Education and Child Matters

I AM L.I.P

I am a Litigant In Person

How To Register Your Baby's Birth (UK And Abroad) And Get A Birth Certificate

 

IS IT A LEGAL REQUIREMENT TO REGISTER YOUR BABY’S BIRTH?

Yes it is. The law requires you to register the birth of your baby within 42 days of the birth.

WHERE DO YOU REGISTER YOUR BABY’S BIRTH?

All local authorities will have a registry office. You must register your baby’s birth at this register office. Please get their details by clicking the link below and call them to make an appointment or go onto their website and make an appointment if this service is available.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE TO FIND A REGISTER OFFICE

IS THERE A COST TO REGISTERING YOUR BABY’S BIRTH?

There is no cost to register your baby’s birth.

WHAT HAPPENS ONCE YOU REGISTER YOUR BABY’S BIRTH?

Once you register your baby’s birth you can purchase a birth certificate. You will need a birth certificate if you want to apply for a passport, child benefit or enrol your child into a school.

HOW DO YOU GET A BIRTH CERTIFICATE?

You can purchase a birth certificate from the registry office. They cost approximately £11 each.

There are 2 types of birth certificates available. Both cost the same.

  1. Short one – This birth certificate states only the baby’s details.
  2. Full one – This birth certificate includes the baby’s and parents’ details.

HOW SOON CAN YOU GET A BIRTH CERTIFICATE?

If you register your baby’s birth in the same local authority/borough where the birth took place, you will be issued with a birth certificate at the same time as registering the birth. 

If you register the birth in a different local authority/borough to where the baby was born, the birth certificate will most likely be issued after a few days.

CAN YOU ORDER ADDITIONAL BIRTH CERTIFICATES ONLINE?

Yes you can.

WHAT IF YOU DO NOT REGISTER YOUR BABY’S BIRTH WITHIN 42 DAYS?

You will get a formal notice demanding you to attend an appointment.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DO NOT ATTEND?

You can be prosecuted. 

WHO CAN REGISTER THE BIRTH OF THE BABY?

1. Either parent can register the birth of the baby if they are married or in a civil relationship when the baby was conceived or born. Both parents’ names can be added to the birth certificate.

2. If the parents are NOT married or NOT in a civil relationship when the baby was conceived or born then both parents have to attend the registering of the baby together if they want both their names on the birth certificate. 

3. If the mother attends alone and she is not married to the father, he can be later added to the birth certificate by re-registering the birth. The form you will need for this is form GRO 185.

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR FOR GRO 185

4. If both parents are not married at the time of the baby’s conception or birth and only one of them can attend to register the birth but both would like their names on the birth certificate, then the absent parent must sign a statutory declaration of acknowledgement of parentage form. The parent attending the registry must take the statutory declaration form with them. The statutory declaration must be signed by a solicitor, magistrate, justice of the peace, notary public, licenced conveyancer, authorised advocate or authorised litigator.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR STATUTORY DECLARATION OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PARENTAGE FORM

5. If both parents are not married at the time of the baby’s conception or birth and only one of them can attend to register the birth but both would like their names on the birth certificate, then the parent that is registering the birth can take a parental responsibility agreement or court order giving parental responsibility with them when they register the birth. 

6. If both parents are of the same sex (female) and are married or are civil partners then either parent can register the birth alone and both names can be on the birth certificate if the mother had the child by donor insemination or fertility treatment or the mother was married or in a civil relationship at the time of the treatment.

7. If both parents are the same sex (female) and are NOT married or are NOT in a civil partnership, and both would like their names on the birth certificate then the following have to apply:

    • The second female parent can have her name on the birth certificate if both parents are treated together at the clinic in the UK, and they have a parenthood agreement. 
    • They must also register the birth together or
    • If only one of them goes to the registry office to register the birth then this parent must take with her a statutory declaration of acknowledgement of parentage form signed by the other parent. The statutory declaration must be signed by a solicitor, magistrate, justice of the peace, notary public, licenced conveyancer, authorised advocate or authorised litigator.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR STATUTORY DECLARATION OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PARENTAGE FORM

    • If only one of them goes to the registry office to register the birth then this parent must take with her a parental responsibility agreement or court order giving parental responsibility to the second parent when they register the birth. 

8. When the parents are unable to register the birth of their child, the following individuals can register the birth on their behalf:

    • An individual with parental responsibility for the child.
    • An individual who was present at the birth
    • An individual who works in the administrative department of the hospital where the baby was born. 

9. Please note that same sex couples (male) must apply for a parental order before they can be registered parents. 

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR DOMESTIC GESTATIONAL AND TRADITIONAL SURROGACY

WHAT WILL THE REGISTRAR AT THE REGISTRY OFFICE ASK YOU WHEN YOU ATTEND?

When you attend your appointment to register your baby’s birth, you will be asked questions to which you must have answers. The questions you will be asked are:

  1. What is your baby’s sex?
  2. What is your baby’s first name?
  3. What is your baby’s surname?
  4. If your baby is a twin or one of multiple births then the time they were born will be asked.
  5. The baby’s mother’s first name, surname, place of birth, address, maiden name and occupation.
  6. The baby’s father’s first name, surname, place of birth, address and occupation. 
  7. Date of parents’ marriage or civil ceremony if this applies.

You will be asked to check the information you have given and date and sign the information you have entered.

WHAT IF YOU HAVE GIVEN THE WRONG INFORMATION?

If you have given wrong information and need to correct it at a later date it will cost you £75.00 to £90.00 depending upon the information you need to amend.

The application form to correct any details is available on the registry’s website. Once completed, you can email it to them.

It can take up to 2 months for the registry office to consider your application. They may ask for evidence. Once they have made their decision, they will invite you for an appointment to correct the information if this is what they have decided.

The correction will show as a note on the margin of the register stating why the correction was made and when it was made.   

SHOULD YOU BRING ANY DOCUMENTS AND PAPERWORK WITH YOU WHEN YOU REGISTER YOUR CHILD’S BIRTH?

It is not mandatory to supply any documents however, you should take the following with you as a precaution.

  1. Your baby’s red book.
  2. Any paperwork belonging to the baby, such as notification of the birth.
  3. Yours and the other parent’s passport or driving licence.
  4. Your marriage or civil partnership certificate.
  5. Utility bill or council tax bill as proof of address.

WHAT IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE FIRST NAME OF YOUR BABY WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF REGISTERING THE BIRTH?

If you would like to change your baby’s first name within the 12 months after registering the birth, it will cost you £40.00. You can download an application form from your local authority’s website and email it to the registry office. They will take approximately 7 days to consider your application. If it is successful, they will add a note to the register with the new information and explain why and when the change was made.

A new birth certificate will cost £10 to purchase. 

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO RE-REGISTER A BIRTH?

You can re-register your baby’s  birth if you would like to add the father’s name or if you get married or form a civil partnership after the birth of your baby. You will need to complete form GRO 185.

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR FORM GRO 185

HOW DO YOU REGISTER YOUR BABY’S BIRTH ABROAD?

When you register your baby’s birth abroad, you will have to do it according to the rules, regulations and procedures of that country. You will get a birth certificate. 

The UK will accept a birth certificate from foreign countries. If it is in a foreign language, you may need to get it translated and certified.