Looking for birth certificate of my mom

[Adiroit]

Hi Paul

Maybe this will help?

Philadelphia — British Honorary Consulate

Details and comment forum for the Honorary Consulate of the United Kingdom in Philadelphia
Address   1818 Market Street, 33rd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone   local: (215) 557.7665
international: +1.215.557.7665

Wonder why I had such issues trying to find a proper contact. I guess I would just call and ask if I can set-up an appointment to discuss my attempt to apply for a UK passport, and how my case is rather unique?

[california dreamin]

Hi again,
It is definitely worth speaking to the folk at the British Embassy. 

I am not sure why you want a UK passport but do be aware there may be tax implications.

Good luck

Kind regards
CD

[Elwyn Soutter]

Having an NHS card doesn’t prove you are a British citizen. Anyone working or studying in the UK from another country would have one.

I am a bit puzzled about your statement that you can’t get a phone number for the British Consulate. They are listed on this site (which was given earlier).

https://embassy-finder.com/united-kingdom_in_usa


If you are born in the UK to a mother who was also a British Citizen then I don’t think you will have any great difficulty in establishing your claim. You just need the paper trail to show you are descended from her (and that will include her marriage certificate to show the change of name). The form probably also asks for information about your father in case your claim to British citizenship is through him, rather than through your mother. In this case that obviously won't apply.

I agree that ringing the nearest British Consulate for guidance may be helpful but my understanding is that the processing of all passport applications is now generally done in Britain, and so you will ultimately probably have to use the website link I gave you earlier, to lodge the application formally.

[Adiroit]

Having an NHS card doesn’t prove you are a British citizen. Anyone working or studying in the UK from another country would have one.

I am a bit puzzled about your statement that you can’t get a phone number for the British Consulate. They are listed on this site (which was given earlier).

https://embassy-finder.com/united-kingdom_in_usa


If you are born in the UK to a mother who was also a British Citizen then I don’t think you will have any great difficulty in establishing your claim. You just need the paper trail to show you are descended from her (and that will include her marriage certificate to show the change of name). The form probably also asks for information about your father in case your claim to British citizenship is through him, rather than through your mother. In this case that obviously won't apply.

I agree that ringing the nearest British Consulate for guidance may be helpful but my understanding is that the processing of all passport applications is now generally done in Britain, and so you will ultimately probably have to use the website link I gave you earlier, to lodge the application formally.

Thank you California and Elwyn.

My issue I believe was when I searched for the closest consulates, I didn't know if I could go to an "Honorary Consulate" (i.e. the one in Philadelphia), or if I had to go to the "British Consulate - General" in New York. A marriage certificate? That one seems like an even tougher one to find as I don't have a clue where they were married. The search continues.. I will have to contact the consulate and hope they will let me come in and explain things and get advice

[aghadowey]

As I said, things are more complicated since 9/11.

To give you an example of why you cannot automatically assume British citizenship-

My daughter was born in U.K. and lived there all her life but has dual U.S./U.K. citizenship since 1 parent was U.S. citizen at the time of her birth. To 'safeguard' her rights as a U.S. citizen the U.S. govt insists she enter the U.S. (and leave it) on her U.S. passport. Until a few years ago she was also able to leave and re-enter the U.K. on same passport.
Then, a few years ago, she and I travelled to the U.S. (she with U.S. passport & me with my British one) as usual. We left the U.S. on the same passports as usual. When we came home & reached Belfast things got complicated. I had no problem with my British passport but she was stopped and questioned as she couldn't prove her right to reside in the U.K. She had with her, besides U.S. passport, U.K. driver's lic., university i.d., national insurance card & her mother (me) with her but none of that confirmed her right to reside in the U.K. Her passport was stamped with a 'warning' giving her 60 days to sort it out. There were 2 choices- 1) get a British passport or 2) send away her U.S. passport to U.K govt. and get stamped with residency (more expensive than U.K. passport & expired when U.S. one did).

[Lisajb]

Having an NHS card doesn’t prove you are a British citizen. Anyone working or studying in the UK from another country would have one.

