Australian passport, UK birth certificate - place of birth is different

[Myffie]

Hi there! I've been learning so much from reading through the experiences of previous DV applicants/winners and, as we'll be entering this year, thought I'd join up.

Almost everything is fine and ready to go should we be selected, but I've got a slight problem in that the place of birth in my passport and on my birth certificate are a little different. I'm an Australian citizen but was born in the UK (hubby is Australian-born). Both my British and Australian passports list my place of birth as Mansfield, however my birth certificate specifies a smaller town a few miles away from Mansfield. The smaller town is technically in the Mansfield Urban Area, and the birth certificate was issued by the registration district of Mansfield.

I've had a search around and come across people who've had similar differences in the past, and the advice has largely been to have the passport reissued to exactly match the birth certificate's place of birth. So I've been in touch with the passport office but they won't reissue my passport because they say they clearly accepted Mansfield as the place of birth in order to have issued the passport in the first place.

I'd love to hear from anyone who's been through this previously, or from others who can offer advice.

 

[Britsimon]

Mansfield is correct. The District of Mansfield is the level of local government that controls smaller districts such as Warsop, so it is acceptable (and actually correct) to say Mansfield. As you mention the registrar is in the district of Mansfield and that tells someone where to go if they want a ciopy of your birth cert.

If you had to you could show where your birthplace is on a map showing it as within the area the District of Mansfield, but since you will be using Australia as your country of chargeability, this won't be a big deal at all.

Hi there! I've been learning so much from reading through the experiences of previous DV applicants/winners and, as we'll be entering this year, thought I'd join up.

Almost everything is fine and ready to go should we be selected, but I've got a slight problem in that the place of birth in my passport and on my birth certificate are a little different. I'm an Australian citizen but was born in the UK (hubby is Australian-born). Both my British and Australian passports list my place of birth as Mansfield, however my birth certificate specifies a smaller town a few miles away from Mansfield. The smaller town is technically in the Mansfield Urban Area, and the birth certificate was issued by the registration district of Mansfield.

I've had a search around and come across people who've had similar differences in the past, and the advice has largely been to have the passport reissued to exactly match the birth certificate's place of birth. So I've been in touch with the passport office but they won't reissue my passport because they say they clearly accepted Mansfield as the place of birth in order to have issued the passport in the first place.

I'd love to hear from anyone who's been through this previously, or from others who can offer advice.

 

[Myffie]

Thanks britsimon, makes a lot of sense and puts me more at ease. I have a terrible tendency to worry about things that aren't actually a problem! Anyway, entries were lodged and now we can only sit and wait patiently for the next 6 months. Sorry for being so slow to thank you, too; your quick and helpful reply was very much appreciated.

Mansfield is correct. The District of Mansfield is the level of local government that controls smaller districts such as Warsop, so it is acceptable (and actually correct) to say Mansfield. As you mention the registrar is in the district of Mansfield and that tells someone where to go if they want a ciopy of your birth cert.

If you had to you could show where your birthplace is on a map showing it as within the area the District of Mansfield, but since you will be using Australia as your country of chargeability, this won't be a big deal at all.