British consular birth registration

[kuma]

Do other parents of Japanese-British dual national children born in Japan bother with UK overseas birth registration? The process is described here: https://www.gov.uk/register-a-birth

It is not necessary, costs £150 to register + £50 for birth registration certificate (cheaper copies can be had if you wait for a year or so) + courier fees, and the consular birth registration certificate is NOT a British birth certificate. It is also not necessary to do this procedure before applying for a British passport for the child. And, to register the birth with the consular service, you need an official translation of a style of Japanese birth certificate (shussetodoke kisaijiko shomeisho) which you might not otherwise order.

Despite all the above, I decided to do so, on the basis that it may be the only opportunity to officially and permanently record my children’s middle names. The UK consular birth registration generally only accepts names exactly as they are registered in local documentation. However, an exception is made for jurisdictions which don’t permit middle names, such as Japan. It is also possible to amend the spelling to a clear Anglicisation, eg Arisu --> Alice. The UK can also register double-barrelled surnames comprising of both parents’ surnames.

This name confirmation can also be done at the stage of applying for a British passport. But Japanese law means dual nationals ordinarily have to surrender all but one citizenship by age 22, so my children could lose their right to British passports. In this scenario, an expired passport of a former nationality does not constitute as permanent a record of the middle name as the consular British birth certificate.

There is no time limit to register the overseas birth. The individual could do so himself/herself once reaching 18.

Adamu, I’ll modify this content slightly and can add it to the Wiki under UK-specific info.

[RetireJapan]

I have one of these from the British consulate in Hamburg

[adamu]

Sounds like a good idea. After seeing what happened to the Windrush generation, any paper trail regardless of now "necessary" it is is probably good to have, just in case.

It's worth bearing in mind that the law affects your grandchildren, as they have to be born in the UK (or "otherwise than by decent") to get automatic UK citizenship. So the document could be useful if they ever need it too.

[Moneymatters]

Knowing it was basically optional, I chose not to register my kids but now they are late teens they've actually asked/told me to.
I think my daughter only wants the passport "for the gram" but I'm doing the full registration.

On that note. Does anyone have a recommendation for a translation company they care to share? As it's personal docs I'd like somewhere well established.

As for continuing to hold dual nationality. I think it's a "don't ask don't tell" arrangement and they could remain a British citizen indefinately whilst being sure to leave or enter Japan only using their Japan Passport and showering before bathing.

Obviously they'd need to steer clear of holding political office in Japan if they went this route. But unless Japan pivots away from the gerontocracy toward cake obsessed influencers or spotty gamers I think there's little risk of that.

Not understanding the challenges to come, we gave both of them middle names.

What's interesting is they have the western readings of their western names on their Japanese Passports. I'm not even sure how my wife managed that to be honest.

[kuma]

What's interesting is they have the western readings of their western names on their Japanese Passports. I'm not even sure how my wife managed that to be honest.

Ditto for my child who has a different English spelling of her name to her katakana -> romaji transcription. I knew the passport office would match up the spelling of her surname with mine, but was surprised that her first name was also written in the English way. I kind of wish she had the straight romaji phonetic version of her Japanese first name in her Japanese passport for ease of reading among the Japanese community, and wonder whether this can be updated for future Japanese passports.

Not understanding the challenges to come, we gave both of them middle names.

Just for their British documents and not firstnamemiddlename run together for their Japanese names? If so, did they sidestep (thus far) any middle name issues in Japan? Did you also bestow a lengthy katakana surname on them to give them maximum fun and games with banks, etc?!

Does anyone have a recommendation for a translation company they care to share?[/u] As it's personal docs I'd like somewhere well established.

I use my local company, okinawatranslator.com (kidding about local; I'm in Hokkaido). Not sure how they rank on your established criteria; v small team. But the price and turnaround are both excellent, and they were the only company I contacted who double-checked with me that the document I wanted was fit for the purpose I wanted it for (which was in fact this consular birth registration; and it is a non-standard document the consular office requires). On that note, the following company looks established AND gives full details about the required document for UK consular birth registration: https://wwtransjapan.com/%E7%BF%BB%E8%A ... rtificate/

Knowing it was basically optional, I chose not to register my kids but now they are late teens they've actually asked/told me to.

In my location, the form of birth certificate you require (出生届記載事項証明書; shussetodoke kisaijiko shomeisho, which is a certified copy of the info you and the hospital handwrite when processing the birth registration) could NOT be ordered from the muncipal office of registration after a short time (3 months? 6 months?). Wifey retrieved it from some city-centre government keeper-of-the-records type department. This may be a pain (but not insurmountable) if you've moved municipality since your children's birth. Just be warned, it's probably not a simple trip to your regular municipal office (whereas the standard birth notification certificate could be ordered from there in minutes indefinitely, I believe).

[Moneymatters]

Just for their British documents and not firstnamemiddlename run together for their Japanese names? If so, did they sidestep (thus far) any middle name issues in Japan? Did you also bestow a lengthy katakana surname on them to give them maximum fun and games with banks, etc?!

Well. They have no british documents yet. And you are correct! Just looking at 住民票 and their "real" Japanese names are just as SBI and god intended. "FIRSTMIDDLE".

As for the passports having western readings. Once they have a Driving License and Mynumber they'll never need to show their passport outside of an airport I expect. I like that it's western. As an aside, the eiken body only providing the Romaji printed katakana reading of their whole names actually bends the needle on my Irony Meter.

I just assumed their first and middle names were split as all school stuff has shown them split. Then when I saw their bank accounts I figured they were just subjected to space removal procedure us foreigners are.
And completely by luck they are both under the combined character limit known to collapse the nation's bankings systems quicker than you can say "Mizuho software upgrade".

Sadly it will fall to me alone to continue down the path of most resistance in this regard.

Many thanks for the translation company recommendation! A firm with experience puts my mind at rest.

In my location, the form of birth certificate you require (出生届記載事項証明書; shussetodoke kisaijiko shomeisho, which is a certified copy of the info you and the hospital handwrite when processing the birth registration)

So that's what Mrs Matters was mumbling about when I said "I don't care if it's as painful as childbirth! Get exactly what is says here."
Just checked now and it's all nicely handwritten and stamped.

I've got a good feeling about this. Like nothing can go wrong!

[RetireJapan]

I've got a good feeling about this. Like nothing can go wrong!

I see what you did there, with your fancy foreshadowing

[Moneymatters]

I've got a good feeling about this. Like nothing can go wrong!

I see what you did there, with your fancy foreshadowing

Lol. Maybe you’ve jinxed it now.

Hope your hospital stay goes smoothly and recovery is quick!

[kuma]

Moneymatters, I look forward to tales of how registration goes for Mattazu Minione and Mattazu Minitsu!

Good point about passport not really being used outside of airports.

Adamu, good point re documentation potentially being useful, as for the Windrush generation.

Ben, hope hospital stay goes okay.

[RetireJapan]

Hope your hospital stay goes smoothly and recovery is quick!

Argh! More foreshadowing