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Original poster

AUSTRALIAN PASSPORT for UK-born baby

16 replies

Twins123 · 19/05/2009 20:47

Hi there
I am expecting twins in June and was hoping to return home for a holiday in October this year but I have been told that I need to apply for citizenship and then apply for a passport for each of my girls. Both my husband and I are Australian citizens.

Has anyone gone through this process and tried to obtain passports for their UK born babies? Does anyone know how long it takes to get the citizenship and/or to get the passport????

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

OP posts:
VanillaPumpkin · 19/05/2009 20:52

Let me get this right, you are both Aus living in the UK?

My friend is British but with an Aus husband. I don't think it took long to get their Aus passports sorted but did involve a trip to the Aus Embassy to sit in a queue for the day together with the children. Her DH insisted on duel nationality and she wasn't to apply for the UK passports until the Aus ones were agreed too.

Congrats and good luck by the way....

Original poster
Twins123 · 19/05/2009 20:56

yes, we are both Aussie's living in the UK. Thanks for responding and for the luck!! I will need it.

OP posts:
VanillaPumpkin · 19/05/2009 20:59

I would contact the Aus embassy and see what they say.

We were overseas when I had dd2 and needed to get a UK passport. The British embassy were fantastic and very efficient. It took three days, though DH had to visit to drop off docs and then collect passport. I would hope it will be as easy for you.

Itsjustafleshwound · 19/05/2009 21:01

What does the Oz passport office in the UK advise?

I think there would be a website to help

Skimummy · 20/05/2009 10:16

Have done this...

Yes, you have to apply for citizenship by descent first (so will need birth certificates). I did this by mail and it took less than a week (not sure if you can go to the consulate to get this done or not). Then you need to make an appointment at the passport office to get the passport application processed. If you are time-pressed make the appointment when you send the citizenship form off as it can take two weeks to get an appointment. You don't have to stay there all day - you will get an appointment for a specific time and be processed pretty quickly. I paid for priority processing and got DD's passport in about two days, otherwise it can take a bit longer. All the forms etc are on the Australian Consulate website or you can ring them and they will send them to you.

The more time consuming and expensive process was getting DD added to our visa. I don't know if you need to do this but you may have trouble getting back into the UK without visas for your LO's. We got a warning the first time and told to sort it out before attempting to leave and re-enter the country with DD again!

Hope that helps.

janinlondon · 20/05/2009 10:24

Everything Skimummy said. When we did it they pushed me to the front of every queue at Australia House as DD was only a week old and I think I did the whole thing in less than an hour! They were very good. We also had trouble getting DD back into the UK, so make sure you sort that one out. They can be very strict about it and its the last thing you need at LHR when getting off that flight.

Kiwinyc · 20/05/2009 11:27

Are you twins not eligible for UK passports - cos I'd just get those. I am a New Zealander, married to a Brit but both mine have UK passports. They are also registered at NZ citizens by descent, and I will also registered them as Australian citizens by descent (when i get around to putting the forms in!) so they are eligible to obtain both a NZ and Australian passports, if they ever want to go and live there.

But for visits to both countries the UK passport is fine to travel on and they have no probs coming back.

This is if your children will be eligible for a UK passport - one of you needs to be a permanent resident (have 'indefinate right of abode' or a british citizen.

janinlondon · 20/05/2009 12:06

If they are eligible for a UK passport I think you will still have to apply for an Australian visa to get them into Oz?

Original poster
Twins123 · 20/05/2009 19:36

Thanks everyone, especially Skimummy!
We are not entitled to UK passports but have EU passports by decent. We want the babies to have Australian passports and we will get them EU passports when we get back to Australia.

Skimummy - did the citzenship take a long time to get?

Thanks everyone

OP posts:
eltham · 21/05/2009 08:38

hi,
my dd2 was born in Australia (we're both UK citizens and jnow live in Britain) and although she's got a UK passport we were told that if we re-entered Oz, she would have to come in under an OZ passport. In fact,they very nearly didn't let us out of Oz as they said she wouldn't be able to come back without one (we only had a UK passport for her). Wasn't until we explained we were never coming back (had one way tickets) that thye let our 12 week old dd2 come with us (scary!!)

Skimummy · 21/05/2009 09:29

From memory, citizenship only took about a week (from posting to getting the certificate). It was much quicker than I expected!

mummydoc · 21/05/2009 17:48

we are in a slightly differing position. DH and me british with uk passports, lived in oz, took out oz citzenship thus both now have dual citzenship and 2 passports. dd1 born in oz so also went through citzen application out htere and has 2 passports, dd2 born here ( now 4 yrs old) and in eyes of oz govt she is a child born to 2 australians who happen to be living in uk. now i have been meanin got get her an oz passport too since she was born but found website soooo confusing can anyone tell me exactly which forms i need to print off

ninedragons · 21/05/2009 17:54

My DD was born when my DH and I were living in China. Citizenship by descent only took a week or two and the passport didn't take much longer than that. It couldn't have been easier.

Skimummy · 21/05/2009 21:20

mummydoc, assume she is a citizen by descent so this page should help:

www.uk.embassy.gov.au/lhlh/citz.html

Once you have citizenship for her, you can apply for her passport:

www.uk.embassy.gov.au/lhlh/PptsApply.html

You have to go to the consulate for a first passport.

Hope that helps.

Citizenship and passports are pretty simple, the difficult part is getting the passport photo!!

mummydoc · 22/05/2009 13:07

thank you - have done form 118 and will spend weekend collecting other stuff needed

moocowme · 23/05/2009 21:27

if you are an australian citizen it is illegal to enter australia on a foreign passport.

just get both a british and australian passport for them as it is cheaper than getting them UK visas.

i got heald up at heathrow trying to take my 10week old son home who was born here but only had an australian passport. i just told them he was not british and if i wanted him to come back i would sort a visa/pasport out from australia (which i did)

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