Passport application confusion..father not involved...

[Roberts25]

Were going to lapland in december, sent passport form today.
The for asked for granparents information, fathers information, consent for my sons name chnge by both parents (asking for a signature from both parents)
My son is 3, he hasn't seen him for over two years, he hasn't sent a penny no christmas or birthday cards/text, so do i need to provide his side of the family info? Im obviously not going to get a signature thats for sure. How vital is this info?

I dont want it to get declined especially with this huge backlog of passports at the moment, having to re apply would probably mean i wouldnt get it in time.
If anyone could help thatd be great.

Is the father on the birth certificate? If so then he has parental rights and you're going to have some trouble.

Are you trying to get a passport with a name different to the name you registered at birth? You cant change your child's name without consent from all parties with parental responsibility. So that's your first problem. Dont make it harder than it needs to be.

Have you tried to change your child's name? Needs consent of both parents to do that. If you have a British passport number yourself then you fill that in and you don't need grandparents' details. They are trying to work out if your child is British so you are passing down your British Citizenship to him by having a British passport yourself

You need either a court order or a letter of consent to take him out the country anyway

But as far as I'm aware you just need the one parents details

My son is 3, he hasn't seen him for over two years, he hasn't sent a penny no christmas or birthday cards/text, so do i need to provide his side of the family info?

You will have to give the information they ask for. It's not based on how often a child sees their parent, it's about the facts.

1. you can't change your sons name without consent from the Father or a court order
2. you need to give as much info about the Father as you have - put in the notes that you have no contact
3. if you have put your British Passport number then you dont need grandparents' details

I'm a single parent and I don't think I've ever included any of the father's information on DD's passport applications and never had any problems either getting passports or taking her abroad. There should be a helpline number, why not call it? Single parents and low/no contact dads are hardly uncommon so this should be fairly straightforward to sort. Enjoy Lapland - it's amazing at Christmas time

^The for asked for granparents information, fathers information, consent for my sons name chnge by both parents (asking for a signature from both parents)
My son is 3, he hasn't seen him for over two years, he hasn't sent a penny no christmas or birthday cards/text, so do i need to provide his side of the family info? Im obviously not going to get a signature thats for sure. How vital is this info?^

They are asking for this information to confirm whether your son has a right to British nationality. If he has clear British nationality from you, as in your own UK passport number, then it's not so vital.

If he hasn't got it from you, but is entitled to British citizenship through his father, but you haven't supplied that information, then you may have to make another passport application with it.

If necessary, it is possible to get hold of recent family history such as paternal grandparents' details by tracing birth certificates through the general register office, but it takes money and time. I will go through that in more detail in the morning, if needed.

If you've unofficially changed your son's name then you won't be able to get a passport issued in that name.

Is your son's father on his birth certificate?

Has your DS's name been legally changed...

A known as name is not the same and can't be used on a passport.

I don't mention my ex on my DS's passport and we were married but he has no contact/

Great thankyou. A helpful reply. Thanks :)

Just to update, deed poll it was changed on... passports accept this, doctor, tax credit and bank have all accepted it. Would be difficult to get a signature or info from a man thats disappeared.

Have you changed the child's name without consent?

Regardless of the deed poll you did, if you did it without the other parents consent then it is not valid (unless it was court ordered)

You can’t change a child’s name by deed poll without the consent of both parents.

Phone the passport office, in my experience they're pretty helpful.

@WrongKindOfFace

You can’t change a child’s name by deed poll without the consent of both parents.

Technically this is true but provided no objections are ever raised by the father and the child is granted a passport in that name, it's unlikely OP would ever be directed to change it back

@Roberts25

Just to update, deed poll it was changed on... passports accept this, doctor, tax credit and bank have all accepted it. Would be difficult to get a signature or info from a man thats disappeared.

You can't change a child's name by deed poll without permission of all parties with PR

If you can't find him then you'll have to go to court to have it changed officially (if they'll allow it)

Technically this is true but provided no objections are ever raised by the father and the child is granted a passport in that name, it's unlikely OP would ever be directed to change it back

The passport office are unlikely to grant the passport without the two signatures they've asked for.

Technically this is true but provided no objections are ever raised by the father and the child is granted a passport in that name, it's unlikely OP would ever be directed to change it back

Quite. Which is why the passport office are looking for proof of consent before issuing a passport in the new name.

You can if the court agree I did we just had to make a "reasonable effort" to ask permission we wrote to him at his last known address he ignored it so we were able to proceed

You can if the court agree I did we just had to make a "reasonable effort" to ask permission we wrote to him at his last known address he ignored it so we were able to proceed

OP maybe has not done that though?