First Baby Passport: how quickly can we get it?

pred02

Hi,

We have our first kid due beginning of August. About 4 weeks after birth, if everything goes ok, we are planning on traveling to see family on the continent.  I understand we need to get the birth certificate and then can apply for 1 week fast track service.   I tried to go on the Lambeth site and see there is a 10 day backlog - e.g. if today is 10 July, they are only taking appointments for births from 1 July. Is there any way to fast track or urgent the birth registration with the council?

Thanks,

MalMonroe

'First kid'? Poor baby.

This is how to get a passport urgently, whether adult, child or baby -

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently

How to get a passport generally - https://www.gov.uk/get-a-child-passport

Looking at the Lambeth council site today it looks like there are longer delays than 10 days registering births. 

To be honest, travelling to the continent at the end of August with a tiny baby just does not seem a sensible thing to do. Your partner will be still recovering from the birth, assuming (and I hope that they do) things go well. If the baby is late (mine was 11 days late, as first babies often are) she will not feel like travelling to the continent and visiting family. Even if the baby is not late, I doubt she'll want to be jogging off over the channel. There's a lot of stuff you need to take when you travel with a tiny one, too. And travelling with a tiny baby is no picnic. I know, I did it. And regretted it.

What's the rush? Can't the family come to see you rather than you dragging a tiny babe over there? 

And with the way the British government is tackling the covid crisis (very badly) we could even be back in lockdown again by then.

Be kind to your family. Have a rethink and go next year instead. It seems as if the logistics will foil your plan this year.

pred02

Thanks for the input. All of our family is abroad, and to your point given the current government regulation around Covid it is very difficult and expensive for them to come here plus we don't have a lot of space.

We also have some family in their mid to late 90s abroad where its the opportunity to meet the baby. I have some leave from work approved that I can take upfront therefore this is viable. I appreciate the difficulty of travel right now. 

It seems that it may be possible to register at Wandsworth Council which appears to be more efficient than Lambeth.

https://nappyvalleynet.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=70514

Alan_Bowen

I would not rush to book anything until you have the registration document in your hands. It is one thing to get an appointment, the council I was dealing with took almost two weeks to arrange a phone appointment but then took another 2 weeks to actually issue the document on the basis they had so few staff actually in the offices themselves. Hopefully, after July 19th staff may be returning to work from home and things may improve....

pred02

Thanks. Do I need to register in Lambeth or can I go elsewhere? 

There must be an emergency process for expedited cases. With extra fees of course.

TheMilkmansDad

https://www.gov.uk/register-birth

have you read this - seems to answer your question and took under a minute to google!