Why would ex need ds passport number?

[howdoyouknowjenny]

Just had a text. No info just asking for the number?

Given that not every child has a passport, needing it to do something like open a bank account would be odd. If it were true.

Can be needed for all sorts of things. In the last 6 months as we've moved, I have needed the kids' passports to register them with doctors, with school and am currently involved in a huge row with HMRC who want to have mine, DH's and DCs' passports for a minimum of 12 weeks in order for me to claim child benefit. I cannot give them our passports for 12 weeks as we're buying a house and I need them for that and the subsequent doctor change etc. We're all British FWIW.

Could he be registering the child for a foreign citizenship ie dual nationality? That also usually requires you to put details of passports already held.

I'd just ask him. If you're then suspicious or if your relationship is such that you need to be suspicious, then act accordingly.

kindle I presume you mean the actual passports? This guy is only asking for the numbers. Noone is disputing that passports themselves are needed for all sorts of things.

Kindle surely you can do all of those with a birthd cert. My dc (bar one) have never had a passport, we are all registered with the doctors etc.

one of my children didn't even have a passport until he was 5yo

they are not a requirement, like a birth cert is for certain things

and yes, we opened bank accounts, moved house, claimed various monies etc all without a passport for him

Ah. That's a fair point. If your child could have dual nationality they could have two passports.

You need to find out how to flag both passports so your child can't leave the country without your consent.

OP - do you think that your ex is planning to take your DS abroad? If so I think you urgently need the advice of a solicitor.

Do not give him the number.
Do contact passport agency to inform them that someone will possibly be making a fraudulent claim.
Do seek legal advice about getting something in place for ports. I cannot remember what it is called. But there is something that you can apply for to block exit from country. It's not fool proof but better than nothing.
If he is from another country, contact his embassy to find out how to block a passport application. You might need a solicitor to do this, depending on country.

My friend had to do the above to stop ex taking children. But he had hinted at doing it if they evey split up. He went to his embassy to make a passport application with the ow posing as the dc's mum. But they had already been notified.

You don't need a passport to claim benwfits such as tax credits but a passport number/ passport details are one thing that HMRC might ask to see if they are trying to establish identities, or that someone is the resident parent - usually alongside other docs tho.

Even if your ex-p is British OP, there is still the possibility he could go somewhere in the EEA easily.

I agree with others - you need to establish why he needs this number and then if yiu have reason to be worried go and get some free advice from a family law centre.

Yes, in my case, HMRC are insisting on having the passports sent to them. It didn't occur to me to ask what they do if people haven't yet needed to get a passport for their kids. I have offered certified copies or to take them to a local tax office so they can take their own copy but they are insisting they need it sent in and will void my claim if I don't do so. I can't do so, therefore I expect to be making an official complaint soon. I don't expect to win but I am furious that they are being so unreasonable. I'm particularly annoyed as I don't see why they can't just check the details with the Passport Office like the DVLA and other gov depts do.

My children could claim Irish citizenship via their grandparents and when I eventually get round to doing that, I know I'll need to list their UK passport numbers on the form. Maybe he's doing something like that.

Kindle Have you been out of the country for some time? Why are you only just making a claim for Child Benefit?

Ballstoit - I claimed for a few years, then left the country for a bit and was honest enough to cancel my claim. Starting a new claim is a total nightmare. I don't see that should mean I have to hand over my passport for a minimum of 12 weeks. My prior claim ended less than 2 years ago, we've been back in the UK with DH working and paying tax for some months now. In fact, we were still paying UK tax all time we were out of the UK. I think they're being entirely unreasonable. It's not as if my passport really proves that we're back in the UK for good - DH's employment is a better indicator of that or DS being in school.

Could he just be really thick, and wants to open a savings account and thinks he just needs a passport number?

Write DS's passport number in your diary or his red book, but transpose two of the digits, to cover yourself if you "accidentally" tell him the wrong number.

Lots of good advice above about getting the passport marked.

Don't give him the number, do ring the passport agency to log your concerns and prevent a replacement being sent out.

What happened OP? Did your ExDP explain what he was up to? Did you contact anyone about this? HOpe it all worked out OK.