Register a child

[leigh1994]

I am married but having a baby with a new partner. I'm currently going through a divorce but baby may be born before that finalises. Needed to get out of this marriage but that's story time for another time.

My new partner is 100% the dad, can I register baby under his surname? He's been soooo supportive

He would need to attend with you to register the birth otherwise they won’t add his name to the birth certificate and baby will have your surname

Ok yeah that's fine he will be coming :)

Should be ok then. I’d check your appointment letter to make sure you don’t need to take any ID etc .

Congratulations

Thankyouuu! I haven't got one yet as I'm due mid feb. I haven't to check when I need to make this appointment. Assume it's with registry office. Midwife said register with doctors too

Ahh right well it will soon be here ! It will be with your local registry office and register with a GP soon as you’re able . They will give you vaccines for whooping cough and do checkups and vaccines once the baby is born !

Yes just make sure you take the dad with you.

You can give a child any name you want - surname included. There is no law saying it has to get its surname from either parent.

Not 100% true. He has to be there for his name to go on the birth certificate as the father.

However there is no legal obligation for a child to share the surname with either parent so they could use a 3rd surname for the child neither parent uses if they wanted.

I would also double check the father part as a quick Google said

Yes, you can register your child in the UK even if you are married to someone else and the child's father is another man; however, the birth certificate will initially list your husband as the father unless you take legal action to establish paternity and re-register the birth with the correct father's details through a court order.

I called.the local office as we wanted to use a letter that didn't exist in the English alphabet for one of my children's name and they were really helpful. So perhaps try that?

Yes, they will want to know your current name and your maiden name but won't ask questions about it. As long as your partner is there at the appointment, he can be registered as the father.

I'm divorced but kept my ex's name as I'd had it for so long. My partner has also changed his name and both previous surnames are registered on our children's birth certificates but no questions were asked.

Not sure whether you may have to declare your marital status on the form though.

Wow now I actually didn’t know this ! Probably something I never thought about as we knew our children would have DHs surname