Register a birth abroad

You must register your child’s birth according to the regulations in the country where the child was born. You’ll be given a local birth certificate.

This birth certificate should be accepted in the UK, for example when you:

  • apply for a passport
  • register with a school or doctor

If it’s not in English, you’ll need to have it translated by an approved translator.

Register a birth abroad with the UK authorities

You may also be able to register the birth with the UK authorities, if the child was born on or after 1 January 1983. You do not need to do this, but if you do:

  • the birth will be recorded in the UK with the General Register Office or at the National Records Office of Scotland
  • you can order a consular birth registration certificate - this proves that you have registered the birth with the UK authorities

You can still apply for a UK passport even if you do not register the birth in the UK.

Fees

It costs £150 to register a birth with the UK authorities. You can also order a consular birth registration certificate - it costs £50 per certificate.

You’ll also need to pay to have your documents sent back to you. This costs between £5 and £25 depending on which country the documents are returned to.

How long it takes

It normally takes at least 5 working days to register a birth with the UK authorities, plus courier or postage time. The Overseas Registration team will let you know if your application will take longer, for example if you need to provide more evidence.

Apply online

Use this service to register a birth abroad with the UK authorities.

This service is optional.

Start now

Get help with your application

Email Overseas.RegistrationUnit@fcdo.gov.uk if you:

  • have any questions about registering a birth abroad with the UK authorities
  • cannot apply online
  • want to register multiple births (such as twins)

Related content