I am a bit puzzled about your statement that you can’t get a phone number for the British Consulate. They are listed on this site (which was given earlier).

https://embassy-finder.com/united-kingdom_in_usa


If you are born in the UK to a mother who was also a British Citizen then I don’t think you will have any great difficulty in establishing your claim. You just need the paper trail to show you are descended from her (and that will include her marriage certificate to show the change of name). The form probably also asks for information about your father in case your claim to British citizenship is through him, rather than through your mother. In this case that obviously won't apply.

I agree that ringing the nearest British Consulate for guidance may be helpful but my understanding is that the processing of all passport applications is now generally done in Britain, and so you will ultimately probably have to use the website link I gave you earlier, to lodge the application formally.

Thank you California and Elwyn.

My issue I believe was when I searched for the closest consulates, I didn't know if I could go to an "Honorary Consulate" (i.e. the one in Philadelphia), or if I had to go to the "British Consulate - General" in New York. A marriage certificate? That one seems like an even tougher one to find as I don't have a clue where they were married. The search continues.. I will have to contact the consulate and hope they will let me come in and explain things and get advice

If it were me, I think that's where I'd start, with the Honorary Consulate.  I'm sure they will refer you higher up the consulate chain if they're not able to assist at their level.

[KGarrad]

So, you left the UK in the early 1990's with a couple who hadn't formally adopted you?

It begs the question as to how they got you out of the UK and into the US?
Did you have a passport at that time?
Or did your new parents declare that you were their child?

It's the sort of question that the British Consulate is sure to ask!

[Adiroit]

So, you left the UK in the early 1990's with a couple who hadn't formally adopted you?

It begs the question as to how they got you out of the UK and into the US?
Did you have a passport at that time?
Or did your new parents declare that you were their child?

It's the sort of question that the British Consulate is sure to ask!

Good questions! My parents moved with me to North Carolina when I was 2 years of age (around that age). I lived happily with them there until they passed away when I was 5 (months apart), and then my half-sisters dads mother and father (my half-sisters grandmom/grandpop on her dads side) were granted custody of me. My grandparents on my mother's side were living in Scotland, and believed it best for me to grow up in America. My grandparents on my father's side ..well my dad was also adopted by a US family when he was a child.. so we have not a single piece of evidence about anything relating to his parents. Therefore with all that taken into account, my half-sisters grandparents on her dad's side took me in, until my half-sisters dad came back from the military.

---There was a court case and everything, and they were granted "custody", but I was never legally adopted. I have filed my own taxes since I was 6 years old! ... well, my grandparents tax lady.


When my half-sisters dad got back from the military (retired), he took me in (as well as his daughter). My half sister lived with my mom and my dad (her mom) in North Carolina due to her dad being stationed overseas somewhere.

I got into the States because my parents brought me

It's a very confusing scenario to explain to someone without drawing a picture. lol.

Picture consists of --- Ken / Kathy = LeAnne in California in 1985. Divorce occurs. Kathy + Ed = Paul in England in 1990 (LeAnne also lived here as well, so clearly my mom got custody for one reason or another). (There's also another child on my dad's side that was born before 1990, but I have no idea how to try to contact her.. I only found out about her when she tried to sue me for $13,000. It took 3 years of going back and forth with the DFAS and the VA, but finally I was told that I was in the right and she was suing frivolously... but that is a completely separate story which would take a while to explain, haha). Kathy + Ed + Paul + LeAnne = North Carolina in 1992. Mom passes away in 1995, dad passes away in 1996 right before my 6th birthday (February). Connie and LeRoy bring me and LeAnne up to Pennsylvania to live with them. Ken retires from the military and moves back, buys a house, and takes us in.

tl;dr - I was raised by my half-sisters dads family. Who is also my moms ex-husband prior to me being born.

Now you see why I need to sit in front of someone official and explain this? haha

[oldfashionedgirl]

Hi Adiroit

To go back to your original quest, if you still need a birth certificate for your natural mother I can go and get it then post it to you as I live in Edinburgh and register house is just up the road.
PM me with the details if you do.