Births
Can I change the birth record at a later date?
If the parents are unmarried can the natural father's details be added to the birth record?
If the parents are unmarried and would like the natural father’s details added to the birth record, a re-registration will be required so that a new birth record can be created to replace the original one. To do this, you will need to complete a form GRO185 (Application by mother and/or father for the re-registration of their child’s birth), or form GRO185W for births that took place in Wales. Please click as applicable to download, print out and complete.
Full details about completing your application – such as who needs to sign it and whether you should enclose any other documentation – appear on the form. If both parents cannot attend the register office together to give the information for the new entry, you may find one of you also needs to complete a form 16 (Statutory declaration of acknowledgement of parentage) – or form 16W for Welsh re-registrations – again, please click as appropriate to download, print out and complete.
Alternatively, you can obtain a form from any register office in England or Wales (but please note, Welsh forms are only available from Welsh register offices and GRO) or from Corrections and Re-registration Section at GRO by telephoning +44 (0)151 471 4806 or e-mailing corrections.&.re-reg.section@ons.gov.uk.
Once completed, you need to take your paperwork to your local register office – in some cases it may then need to be sent on to Corrections and Re-registration Section at the GRO in Southport for processing.
There is no charge for authorising the re-registration of a birth - but if you would like to buy certificates of the new entry, see Obtaining new certificates after a record has changed.
Please note: the mother of a child - and the father if he is married to the mother - automatically have parental responsibility. Where the parents are not married to each other, the father will acquire parental responsibility if he acts with the mother to have his name recorded in the child's birth registration after 1st December 2003. See Parental Responsibility for further information.
