the right bit, on the guidance? I see:

"If both parents were born after 31 December
1982, or were both born outside the UK, please
give the following details in section 8 of the
application form. Either:

? the full name, town, country of birth and date of
marriage of your mother?s or parent 1?s parents
and your father?s or parent 2?s parents, or

? details of your parents? claim to British
nationality."

Which suggests that it's an OR thing so you just need to give the details of your parents. It's only to prove entitlement to British nationality.

[HystericalParoxysm]

Just put your parents details. Leave your ex's details off altogether, it doesn't make any difference.

[cestlavielife]

You can give his addresses as "care of xxxxxx solicitor "
The grandparents thing is about establishing nationality. If you are fully British your parents are British etc then they won't need so much info on his. If you have any info saying how British his parents are eg have lived all their lives in xxxxtown just put that and again put "please refer to xxxx solicitor for further information"

If he or his parent were immigrants and not British then you may need further info, if he and his parents are completely British through and through ie no immigration then it will be less of an issue

[mummystudent]

Ok, so what that mean is I only need to put details of my parent? I only have one parent on my birth certificate, will this go against me?

I already have a passport, so does my mum, so can I get away with only putting ExP's name/DOB etc?

My mum has been looking over the forms wondering when the application for a child's passport became so complicated!

[purpleroses]

You don't need any of that. You only need to give his birth details if you are applying for a British passport for your DC only on the grounds that his dad is British (ie if you are not British yourself) - otherwise you can leave it blank. I didn't know my ex's passport number and rang for advice and they said just to put in the details I did know (eg his DOB) and it would be fine. It was, they passport arrived with no problems.

[NotaDisneyMum]

DP didn't complete all the details about DSS mum when he applied for DSS passport and it arrived fine.

[cestlavielife]

ar you british and your parents british ? not immigrants? all papers present and correct? briitsh passports all round?
if yes then stop worrying - it would be n issue if say you weren't british or your mother wasnt british and you neeed to prove britishness some other way

[avenueone]

The post office have a send and check service and are really helpful. (only certain post offices but it should tell you on line which one is nearest).

[FannyBazaar]

I phone the helpline with my issues, DS had British passport but when renewing it, it asked for Father's passport number if Father is British Citizen, ex refused to give it. Helpline advised I could just write 'Father refuses to give passport number'.

You could always apply for a copy of your ex's birth certificate, if this is needed.