Mistake in birth certificate affecting ds admission

[smileplz]

Hi,
we moved to this country 2 years back as part of my dh contract.When we came here it was only for 6 months.For coming we needed birth certificate n passport of my ds so we get it issued(birth certificate).
When it was issued we came to know that Registrar has written 2005 instead of 2004.

But we were in hurry for coming here so could not get it corrected.So now ds has both, birth certificate n passport with incorrect D.O.B.
Last time I told this problem to LA while filling application form for reception and told them we can not correct it now since we are not in our country.They ask me to give a declaration signed by both the parents regarding the mistake n we did that.When we visited our country during oct 09,we tried to get this thing fixed but they told that we have 2 submit the passports for correction n we cudnt do that as we went for short period.Moreover our ds was going in reception so we did not put much stress on the thing n came back with out correction.
Now we had to move from our place this year n so I had to fill the form for the new LEA.After 2 weeks of starting of school today my ds was called for showing the documents n this School is not agreeing with the date of birth.
I showed them my ds file which I got from previous school that he has already done the reception but the School is saying I will ask the previous school about this.When I told them that plz give him a place n this time when we will visit our country,we will definitely bring some proof to show you.
But the school told that may be your ds will not be allowed to come till u go 2 your country n bring the documents.
The head teacher told me that she will ask some body at higher level n let me know about it but no date is given 2day to ds for joining the school.He is so upset with this.plz help what shud I do? n tell me what the school cud do?Can they withdraw the place or will put him in Reception again?or will not let him come to any class till we show the corrected document?I m really stressed out.

Can you call the embassy of the country concerned? It may be that they can assist you to sort this out. Do you have any other documentation regarding your ds's birth, or proof that he existed during the 2004 which may help the school to believe the story?

I would have thought you can get a new passport issued at your embassy here. The birth certificate is simply a copy of what has been stated in the Register of Births so getting a correct copy should be easy. Depending on where you are from I would have thought you could apply from overseas. The only problem I can see is if the Register itself is incorrect in which case you I assume you will need to provide other evidence of date of birth (eg hospital record) to get the date corrected on the register.

Did you not get a copy of the birth certificate when you registered the birth? That is the normal procedure here.

Mollieo,Yes I have hospital record but its not with me, its back home.( I shud have brought it with me whn I visited last time).
When we register the birth,we dont get the copy in our country. Can I apply it from here.Is it possible to contact embassy from here?
I dont even know the information in register.What will happen if thats also incorrect?Can it be corrected if I show the hospital records or would my ds live with wrong D.O.B.forever?
Ladymuck, I have details of his vaccination record given to him in 2004 ,I think that might help.

Have you got anything else that can prove he was born in 2004? Dated photos for example.

I agree - contact your embassy or high commission here.

Presumably, the date on which your son's birth was recorded in the main register will be a clue as to when he was born - if the entry was made in 2004 then he obviously could not have been born in 2005.

The problem for the school is that they have to be satisfied that your son is of the correct age to join a Y1 class. I know you were in a hurry to come to the UK but it is a pity that you also obtained a passport with the wrong date of birth in it. To be frank, I do not know what will happen if you cannot establish that your son was born in 2004. As it stands, you have two official documents showing he was born in 2005 and so it is going to be up to you to convince the local education authority that that is incorrect.

For this academic year onwards, it is the Local Education Authority (not the individual school) which is responsible for handling casual (ie not Reception or Year 7) admissions. Contact the admissions officer for your LEA and ask whether your son can start school while you sort out his birth certificate and passport. You could also ask them to speak to their colleagues in your previous LEA.

I agree contact your embassy. If it's anything like France even though you don't get a birth cert, you should be able to order a new registry extract fairly easily.

Do you have anything at all, even vaguely official, which shows his correct DOB?

I guess you know it needs correcting ASAP or your DS will be going through life with the wrong DOB!

