Modern birth certificates, what a let-down
Last week I got junior registered, so he now officially exists, has a number and all that. Only thing is, the modern birth certificates are a major let-down. Progress, particularly of the computerised kind, is not always a good thing.
I had to make an appointment with the registrar as they don't staff the site permanently, so fair enough. A very nice lady from Middlesbrough was the "asst." registrar for the appointment, and away we went giving all the details etc.
I knew up front what I needed, which was the card from the hospital giving date and time, sex and very little else, and as both parents were married (to each other) the marriage certificate. The marriage certificate was of the "proper" kind, hand written in ever-lasting ink, just like our birth certificates.
So imagine my disappointment when the printer churned out a sheet of A4 with the details on. "This is the abridged version which you get free". OK, knew that one, also know the "big" version is £8.50. As the passport office require the fully entry we pretty much have to pay the £8.50, or never leave the country again. So what does that £8.50 pay for? The same print routine, but a tick placed in one extra box to print out more details on an identical sheet of A4. The only sign of any ink was for the registrar's signature and aline to cross through the boxes that were not used. Though how we had unused boxes I don't know.
I felt like Joe Pesci as Leo Getz in Lethal Weapon. Richard, help me out here, it's the drive-thru scene.
Violated for £8.50 I was.
