British birth certificate.... help needed

[MouseLover]

Hello.
My friend has no birth certificate. She was born in 1979 in John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford.
Could someone inform me what department of public records, vital statistics, etc. she should contact to obtain a copy of her birth certificate?
Thanks!!

 

[irisbud]

Glad to find someone with the same problem on this board! My dad also has no birth certificate. He was born in 1946 in Henley on the Thames Oxfordshire England. We have no idea how to go about getting it either. He is a US citizen now (he had dual citizenship, but gave up his British Citizenship to serve in the US military). We were told that we had to obtain his birth certificate in order to get some nessecary forms for US IDs. Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[kristieuk]

When you say they have no birth certificate, do you mean they never had one?

I lost mine a few years ago, and had to obtain a copy by going to our local Registry Office (I think it's called the Registry Office for Births Marriages and Deaths) - there is one in every town / district.

They have a website which has a lot of information, including how to find the local office - http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/

I'm not sure what you do if there was never any certificate, but I would give the office a call in the area where the birth took place and they should be able to help.

Good Luck

 

[jjpenguin]

I have a birth certificate, but it was not recent enough for our immigration service so I had to get a new one.. still kept the same birthday
I think I went through Somerset House as they have copies of every official document.. which would be the same as the GRO. You don't need to go to the local office as there is a central database.
If you are not in the country the Embassy or British Council should be able to help.

Once you know where to go it's pretty straightforward. But the General Registry Office would be your best bet.

 

[TraceyL]

My mother recently obtained a copy of hers - she got it from the Register Office. I'm sure she had to submit a letter stating place & date of birth etc

Looks like you can now do it online

 

[Goofyish]

You could try a search on this site:

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

 

[MouseLover]

I will pass on this info to my friend.

She surely had a birth cert. at some point, as it is needed here for entering school, obtaining social security card, etc.

Thanks for your help!

 

[vicky1bfc]

Dh had lost his birth cert.He just went to the register office and he got another one on the same day.I think it cost about £6.

 

[Claire L]

Every big town has a Registry Office, and copies of certificates can be obtianed from there. Failing that Somerset House (I think it still is there) has the national records office for births, marriages and deaths.

Claire

 

[Claire L]

Some useful info here.

Claire