How to Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in the UK
Knowing about your family history is important as it can help you better understand who you are and where you come from. It can also provide your children with a solid foundation, as well. If you want to get a copy of a birth certificate in the UK, you will need to know some basic family history for starters. Here are some other steps to get you going, too.
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Things You'll Need
- Internet and telephone access
- Approximately $10
- A checking account, credit or debit card
- Mailing or email address
Instructions
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How to Get a Copy of A Birth Certificate in the UK
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Have appropriate information. To get a copy of a birth certificate in the UK, you will need information about you and your immediate family. Start with names, dates of birth, birth locations and National Insurance Numbers (NIN), if applicable. Also, be sure to know what kind of birth certificate you need. In England, people can get short or full certificates.
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Contact the British General Register Office (GRO) and get a blank family tree template. The Identity and Passport Service has free templates to help you formulate your family history. It may be necessary to outline all relevant family history in this manner to get the correct birth certificate. Some family lines go back centuries. Ask about index references and microfiche.
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Pay a small fee. In the UK, you will have to pay a small fee in order to get a copy of a birth certificate. It is usually between 3 to ten pounds. Once you have paid your money, a document will be mailed approximately four days afterward. It could, however, take up to two weeks or more. Know that some birth certificates can be obtained for free, provided they are dated between 1837 and before the year 2000.
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Contact the National Archives of the United Kingdom. It is an English informational management system that has military birth records, as well.
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Tips & Warnings
Know civil registration in England started back in 1837. If you need to get a copy of a birth certificate before that date, learn about parish records. The Anglican Church started keeping birth records around 1538.
Contact the GRO by telephone at +44 (0)845 603 7788. They are open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Send mail to: GRO, PO Box 2, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 2JD or fax GRO at 44(0) 1704 550 013.
Email requests should be sent to: queries.clerk@ons.gsi.gov.uk
Wait three months to contact the GRO if you do not receive your birth certificate.
