If it's not convenient for you to go to the district where your baby was born to register them you may prefer to make a declaration of the birth in Torbay.

The registrar will record the details in the form of a declaration and send it to the registrar in the district where the baby was born. The registrar who receives the declaration will enter the information in the birth register and send your baby's birth certificate to you in the post.

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You must register your child’s birth according to the regulations in the country where the child was born. They’ll give you a local birth certificate.

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Registering a baby conceived after fertility treatment

• There is usually no difference. The child is registered as the child of the couple treated together. There is no reference to any donor involved in the treatment.
• A recent change in the law means that the above also applies to female couples who were in a civil partnership at the time of conception. This is as long as treatment was at a registered clinic and they sign consents.

Registering a baby conceived after fertility treatment where the father has died before the treatment

• In the case of a child conceived through fertility treatment after the death of the person receiving treatment with the mother. It is possible for the person register as the child's father or second female parent. This can be either when the birth is registered, or at a later date if not named initially.

Registering a baby born to a surrogate mother

You must do this in two phases:

• Initial registration - the baby is registered as the child of the woman who gave birth, and her husband/partner if she has one. This is unless he did not consent to the treatment, or was judicially separated from the woman at the time of conception.
• Re-registration - the commissioning parents then apply through the courts for a Parental Order. This is sent to The General Register Office. This must be done when the baby is between six weeks and six months old. A fresh entry is then made for the child in a special register. This is held at The General Register Office. The new entry will show the commissioning parents as the child's mother and father.

The General Register Office will write to the commissioning parents. They will explain how they can apply for a new birth certificate.

The new entry held in the General Register Office supersedes the original entry made at the local registration office. The original entry is annotated, and no further certificates are issued from it.