AUSTRALIAN PASSPORT for UK-born baby

[BellaMummy]

I'm Australian and my husband is British, and our dd was born here in the UK. She has had a British passport since she was 6 weeks old, but I hadn't got around to applying for an Australian passport for her.

I have just looked at the Australian Embassy's site and I'm really confused. I gather I first need to apply for a citizenship certificate, but I can't see anywhere how much that is and if I can take in her application for it in person.

If anyone has been through the whole process and can give me any help, that would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Susie

I got my DD her Australian passport at the Embassy in London too.

Firstly you need to establish her citizenship, with the citizenship by descent certificate. Once you have this you can then apply for the passport. I cannot remember how much it cost.

I would recommend you contact the Embassy by email and I'm sure they can tell you this info. Don't call them as I think they charge £1/min!!

They are also very strict about the size of the photograph, I had about three different ones rejected. They sent me to a snappy snaps shop jut near to the Embassy to have the photo taken as they know what is required. So don't get any photos taken before you go.

I hope this is helpful!!

Thank you so much - the whole citizenship certificate is SO annoying. I thought it would just be my passport and dd's birth cert required - they really make you jump through hoops, don't they??

I work near the embassy so at least I can hand-deliver the documents and not risk the post both ways.

Thanks for your help!

They do, but they're pretty efficient. The Australian consulate in Shanghai took about 10 days for the certificate and then a week for the passport, which I really didn't think was too bad.

Once you have lodged everything it takes no time at all to get it back.

I hand delivered everything too, Royal Mail was super dodgey in East London!!

I queued to get the certificate at the High Commission in London, but as I had DD with me (a week days old) they bumped me straight to the front of the line and we were in and out in less than ten minutes.

That'll be a week old. Doh!

superloopy - that's exactly what happened to us with DS' photo. That snappy snaps shop must make a fortune out of Aussie High Commission business.

I'm interested in this.
DD was born here but her father is Australian. He is regestered on her birth certificate but we never married.
He's back there now and doesn't want anything to do with DD.
Is she entitled to an Australian passport?

Technically yes, she is, but in practice I am not sure how easy it would be without his support. I had to provide my original passport with the citizenship certificate application.

There should be a way around it, though. Ring the consulate, they're very helpful.

It's worth keeping in mind that once the passport has been issued, you can get it updated for free, up to the age of four.

My daughter's passport has a v ugly (only a mother cld luv that) pic taken when she was 9mo. When we go thru immigration they can't even recognise who it is. Definitely going to update it in the next few months.