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• Updated: 10 October 2024

Find out how to register a birth - who can register, birth certificates

• Overview

  All births in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must be registered…

• Who can register a birth

  Opposite-sex couples Married or civil-partner parents Either parent can…

• Birth certificates

  There are 2 types of birth certificate: the short version, which contains…

Use form SC3 if you're an employee, become a birth parent and need to apply to your employer for Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) and Leave.

HM Passport Office guidance about parental responsibility, birth parents, adoption and surrogacy.

• Updated: 10 October 2024

Who has parental responsibility for looking after children, and how to apply for parental responsibility if you were unmarried to the mother or are not on the birth certificate

Legal rights for intended parents and surrogates; how legal parenthood is transferred; children born outside the UK; pay and leave rights

The adoption process - eligibility, assessment, adoption agencies, adoption court orders, overseas adoptions and the rights of birth parents.

Re-register your child’s birth to add the father's name to the birth record or certificate at the register office

If you were adopted you can access your birth records or get on the Adoption Contact Register to find birth relatives - how to apply, forms and information for birth relatives

Correct the original registration with the register office or GRO - find out what corrections can be made, who can apply, how long it takes, what they look like