Gaining a passport for a child under a Special Guardianship Order?

lolly101

Hi Everyone,

I am planning on getting a passport for my nephew (I'm his legal guardian) but I know that it won't be a straight forward process. I've had a search around online but can't find any relevant information on what (and who - Social Services, birth parents?) is involved :huh:.

Has anyone had any experience of this?

Ms_Chocaholic

A Special Guardianship Order grants PR to the person(s) to whom the SGO was granted.

Social Services will not hold PR for that child.

I would imagine therefore you should be able to apply for a passport as normal.


ETA: Extracts from here
extracts from here
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/agencies-public-bodies/ips/general-ips-publications/passports/children-policy?view=Binary

The order appoints a person or persons to be a child’s special guardian. Applications may be made by an individual, or jointly by two or more people to become special guardians. Special guardians must be 18 or over. The parents of the child may not become the child’s special guardian.

Once appointed, the special guardian will have parental responsibility for the child. Unlike a Residence Order which allows the holder joint parental responsibility for the child whilst the order is in force, a special guardian may exercise parental responsibility to the exclusion of all others with parental responsibility (including parents and holders of residence orders) apart from another special guardian with two main exceptions. The intention is that the special guardian will have clear responsibility for the day to day decisions about caring for the child or young person and their upbringing. This does not mean that the parents lose their basic link to the child. They remain legally the child’s parents, however when a special guardianship order is in force, a special guardian is entitled to exercise parental responsibility to the exclusion of any other person with parental responsibility for the child (apart from another special guardian).

The holder of a special guardianship order must provide the consent to passport facilities for the child under 16 irrespective of where the child is living unless there is a subsequent court order that varies the conditions of the original order or restricts the issue of a passport to the child. If there is more than one person who is named as the special guardian, IPS will accept consent from either guardian.

LondonGranny

My situation was similar albeit some 14 years ago and I Had an RO.
My RO was altered by the judge after the mother refused to allow a passport to be issued.

He simply gave permission for me to apply for the passport and I enclosed it with the application to the passport office.

I would contact your solicitor and ask their advice:)

Good Luck

Janeyjaz

Hi, just fill in the form as normal - in section 9 sign your name and out guardian after it and include the childs FBC & your court order

spiro

I think you will find everything you need to know here http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/Applyingforaneworrenewedchildpassport/DG_174107

lindzi1127

I have tried to apply for a passport for a child i have special guarding ship over and the passport office has said i have to send details of their mother and their grandmother. I'm not in contact with the mother and the grandmother hasn't been seen since 1989. I feel very stuck any advice will b appreciated

smudge56

Remember you will also have to include mother's birth certificate or passport number if she has one (and maternal grandmother's birth certificate if mother was born after 31/12/1982) as well as your nephew's full birth certificate.
If you live close to any of the passport offices you can go in and speak to them - they will tell you exactly what is required.

smudge56

lindzi1127 wrote: »

I have tried to apply for a passport for a child i have special guarding ship over and the passport office has said i have to send details of their mother and their grandmother. I'm not in contact with the mother and the grandmother hasn't been seen since 1989. I feel very stuck any advice will b appreciated

You can obtain mother's and grandmother's birth certificates from GRO or if they were born in Scotland - any registry office will give you a copy.

http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

The parent's/grandparent's details are required to establish nationality.

jayemkayess

I am having the same problem. Have obtained mother and grandmothers birth certs(researching family history proved useful), however, the mothers name on child's birth certificate is not the name on her birth certificate (i was first told it been changed by deed poll, and wasn't, no supporting documentation, then I was told her stepfather adopted her, which he didn't, and to make matters even more worse, the grandmother was allegedly adopted and her birth certificate or marriage certificate does not have the same name as on her daughters!!!! Help. Passport office no help at all!