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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU To think the passport application is ridiculous?!

62 replies

Pinkwithwhite · 03/04/2022 20:56

Trying to fill out uk passport application and they want grandparents birth certificates and grandparents wedding certificate! This is a joke!

DH is going to call up in the morning and find out exactly what we need to do but we have 2 children and myself that need passports. It's going to take forever if we have to send all this off and wait for it to be sent back for each person.

Anyone got any advice on how to speed this up?

OP posts:
bellac11 · 03/04/2022 20:57

You'll need to send off for the grandparents birth and marriage certs, its fairly standard by the way.

Smartiepants79 · 03/04/2022 20:58

Is this your first passport ever??
I don’t remember having to put in any of that stuff but I’ve had a British passport since I was a child.
I didn’t need any of that for my Dds passports either, but again, I suppose I already had my passport and that must be good enough.

dementedpixie · 03/04/2022 20:59

If you or your dh have uk passports then you don't need the grandparents' birth certificates

ItsSnowJokes · 03/04/2022 20:59

Are they UK nationals? I have recently done my child's first passport application and didn't need any of this. It may be because you don't have a passport, so it might be easier to get yours done and then get the children's done.

dementedpixie · 03/04/2022 21:00

Ah, are you doing all first passports?
Or are they renewals?
Might be best doing adults first before kids

Bdhntbis · 03/04/2022 21:01

Once you e got a passport you only then need to provide your passport number and your childrens birth certificate for theirs so it’s much more straight forward

Original poster
Pinkwithwhite · 03/04/2022 21:03

It's because my DH and I were born after 1st January 1983. It will be my first British passport. (I have an Irish passport). DH has a British Passport

OP posts:
Hell0G00dbye · 03/04/2022 21:05

That is bizarre I only had to send my DC birth certificate and that was it!

dementedpixie · 03/04/2022 21:07

@Pinkwithwhite

It's because my DH and I were born after 1st January 1983. It will be my first British passport. (I have an Irish passport). DH has a British Passport
Is your dh doing a renewal then? He doesn't need extra info for his

The extra info is to prove you have british citizenship.

dementedpixie · 03/04/2022 21:08

@Hell0G00dbye

That is bizarre I only had to send my DC birth certificate and that was it!
OP is getting her first British passport
SparklyLeprechaun · 03/04/2022 21:11

Do your passport first, then you won't need anything special for the children's.

isntlifeacrazyride · 03/04/2022 21:12

I recently applied for my Canadian born son's British passport. They requested grandparent birth and marriage certificates. As I'm the British parent, I only sent my parents birth and marriage certificate. And made a note that we couldn't get those docs for my husbands parents, as they were born in Uzbekistan. The passport was accepted and the documents were returned to my parents (for their docs). My sons British passport and my docs were returned to us in Canada. It was a bit of a faff but I don't expect having to do that again for a renewal.

dementedpixie · 03/04/2022 21:12

OP do either of your parents have a British passport number as you can use that on your application rather than getting birth certificates for them

Once one of the adults (you/ your dh) gets their passport back then you just use your passport numbers on the kids' applications rather than send birth certificates

Original poster
Pinkwithwhite · 03/04/2022 21:13

DH sent his off for renewal on Friday so we don't have his passport number.
It just seems so excessive. I'm from Northern Ireland so classed as a British citizen.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 03/04/2022 21:16

You dont automatically get citizenship from where you were born if born after after January 1983 so you have to show you have citizenship through your parents instead.

SapereAude · 03/04/2022 21:18

On the info you've given here you won't need grandparents' documents. Your own birth cert/marriage cert and the children's docs should suffice. My daughter was born abroad and her dad isn't British and I just sent her b/cert and evidence of my nationality.
I used to work in the Nationality Dept of the HO and if your husband already has a BC ppt I can't see why grandparents' docs would be needed. Unless he is British by descent?

dementedpixie · 03/04/2022 21:21

Its the documents for OPs passport that's required, not for her dh. Although if one of her parents has British passport she can use that passport number as proof of citizenship

mathanxiety · 03/04/2022 21:23

Maybe a silly question, but if you have an Irish passport, why do you need the British passport?

blubberyboo · 03/04/2022 21:29

Surely if it’s you are born after 1983 to NI parents you should only need to provide their birth certificate or passports? Not grandparents?

Unless were your parents born abroad? Have you confused things by mentioning your Irish passport?

Paul72 · 03/04/2022 21:31

Why will it take longer if you need to send this information? You can send all the applications on the same day, each with the required information.

dementedpixie · 03/04/2022 21:33

Yes, It's OPs parents details that's required rather than grandparents details.

SapereAude · 03/04/2022 21:33

@dementedpixie

Its the documents for OPs passport that's required, not for her dh. Although if one of her parents has British passport she can use that passport number as proof of citizenship
If she was born after 1/1/83 to BC parents then all she needs is proof of their nationality which would be their birth certificates and/or marriage cert if passports aren't available. Unless she only has one BC parent, it's the father, and they weren't married. But all other things aside, it's very rare that grandparents' docs are needed and it's to ascertain entitlement to nationality usually, not passport applications.
dementedpixie · 03/04/2022 21:36

@SapereAude That's what I was saying. It's not grandparents details that are required for OPs passport; it's her parents details or passport numbers That's required if they have british citizenship

dementedpixie · 03/04/2022 21:37

@Paul72

Why will it take longer if you need to send this information? You can send all the applications on the same day, each with the required information.
Because if the applications are done online (cheapest option) then they may not all be going to the same passport office for processing. When I did 3 renewals they went to 3 different passport offices
bellac11 · 03/04/2022 21:37

@Pinkwithwhite

DH sent his off for renewal on Friday so we don't have his passport number. It just seems so excessive. I'm from Northern Ireland so classed as a British citizen.
Surely his passport number is on his application, it will be in the email confirmation?
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