First British Passport for a Child Born Abroad to a British Parent
If your child was born outside the UK to a British citizen parent, in most cases the child is already a British citizen automatically — so you do not apply for citizenship, you apply directly for a first British passport. The crucial question is whether the child actually inherited citizenship, which depends on the parent's status and when the child was born. Get that right first, then the passport is straightforward.
- A child born abroad to a British citizen parent is usually a British citizen by descent — automatically, from birth
- You apply for a first child passport online, including from overseas
- You must prove the child's British nationality (parent's documents or a registration certificate)
- UK online child passport fee is £66.50; the overseas fee is different — check the official fee before paying
- The "one generation" rule means citizenship by descent does not always pass to the next generation
Is your child automatically a British citizen?
British citizenship is normally passed down one generation to children born outside the UK. So if at least one parent is a British citizen otherwise than by descent (for example, born or registered in the UK), a child born abroad is usually a British citizen by descent automatically — no application needed for the status itself.
The catch is the type of citizenship the parent holds. A parent who is themselves British by descent generally cannot automatically pass citizenship to a child born outside the UK. There are limited exceptions (such as a parent in Crown or designated service), but otherwise that child is not automatically a citizen and may instead need to be registered as British — often using form MN1, subject to eligibility.
If the British parent was also born outside the UK, do not assume the child is automatically a citizen. Check the parent's status carefully, because two generations of "by descent" usually breaks the automatic chain. If you are unsure, confirm the position before applying for a passport.
GOV.UK's check if you're a British citizen tool walks through birth dates (the rules differ before 1983, 1983–2006, and from 1 July 2006) and parental circumstances.
Applying for the first passport
If the child is a British citizen, you apply for their first child passport online — the same online service is used from inside and outside the UK. You will typically need:
- Two digital photos that meet the passport rules
- The child's full birth certificate showing the parents' details
- Proof of British nationality — for example the British parent's passport details, the parent's full birth certificate, or a British registration/naturalisation certificate
- Any foreign passport the child holds
- Any relevant court orders (for example on parental responsibility)
After you pay and submit, someone will need to confirm the child's identity online — HM Passport Office emails them what to do, so there is no longer a printed photo to sign.
For a first passport, HM Passport Office may take longer than a renewal because they verify nationality from scratch. Apply in good time before any travel, and never book non-refundable travel until the passport arrives.
Fees and where to apply
A first child passport applied for from the UK costs £66.50 online. If you apply from overseas, the fee is different — always check the current figure on the official passport fees and overseas passports pages before paying, as fees change.
If you also want a UK record of the birth, you can separately register a birth abroad with the General Register Office, but this is not required to get a passport.
When to get advice
Nationality-by-descent rules are genuinely complex, especially for children born before 1983, for unmarried fathers, or where a parent is themselves British by descent. If your child's eligibility is not clear-cut, speak to a regulated OISC adviser or an immigration solicitor before applying — a passport refusal on nationality grounds is harder to fix later.
If you are mapping out a wider settlement-to-citizenship journey for the family, see the British citizenship timeline and what documents you need to apply for British citizenship. And if an older child needs to register and pass the test as part of their route, you can warm up with our free Life in the UK practice.