How to register a baby in Kensington

Woo! Congratulations on the birth of your baby. 

There is a lot to prepare and arrange during this time, and registering your baby is one of them. 

Whether you are in the Kensington area, or anywhere else in London or England, you need to make sure of the following: 

• You register your baby's birth within 42 days - which is six weeks
• Do this with the borough in which the birth occurred
• If your child was born in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, you can book your appointment online to register the birth

But what if you live in another borough?

Well, this is a slower process, but you can attend your local register office to make a legal declaration. Do note that certificates will not be available on the same day.

Registering your baby in Kensington

• You need to register your baby within 42 days, which is six weeks
• You can register your baby as soon as the birth has taken place
• You do not need to bring your baby with you to the appointment
• The registrar will need to take down information pertaining to the baby and the mother (see below for the full list)
• It's most common, and suggested, to register for an appointment online. 
• Birth certificates cost £11
• You can purchase as many birth certificates as you need
• Birth certificates can also be paid for in advance when you book your appointment.

Who can register my baby in Kensington?

If both of the parents are married to each other or are in a civil partnership with each other, either one can register - either together or on their own. 

However, if the parents are not married or are not civil partners with each other, it is a MUST that both parents attend in person, together.

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You can book your appointment online: with this link

Registering your baby in Kensington, by declaration

You can also register your baby by declaration. This is a good choice if it is not convenient for you to attend your local office. You can simply go to any other Register Office in England to register this way. When you can attend, the registrar at the office will take all your relevant information and essentially act as an intermediary. They then pass these details to the council office by post. However, it's worth keeping in mind you can experience delays with this method, as it relies on external parties.

What information and details are required for registering?

Information about the baby

• the date and place of your baby’s birth. If the birth is a multiple one (twins, triplets etc) then the time of each baby’s birth will also be required
• the baby’s sex
• the forenames and surname in which it is intended that the baby will be brought up

Information about the father

• the father’s forenames and surname
• the father’s date and place of birth (town and country if born in the UK; country if born overseas)
• the father’s occupation at the time of the baby’s birth or, if he was not employed at that time, the occupation he last followed
• the father’s address (if he is not married to the mother and not living at the same address)

Information about the mother

• the mother’s forenames and surname (a maiden surname will also be required if the mother is, or ever has been, married)
• the mother’s date and place of birth (town and country if born in the UK; country if born overseas)
• the mother’s usual address at the time of birth
• the mother’s occupation (if the mother is no longer working but had been employed at any time before the birth this occupation can be entered in the register if the mother so wishes)
• the total number of previous children
• if the mother was married to the baby’s father at the time of the birth the registrar will need to know the date of that marriage

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Tags: Weaning, Baby, Registering, Birth Certificates, Kensington & Chelsea