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Birth Abroad: Securing Citizenship and Birth Certificates for Expat Families

Expats looking to expand their families abroad must research the local requirements for obtaining citizenship and birth certificates for their children. It’s also important to decide whether you want your child to carry dual citizenship or to be a citizen of only your home country. 

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Are you an expat couple on the verge of parenthood? Are you looking to safeguard your pregnancy while abroad? Today, we will be going over securing citizenship and birth certificates for expat families just in time for welcoming your little angels to the world. 

What Are Birth Certificates?

Bayerische Staatskanzlei, Munich, Germany

A birth certificate is a government-issued document that records the birth of a child for vital statistics, tax, military, or census purposes and is among the first legal documents issued to any individual. 

In the United States, birth certificates are proof of someone’s age, citizenship status, and identity. Birth certificates are required for obtaining social security numbers, passport applications, school enrollment, driver’s license registration, employment, or applying for other benefits.

What is Citizenship?

Citizenship is one’s position or status as a citizen of a particular country. One can gain citizenship by meeting the legal requirements of a national, state, or local government. 

The extent of citizenship varies from country to country. For some countries, citizenship grants citizens the right to vote, hold government offices, or collect unemployment severance payments.

Living in a country doesn’t automatically grant someone citizenship. Those living in a country without citizenship will have their rights and duties defined by political treaties and the laws of the country they’re staying in. 

In the US, those without citizenship must obey the law and pay taxes just like any other US citizen. They must also register with the US government for permission to stay for extended periods. They may be entitled to protection under the law and court usage. 

Noncitizens in the US can also own property, carry on business, and attend public schools. However, noncitizens cannot vote or hold government office, and in some states, they won’t be able to practice certain professions until they gain citizenship. 

Getting a Birth Certificate in Other Countries as an Expat

Crowd Outside In Shibuya, Japan

Below are the steps to get a birth certificate in some notable countries as an expat. Note that the procedure is subject to the laws of each country.

Thailand Birth Certificate Process 

Birth in Thailand is only legally recognized under Thai law if it was duly registered at the district office. If one of the parents is a foreigner, they should proceed with the birth registration for the child at their respective embassy in Thailand. 

The embassy will then issue a Report of Birth Abroad or a Birth Certificate.

The following are the documents required for the birth registration:

  • Online Thai birth certificate application
  • US birth certificate issued by local authorities (with one copy)
  • Both parents’ Thai ID card and/or valid passport (with one copy for each person)
  • Both parents’ Thai house registration (with one copy for each person)
  • The parents’ Thai or US-issued marriage certificate
  • One passport-sized (2 in x 2 in) colored photograph of the child
  • Document proving parental relationship with the child

Below are other documents needed in some circumstances:

  • For unmarried parents wishing for the child to take on the father’s surname: Prepare a statement stating that intention.
  • For married parents wishing for the child to take on the mother’s surname: Prepare a statement stating that intention.
  • Inconsistent information in the US and Thai birth certificates: Fill out an application to request the child’s documents.
  • To request a Thai citizen birth certificate (for anyone born before 1992): Prepare a statement to request the birth certificate as per the 1992 Nationality Act (Issue 2). 

If either of the parents is Thai, the newborn can get Thai citizenship. However, if neither parent is Thai, the newborn will get the home country’s citizenship. There are also no fees involved in the birth certificate application in Thailand. 

For More Information: Apply for a Birth Certificate – (thaiembassy.org)

The U.K. Birth Certificate Process 

Parliament and Big Ben, London, UK

Birth registration with the UK authorities costs GBP 150 (approx USD $191.78). You also have the option of ordering a consular birth registration certificate, which costs GBP 50/certificate (approx USD $63.93). 

To have these documents sent back to you, you’ll also have to pay between GBP 5-25 (approx USD $6.39-$31.96) depending on the country the documents are sent to. 

The Online Application: https://register-a-birth-abroad.service.gov.uk/ 

If you have any further questions about overseas birth registration with the UK authorities, have difficulties applying online, or would like to register for multiple births such as twins or triplets, you can email [email protected]

Hong Kong Birth Certificate Process 

The birth certificate application can be done both online and on-site. We will explain the steps to both methods below. 

In-Person Birth Registration

Parents must book ahead of time through the Internet or by phone. The in-person birth registration appointment is also given on a first-come-first-serve basis. After the appointment, parents also have the option to change or cancel the appointment before the date.

Parents are strongly urged to punctually attend the birth registration within the reserved time slot, or change or cancel as soon as possible (if needed).

Below are the required documents:

  • The parent’s marriage certificate (if said marriage certificate is not written in English or Chinese, a certified translation is required).
  • (For permanent Hong Kong residents) The parents’ Hong Kong permanent ID cards OR
  • (For Hong Kong residents) The parents’ Hong Kong ID cards and valid travel documents (passports or identity documents) OR
  • (For non-Hong Kong residents) The parents’ travel documents upon arriving in Hong Kong (passports, exit-entry permits for traveling to and from Hong Kong and Macao).

The birth registration will usually take 30 minutes, with a certified copy of a birth entry usually issued within 10 minutes later. 

Online Birth Registration

Parents can register the birth of their child online if they meet any of the following requirements:

  • The informant is the mother or father.
  • One of the parents is a permanent Hong Kong resident
  • The child is considered legitimate 
  • The informant registers for the birth within 42 days after the birth of the child and if the informant is registered with the “iAM Smart+” mobile app.

Below are the documents required for the online birth registration: 

  • Copy of both parents’ Hong Kong identity card/travel documents
  • Copy of the parents’ marriage certificate (certified translation is required if not written in English or Chinese).

For More Information: Registration of a Birth | Immigration Department (immd.gov.hk)

Frequently Asked Questions

Merlion at Orchard Spring Lane, Singapore

How can a foreigner get Thai citizenship?

To get Thai citizenship as an expat, one must live in Thailand for at least five years. Your Thai citizenship will then be certified by a Certificate of Residence, a Certificate of Foreigner Identity, or Civil Registration.

Does being born in Thailand make my child a Thai citizen?

A child born in Thailand can only obtain Thai nationality if one of their parents is Thai. If both of their parents are foreigners, the child will not be eligible for holding a Thai nationality.

What if a child is born to foreign parents in the US?

According to the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, children born in the US are entitled to American citizenship regardless of their parents’ nationalities or immigration status. 

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Conclusion

In conclusion, any future expat parents should know the local requirements of birth registration in whichever country they’re situated in. These include the required documents, along with methods available such as online and on-site applications, as well as potential birth registration fees.

Known as a leading international health insurance broker, Pacific Prime has over 20 years of experience in matching both locals and expats to their preferred health insurance plans that match both their specific healthcare needs and their comfortable budget. 

Whether you’re an expat living overseas or a local citizen, we are more than happy to help you out with service-mindedness, impartiality, and knowledge.

So, if you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Head of Content at Pacific Prime
Serena Fung is the Head of Content at Pacific Prime, a global insurance brokerage and employee specialist serving over 1.5 million clients in 15 offices across the world. With 6+ years of experience writing about the subject, she aims to demystify the world of insurance for readers with the latest updates, guides and articles on the blog.

Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).

Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.
Serena Fung