This guide is for internationals who have recently moved to England or Wales and are expecting a baby or have just had one. After reading it, you will know the registration deadline, where registration can take place, what information and documents the register office asks for, and what the official guidance says happens next.
- The 42-day deadline
- Where to register the birth
- Who registers and what you will be asked
- Documents to take with you
- After the birth is registered
- FAQ
The 42-day deadline
The deadline matters more than anything else in this guide. According to the official GOV.UK guidance on registering a birth, all births in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must be registered within 42 days of the child being born. The count starts on the day the baby is born. It does not start when you leave hospital or when you arrived in the country.
If you are still arranging housing, work and a GP, 42 days can pass quickly. Writing the final date in a calendar on the day of the birth makes it easier to keep registration from slipping behind other tasks.
The GOV.UK page does not say what happens if a birth is registered after the 42 days, and it does not mention any fee for registration. If you are close to the deadline or past it, the local register office can explain your options.
The rules differ elsewhere in the United Kingdom. GOV.UK has separate guidance for registering a birth in Scotland, in Northern Ireland and abroad. This article covers England and Wales only.
Where to register the birth
The official guidance names two places where a birth in England or Wales is registered:
- The local register office for the area where the baby was born.
- The hospital, before the mother leaves. The hospital will tell you if you can register the birth there.
The area that counts is where the baby was born, not where you live. This can matter if the hospital is outside your own council area.
If you cannot register in the area where the baby was born, GOV.UK says you can go to another register office. That office will send your details to the correct office. The guidance does not say whether this adds time to the process. The office you visit can tell you how long it usually takes.
The GOV.UK page does not explain how to book an appointment. Each register office sets its own arrangements.
Who registers and what you will be asked
The GOV.UK page does not give a full list of who is allowed to register a birth. It does say that the information needed can vary depending on who is registering. It also says that a parent who goes to the register office alone may need proof of paternity from the other parent before giving that parent’s details. Where a family’s situation is less simple, the register office decides what it needs.
The official guidance says you should know these details when registering:
- the place and date of the birth
- the name, surname and sex of the baby
- the parents’ names, surnames and address
- the places and dates of the parents’ birth
- the date of the parents’ marriage or civil partnership
- the parents’ jobs
- the mother’s maiden surname
You might not need to give all of this, depending on who is registering. For internationals, some details are worth checking in advance so the record matches your other documents. These include places of birth abroad, a marriage or civil partnership that took place in another country, and names normally written in a different script.
Documents to take with you
GOV.UK says you should take at least one form of identification to the register office. The page lists these as acceptable:
- passport
- birth certificate
- deed poll
- driving licence
- proof of address (for example, a utility bill)
- Council Tax bill
- marriage or civil partnership certificate
The guidance also says to take your child’s personal child health record, known as the red book, because some registrars may ask to see it.
If one parent goes to the register office alone, they may need proof of paternity from the other parent before giving that parent’s details. The GOV.UK page does not say what form this proof takes, so the register office is the place to confirm it.
The page also does not say whether documents in another language need a translation. The register office can tell you whether a document issued outside the UK will be accepted.
After the birth is registered
The GOV.UK page on registering a birth says that once you have registered, you may be able to claim Child Benefit. Who qualifies is set out in the Child Benefit rules, which are on a separate page.
The registration page does not describe birth certificates, how many copies you receive or what they cost. The register office handling your registration can explain what you are given and how to order more copies.
Registration records the birth. It is a separate matter from your child’s nationality or immigration status, and the GOV.UK registration page covers neither. Questions about a child’s status in the UK, a passport application or how a parent’s visa affects a child can be answered by an immigration adviser regulated by the OISC or a solicitor regulated by the SRA.
FAQ
Does the 42-day deadline apply everywhere in the UK?
The GOV.UK guidance says the 42-day deadline applies to all births in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland has different rules. Northern Ireland and births abroad also have their own separate GOV.UK guidance. A birth in Scotland is covered by the Scottish guidance.
Can I register the birth at a register office near where I live?
Registration normally takes place at the register office for the area where the baby was born. It can also happen at the hospital before the mother leaves, if the hospital says this is possible. If you cannot register in the area of birth, GOV.UK says you can go to another register office, which will send your details to the correct office.
Is a foreign passport accepted as identification?
GOV.UK lists a passport as an acceptable form of identification and does not say it has to be a UK passport. You need at least one form of ID from the list, which also includes a birth certificate, a driving licence, a Council Tax bill and proof of address. The register office decides in each case.
Does registering a birth in England give my child British citizenship?
The GOV.UK registration page does not cover citizenship or immigration status. Registering a birth makes an official record of it. A child’s nationality and right to stay in the UK are governed by separate rules. An immigration adviser regulated by the OISC or a solicitor regulated by the SRA can explain how those rules apply.
Official sources: gov.uk
Last verified: 17 October 2026 against the official pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the official page always wins.
This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Immigration advice in the UK may only be given by advisers regulated by the OISC or by solicitors regulated by the SRA.
Sources
- gov.uk: Register a birth, accessed 17 October 2026
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