Ownership of DS’s Passports

[happyclapper]

My partner and I separated a year ago very acrimoniously and due to my work my DS’s 17 and 13 have their main residence with ex and are with me whenever I am at home, about 50% of the time.
I realised a little while ago that I don’t have their birth certificates and it is really bothering me that my ex has them. If I ask for them he will use it as a power thing over me and probably not let me have them. Does anyone know if, as the mother, I am legally entitled to have them?

You can apply for new copies of their birth certificates, then you'll both have them. They're public documents so anyone can have a copy.

Or did you mean passports?

Yep just apply for a new one where you registered their birth. Anyone can ask for them.

Buy a copy from the registry office, usually about £10 each. Anyone can order these.
Passports I reckon the resident parent should have them, but at 17 your oldest should have his own passport.

Is it birth certificates or passports you're asking about?

Sorry, have been trying to get their passports too but on this occasion I meant their birth certificates. I know I can get a copy but I want the originals. I know it doesn’t make a difference but it’s important to me.

Passports etc should be at their main residence which is your ex. If you need them you will need to ask him for them though of course you can easily get copies of birth certificates. I am assuming that he has parental responsibility and is named on the birth certs? If so him having them is reasonable. Why should you hold them.just because you are the mother? Certainly the 17 year old should be looking after his own passport rather than you.

you're both equally entitled to them.

Get your own copies of birth certificates. Passports should be passed between you as needed, I believe neither of you can legally withhold them from the other unless there’s a court order that prevents one parent from taking the children out of the country

You’re not entitled to the originals. Your sons should have them.

The 'originals' he has aren't actually originals - they're a copy of what is in the register. Same as if you ordered them - someone would copy what is in the register.

As titchy says, no one has their "original birth certificate.

Thanks for your replies. I am happy to get copies now that I know ex’s are only copies of the original too. Lots of reasons why I felt I wanted the ‘ originals’ mostly steaming out of my partners behaviour leading to and since our separation.

Can I be really nosy and ask why you want a copy of your sons BCs?
I just find it strange that people want copies of other people’s BCs.....parent or not.

My youngest is 13 and obviously any documentation is in ‘our’ possession. If left with him it would be lost in a week. Obviously when he is older he can have it. Guess I also need things like this to make me still feel connected as I did not want to move out of the family home. Long story !

FelicityPike it's pretty usual for parents to have their children's birth certificates isn't it? Until the children are adults and look after their own.

I'm resident parent and don't have my child's birth certificate (ex does, and it was partially acrimonious). I do have the passport though.

If I ever need the birth certificate, I'll get one. It doesn't make me feel any more or less connected.

No, it’s silly really. But ex tries to be controlling over so many things and I just got this new in my bonnet about their birth certificates. If I ever need anything ( which is rare) eg a change in my days to have the boys, he makes such a fuss and usually doesn’t cooperate.

@mocktail

FelicityPike it's pretty usual for parents to have their children's birth certificates isn't it? Until the children are adults and look after their own.

Yes, dad has their certificates. Just wondering why mum feels she needs to have them too.

Oh I see! I thought you meant the children should have their own birth certificates and it was weird for parents to want them.

When our DS was born, I had a full birth certificate and also requested a short version too - which could be used for ID via the post, if necessary.

@happyclapper

No, it’s silly really. But ex tries to be controlling over so many things and I just got this new in my bonnet about their birth certificates. If I ever need anything ( which is rare) eg a change in my days to have the boys, he makes such a fuss and usually doesn’t cooperate.

Why do you have to go through him for contact, they’re of an age to arrange this themselves. The older one is almost an adult?

Sorry I meant only for the younger on as he’s 13. I have just had to change my role to avoid a redundancy and it means sometimes I have to leave at 6am and don’t get back until 7.30 while other days I work from home. While he’s not been at school it would have made sense to move the days I have him to the days I’m working from home but ex thought that was pandering to my needs and started questioning where I was working on those days and refused to believe me. So 13 now has a long day on his own!