WHAT IS FORM GRO 185 USED FOR?

Form GRO 185 is the form used to re-register the birth of a child but this time add the details of the child’s biological (natural) father. Form GRO 185 is only used if the mother and father were not married when the child was born and have not married since or entered into a civil partnership.

This new birth certificate will replace the original birth certificate. The original birth certificate should not have any details of a father on it.

ARE THERE ANY GOVERNMENT OR OUR OWN L.I.P HELP GUIDES OR WRITE UPS TO HELP YOU COMPLETE FORM GRO 185?

1) There is a government guide available at the moment to help you complete this form. 

LINK TO GOVERNMENT GUIDE ‘HOW TO APPLY FOR A BIRTH RE-REGISTRATION TO ADD THE FATHERS DETAILS’

2) You can read our help guide for parental responsibility because once you add the biological fathers name to the birth certificate he will acquire parental responsibility for the child.

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR WHAT IS LEGAL PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

3) You can contact www.gov.uk/gro for help.

4) You can contact the general register office for help on 0300 123 1837 (Mon-Fri 9-5pm). You can also send an email to GROCasework@gro.uk

WHAT IS THE FEE TO SEND FORM GRO 185 TO THE COURT AND HOW TO PAY FOR IT?

There is no fee to send this form to HM passport office. However you will need to purchase the birth certificate(s) issued.

HOW TO COMPLETE FORM GRO 185 AND WHERE TO SEND IT

• NOTE 1 – If you are completing and sending form GRO 185 to the court then you are known as the petitioner or applicant. 
• NOTE 2 – You can download form GRO 185, print it and then complete it by black pen.
• NOTE 3 – If you find there is not enough space to complete your answers on your form GRO 185 then please use additional sheets of paper to continue and attach them to your form. Please write your name, address, and question number on the top of your additional sheets of paper. 
• NOTE 4 – Please keep a copy of your form GRO 185 and any attachments for yourself outside of the ones you send to the general register office. 
• NOTE 5 – Please note that if you need to send any birth certificate, marriage certificate, civil partnership or any other certificate with your form GRO 185 it must be a certified copy. A photocopy will not be accepted. Please read section 13 on page 4 to understand what a certified copy is.
• Form GRO 185 is 2 pages long.
• Section 1 on page 1 will offer you 5 options and you will need to tick one of them
  • If both parents are going to the register office together then you must tick this box and read section 6 options 1 and 3 of the guidance.
  • If the father will go to the register office alone because the mother is unable to go, then read section 6 option 2 of the guidance.
  • If the father is going to the register office but the mother is not co-operating then you must read section 6 option 4 and section 7 of the guidance.
  • If the mother will be going to the register office alone because the father is unable to go you will need to read section 6 option 2 of the guidance.
  • If the mother is going to the register office but the father is not co-operating then please read section 6 option 4 and section 7 of the guidance.  
• Section 2 will ask you write the child’s surname and forename as on the original birth certificate. Section 2 will require you to include a certified copy of the original birth certificate. You must tick the ‘yes’ box that you are attaching the birth certificate. Any original documentation you send will not be returned to you so please send a certified copy.  Please read section 9 of the guidance to understand certified documents.
• Section 3 will ask you for the surname and forename of the father for the new birth registration.
• Section 4 will inform you that the mothers name on the new birth certificate will be the same as on the original certificate
• Section 5 will ask you if the child’s mother and father have ever been married to each other or been or are in a civil partnership.  If this is the case you must attach a certified copy of the marriage or civil partnership certificate. If you are both divorced/dissolution of a civil partnership then you must also attach a certified copy of this certificate. Please read sections 1 and 5 of the guidance.
• Section 6 will ask you a series of questions to which you must tick the ‘yes’ box or ‘no’ box.
  • Question 1 – Is there an existing court order that states the child’s father. If there has been you must attach a certified copy of the court order.
  • Question 2 – Has any parental responsibility agreement been made and if yes you must attach a certified copy of the agreement.
  • Question 3 – You will now be asked if the child has been adopted?
  • Question 5 – Will ask if the child is a ward of court?
  • Question 6 – Will ask if the child is a looked after child (cared for by a local authority guardian). If this is the case you will need write down the details of the child’s social worker in the spaces provided.
• Section 7  – Here you will be asked to write down the full contact details of the mother and father. 
• Section 8 – Both mother and father will now be asked to sign and date a declaration. 
• Section 6 of the guidance notes will direct you to where to send your application form.
  • If your answer to sections 5 and 6 is ‘no’ and you have said in section 1 that you both can go together to a register office, then your application can be dealt with by your local register office. You both should contact them and make an appointment or follow the advice they give you.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBISTE TO FIND YOUR LOCAL REGISTER OFFICE  

• • If your answer to sections 5 and 6 is ‘no’ and you have said in section 1 that only one of you is able to go to the register office, then your application must be sent to the general register office. Their address is GRO CASEWORK TEAM, PO BOX 476, SOUTHPORT, PR8 2WJ or email GROCasework@gro.gov.uk. The parent who is unable to go to the register office must download a statutory declaration of acknowledgment of parentage (FORM 16). You can also submit your form to your local register office to be forwarded to GRO.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR FORM 16

• •  If your answer to section 5 is no and 6 is ‘yes’ and in section 1 you have said you both can go together to the register office, then you must send your application to the general register office. Their address is GRO CASEWORK TEAM, PO BOX 476, SOUTHPORT, PR8 2WJ or email GROCasework@gro.gov.uk. Your application form can also be submitted to you local register office to be forwarded to GRO.
  • If none if the above apply then please contact the general register office on the contact details given above and take their advice. Please read guidance notes.

WHERE CAN YOU FIND FORM GRO 185/DOWNLOAD THIS FORM?

Please click on the link below to access form GRO 185 from the government website. 

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR FORM GRO 185

WHEN WAS FORM GRO 185 FIRST PUBLISHED AND LAST UPDATED?

Form GRO 185 was first published by the government (HM Passport Office) on 01-04-2013 and last updated on 24-12-2025.