Born here but living in
ASTUDENT born in Southport to a British dad says she cannot go on university trips with her pals after being told to prove that she is English before she can get a UK passport.
Sarah Peet, 22, was shocked to discover she is not classed as a British citizen – despite her birth certificate showing she was delivered in the maternity ward at Southport Hospital in August 1995.
The certificate also reveals that her dad, then a builder, was born in Ormskirk, while her mum, then a nanny, was born in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.
But Sarah said that when she first applied for a passport around a year ago, she was told that she needed to prove she was English because the document was not enough.
She said that HM Passport Office asked her to get hold of her dad’s birth certificate – something she remains unable to do because she is estranged from both of her parents.
They also asked her to send over her maternal granddad’s birth certificate and maternal grandparents’ marriage certifi- cate, according to a letter sent to her.
The Home Office then suggested two alternatives if she was unable to obtain the necessary documents: to register as a British citizen or to get hold of a Status Letter.
Sarah, who has taken out loans and is working to cover her university costs, said that these options could end up costing her hundreds of pounds, which she cannot afford.
According to the Government’s website, it costs adults more than £1,100 each to apply to register as a British citizen – with an additional cost to provide biometric information.
Because of her struggles, Sarah has recently decided to withdraw her application to get a UK passport, meaning she cannot go on a second-year university trip to Amsterdam.
“I’ve not been able to go out of the country,” said the frustrated student.
“I’ve got a university trip in second year when I go back which I won’t be able to go on because it’s abroad, in Amsterdam.”
Although Sarah’s mum was born in Gibraltar, she now lives in the UK. However, the student is not sure of her whereabouts because she is estranged from her.
“I don’t speak to her,” she said, explaining that due to personal issues, she currently has no contact with her mother and only “a bit” of contact with her father.
At the time of her birth, Sarah’s parents were not married.
“My dad brought me up, so I