Overseas British Birth

Overseas British Birth Regulations

If you have a child as a British citizen overseas then the first thing you need to do is to register the child according to the country’s regulations in which the child was born. If all the regulations are followed correctly they will give you a local birth certificate.

If either the mother or father of your child is British citizen then you can register the birth of the child with the UK government using the local birth certificate you have from the country you reside in. This birth certificate (translated, if needed) can eventually be used to register with a doctor or school apply for a passport etc.

Please note: that you may need to get the foreign birth certificate translated and certified
Registering the birth with UK authorities is optional. You do not need to do this but if you do then it means:

The child’s birth will be registered and recorded at either the National Records Offices of Scotland or The General Register Offices after which a consular birth registration certificate can be ordered.

Please note: Even if the child’s birth is not registered in the UK you can still apply for a UK passport.
 
If you reside in one of the following countries you need not register the birth with UK authorities:
- Australia
- Canada
- New Zealand
- Republic of Ireland
- South Africa
- The British Overseas Territories

The MN1 form is what you will need to download, print and fill out to apply to register a child under 18 as a British citizen.