Child re-registration

When the parents of a child get married or enter a civil partnership, the birth should be re-registered to show that they are a child of the marriage. When a re-registration takes place, a new birth record is created replacing the previous one, and any future certificates will be issued from the new registration. If the natural mother is taking her new husband’s or wife's surname, then the child's surname can also be changed (provided they were originally given their mothers surname)

To apply for the re-registration you will need to complete a form LA1 which can be obtained from Gov.uk. A separate form will be required for each child that you wish to re-register, as well as their original birth certificate, and your marriage certificate. If you were married abroad, then the register office will send your documents to the general register office who need to approve the re-registration.

Once the register office have all of the required documents, you will be contacted to book an appointment to attend the register office in person. As the parents are now married, either one can attend the appointment, both are more than welcome. There is no charge for the appointment, fresh birth certificates showing the updated information will cost £11.00 at the time of registering, these will be needed when applying for the child's passport.