If you are willing to say what nationality you are, I'm sure we can find some contact details for your embassy or high commission. If not, try Googling [your country] + High Commission (if Commonwealth)/Embassy (if not) + London.

Every country has an embassy or consulate here. Depending on level of representation they should be able to help. You need to contact them to see what they can do. Without knowing your country no one on MN can offer you targeted advice.

contact details for embassies etc in London

FCO website which includes consulates not in London

Thanks everyone,
Found contact details for my embassy but it seems they issue birth certificate based on passport n vice versa.
But I have problem with both.What shud I do now?
Will a notorised certificate made by close relative back in country work?

How can a relative issue a birth certificate?

I've got a colour printer but the norm here is for the Registrar of Births to do it.

SOrry why can you not get the relevant documents sent to you over here from your own country where you say they are?

The OP will still need to get a corrected birth certificate. Embassy will be able to advise what you need to do and how you need to do it.

Smileplz, I think you should call your embassy/consulate here. It does not sound correct that birth certificates are issued based on the passport and vice versa. How would anyone ever get a birth certificate issued if they did not happen to have a passport? Similarly, you must have received a copy of the birth certificate previously without a passport.

I think that before you do anything that you need to talk with the Local Authority Admission department. They are the people who will make the decision about the school that your child should attend and in what year.
I am not sure why the school is involved in this, they must know that it is for the LA to make the decision.
You need to explain what has happened and show that your son has already been to school in reception year in this country. It is a simple task for the LA to check this of the records in the previous LA.
Clearly you do need to get this problem with the passport and birth certificate resolved because it is going to keep giving you problems.

Yes as mrspickles said thats what I meant by notorised certificate.
thanks for your advice , admission.I will talk to LA admission authority first and then to Embassy as everybody suggested.

I'm glad you have listened to Admission's advice. I said the same thing yesterday and was ignored!

Have you been to see a solicitor? It ought to be possible to find one who has knowledge of the law in your country. Some of the advice you have been given so far (not on MN) sounds odd to me and legal advice will help clarify things. A notarised statement from your family in your country and/or a hospital record of the birth ought to help move things in the right direction but, as Admission says, your son will face all sorts of problems in life if he has to carry around a birth certificate and passport with incorrect information on them. You need to get this sorted - including the issue of new documents.

Thanks panelmember about your advice again.
I donno how I missed it yesterday.
Yes dh is going to see solicitor 2day.
Thanks again

Medical records, emails to your friends, boss, whoever about the birth of your son. Ask the embassy to help. Can someone overseas go to your house/hospital and collect the evidence and post it over to you? You need the evidence.

dh phoned his friend back home 2day ,n he (dh friend)said he will try to collect some evidences.lets see what he can do n in how much time.
Also wrote a letter to Team leader of pupil services stating the problem n requesting him to give us time to show the proof and in the meantime considering ds for year 1.Lets see what he says also.
Thanks to every one who gave their precious views in this matter.

My godson has no birth certificate or passport and when he started school we got a sworn affidavit from the administrator of the hospital in which he was born and the priest who baptised him which stated his date of birth. Could you try this? It is a total pain and we are trying to get him naturalized British citizenship as he has lived here since he was 3. You must get your son's documentation sorted as it causes no end of hassle if it's not,believe me.

Hi all,
After so many days of hard work by our relatives back in country, finally we wre able to amend the birth certificate with 2004.
We received the faxed copy from our country and when I went to show it to School,the deputy headteacher(the one who saw his passport with 2005)said that we will still not allow him to come to school till you show us the amended passport.She said Pupil services is not agrreing with it.When I Phoned Pupil services they said there shud not be a problem with the amended birth certificate.
PS we gave the birth certificate along with its English Translation signed by DM.The deputy HT was very rude to me and was making excuses which were baseless.I think she is a racist and is not ready to co operate.
I tried to book the appointment with HT but School is not letting me do that.
Please advise what should I do .