NSW How to get to know if my father's long-lost child legally his in official papers?

[Harry Wesley]

Let me explain the situation because it's quite messy

My father has been married to my mother for 22 years. Marriage was done overseas where I used to live with my mother prior to moving to Australia to live with my father. I've recently found out that my father might have/has another children in Australia with some woman before he met my mother and I was born. My father hasn't had any contact with this child.

The most important thing for me is to get to know if this child is legally his and will it be inherit when father dies, but how to do this?

I assume my father won't make a will and wanna prepare for what's going to happen.
1.Where does the Court take information from about death person's children?
2.Can I somehow get to know right now if this child is legally registered as his child or is anyone but me legally registered as the child of my father? Or in other words if I have any legal siblings

 

[Arche]

How do you know about this child?
To answer 2. first. You will probably not be able to find out if there is another child as you cannot randomly get access to birth, death and marriage records. The only way to find out officially if there is another child with your father registered as the father will be after he dies. A solicitor acting for his estate may be able to get access to the records. Do you know the alleged child's name? If not and your father is not registered as the father then you have no chance.

1. When an application for probate is to be made this is usually advertised beforehand. The Court relies on what the Executor/Administrator tells it about offspring.

Quite frankly unless you can get information from your father, beyond gently suggesting he make a will as everyone should do, I would just let it go.

 

[Harry Wesley]

How do you know about this child?
To answer 2. first. You will probably not be able to find out if there is another child as you cannot randomly get access to birth, death and marriage records. The only way to find out officially if there is another child with your father registered as the father will be after he dies. A solicitor acting for his estate may be able to get access to the records. Do you know the alleged child's name? If not and your father is not registered as the father then you have no chance.

1. When an application for probate is to be made this is usually advertised beforehand. The Court relies on what the Executor/Administrator tells it about offspring.

Quite frankly unless you can get information from your father, beyond gently suggesting he make a will as everyone should do, I would just let it go.

I don't want to find this person and hope he/she isn't registered as I would lose 50% if they were. I just somehow wanted to get to know early if there is anyone but me to inherit from my father.