Registering Birth With UK Home Country From The USA

[catfrances 3]

Hi,

I cannot find the answer after searching for 2 days, can you all help me out?

I am British, living in America as a permanent resident, I had a baby 3 weeks ago to my American boyfriend and I am applying for her American passport, I also want to apply for her UK passport, as I understand she will be a dual citizen and can have 2 passports, just so long as she enters the USA with her USA passport and UK with her UK passport. The question I have is that I saw you can register the birth with the UK because I am British, however what is the purpose of doing so??

Here is the link about registering and I can not find any benefit to registering...

https://www.gov.uk/register-a-birth/y/usa/mother/no/same_country

You can apply for a UK passport without registering so it makes no sense. Does anyone have any ideas or know if there is anything else I am supposed to be doing to get dual citizenship for my baby.

Thank you for any help.

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

***** Moving from General Immigration to UK forum for country specific answers *****

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

It is probably more for two British people who are abroad temporarily and will be returning to the UK, but their baby happened to be born while they were away. The baby will be on record forever as a British born child with a British born Parent or two. Maybe it facilitates getting child benefits, assigned a NHS number automatically at 16, and things like that that would require a birth certificate. If you are going to raise the child in the US, then maybe there is no reason for him to have a British "birth record". Just a guess.

[catfrances 3]

Thank you, I just can't find a definite answer and would hate to not do it in the time allowed and then find out I should have.

[yuna628 9,676]

Thank you, I just can't find a definite answer and would hate to not do it in the time allowed and then find out I should have.

I hope this link might be able to help you out in explaining the reasons why it's advisable. It will certainly assist you in obtaining a passport for the child, and is another method of proof of citizenship. http://britishexpats.com/wiki/British_Consular_Birth_Registration

Edited July 2, 2016 by yuna628

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Good link Yuna. I would get that to permanently establish British citizenship, especially since he doesn't actually need a British passport at this time. He can travel on an American passport.

[catfrances 3]

Thank you Yuna628 and Nich-Nick, you have both been very helpful. Yuna, great link, that at least explained it better than the government link did

Emma