Birth registration is not compulsory, but we recommend it. The advantages are that:

• A British style birth certificate is available as proof of identity and proof of nationality;
• A record of the birth will afterwards be held at the General Register Office in the United Kingdom. Copies can then be obtained in the future from the General Register Office.

The fee for registration plus one certified copy of the entry is Baht 4,640. Additional copies of the entry can be obtained at a cost of Baht 3,654 per certificate.

Before processing an application to register a child’s birth, we need to confirm the child’s nationality status. The following original documents are required, plus one photocopy of each supporting document. All originals will be returned at the time of application. We require certified translations (ie official translations from a licensed translator) of any document(s) not in English:

• Child’s official birth certificate, issued by the Thai District Office. We will follow the names as they appear on the local document;
• Documentary evidence of father and/or mother’s nationality status - UK full version birth certificate*, naturalisation or registration certificate;
• Parents’ marriage certificate;
• For children born on or after 1 July 2006, it is no longer a requirement for the parents of the child to be legally married.
  Evidence that any previous marriages of the parents have been dissolved - divorce or death certificate as appropriate;
• Both parents’ passports;
• Child’s Thai passport (if applicable);
• Completed registration of birth application form

* We need the full version birth certificate of the parent transmitting nationality (ie with both parents’ names on it). If you do not already have your (full) birth certificate, you may obtain it from the General Register Office.

Child’s Passport Application
You may wish to apply for a first passport for your child at the same time as you apply to register their birth. Please note that children can no longer be added to the passport of the parent; they must hold separate passports. The fee for a child’s passport (valid for five years) is Baht 4611. Please complete a C2 passport application form in full and return it to us with payment and evidence of the child’s British nationality ie either a British birth certificate or full documentation as for a birth certificate (as listed above). We require two recent, identical photographs, one of which must be countersigned. Please read carefully the photo specifications attached or view the sample of the photo.
Birth registration/passport applications may be made in person or by post (straight forward applications only).

Consular Section is open to the public Monday to Thursday 08:00 – 11:00 and 13:00 – 15:15 and Friday 08:00 – 12:00. We aim to process birth registrations within 5 working days and passports within 10 working days.

Method of Payment - exact amount only
We accept payment in the form of cash, bank draft (plus Baht 200 administration fee) or postal order (to be cashed at Nana Post Office, Bangkok 10112). Visa and MasterCard are accepted as well. Please note that online postal orders are not accepted. Applications made from Laos may be paid for by bank draft drawn at a Thai bank.

If you wish us to return the documents to you by post, please include an additional Baht 100 to cover the cost of Express Mail Service (EMS) postage. Applications made from Laos should include an additional Baht 500 for EMS postage. Alternatively, they may arrange a pre-paid return courier service and provide a reference number.

Note on British Nationality
You will be able to transmit your British nationality to your child born overseas if you acquired your British nationality “otherwise than by descent” ie by birth, naturalisation in the UK or (in some, but not all cases) registration in the UK. If you are not sure, please ask us for further advice.

If you were born overseas to a British parent, you acquired your British nationality “by descent” (unless your father was in Crown Service at the time of your birth). If your child is also born overseas then he / she will not automatically have a claim to British nationality but it may be possible to register him or her as a British Citizen at the Home Office or ask us for form MN1. If your intentions are to settle in the UK you will be advised to apply in the UK.

British fathers are unable to automatically transmit their nationality to children born outside of marriage before 1 July 2006 (see below). If the parents marry after the child’s birth, it is possible that the child’s birth will be “legitimated” by the parents’ marriage. In order for us to establish whether or not legitimation has taken place, both parents need to sign paternity declarations in person at the Embassy and the father to complete a “domicile questionnaire”. Please ask us for the paternity declaration forms.

The purpose of this is to establish whether the father has retained a domicile in the UK (this basically means close connections) and can therefore benefit from the provisions of British nationality law.

British Fathers, who are not married, can now apply to register children who are born abroad prior to 1 July 2006, with the Home Office. Please note this is discretionary. Those applying should expect to receive a decision in approximately 4 months. The fee for this will be £460 payable in local currency plus a Consular forwarding fee of Baht 3,654. Please ask us for form MN1 or obtain it from the Border and Immigration Agency.

You will require an appointment.

British mothers, whether married or not, may transmit their nationality to their children. However, in order to include the father’s name on the birth certificate we require either the parents’ marriage certificate or paternity declarations signed by both parents in person at the British Embassy. Paternity declaration forms are available on request