Hey AG’s! One of the most complicated things about having a child abroad is figuring out how to get them a passport, social security, etc. Thankfully, if you know the right steps, and are on top of it, the process can be relatively painless. Here’s the low-down…
In order to get your child a US passport if they were born in the UK:
(1) Go to the city-hall and pick up the birth certificate. There are two types here, the long form and the short form. The short form is given to you for free, but you need to request and pay for the long form. This is the only one that the US embassy with accept. Additionally, AG would suggest getting multiple copies of the long form certificate as it is the one that will be asked for if you ever move back to the US.
(2) Book an appointment at the US embassy for a) a consular report of foreign birth application, b) a passport application and c) a SS number application. You can book all of these together on their website and do it in advance as there is a wait of at least a couple of months. You can get all of the applications and instructions off of the website as well. Folllow them exactly or they will turn down your application.
(3) Finally, you will need the following for your appointment:
Hi. Really useful blog.
Did you also get your minis a UK residency visa?
If not, did you have any trouble coming in/out of the country.
Hello, yes we did. We have a 5 year residency visa through my hubby's work, so thankfully they sorted it. I would recommend it- I had friends who forgot to get their baby a visa and they were given a difficult time coming back into Heathrow…. Cheers! xx AG