It depends on the record. Birthplace information may be captured through a place-of-birth field, a country-of-birth field, or both. There is no universal rule in the cited official material requiring every place of birth to be recorded specifically as a city, region or country.
What Do “Place” and “Country” Record?
The two terms serve different purposes. A country identifies the relevant country, while a place-of-birth field may require a more specific geographical name. HM Passport Office guidance treats “place and country of birth” as identity information.
However, the cited passport guidance does not specify that a place of birth must always be a city rather than a region or another geographical unit. The applicable form or record instructions therefore determine the required level.
How to Check the Required Format
- Read the field label exactly. A form asking separately for “place of birth” and “country of birth” should not be treated as asking for the same information twice.
- Compare the application with supporting documents. HM Passport Office guidance checks whether the place of birth stated on a passport application differs from the place shown on supporting documents.
- Do not assume a hierarchy. A country name does not necessarily establish which city or regional name the record expects.
- Check whether a statistical code is relevant. The UN Statistics Division says UN M49 numerical codes represent statistical geographic identities. That purpose does not by itself establish that an M49 code is required or accepted for a particular birth record.
What Must Still Be Confirmed
The record owner or issuing authority must confirm:
- the exact geographical level requested;
- the wording required in the place-of-birth field;
- whether country of birth is a separate field;
- which supporting document controls if the information differs; and
- whether any specified coding system must be used.
In short, country may be recorded separately, but “place of birth” cannot automatically be assumed to mean only a city or only a region. Its precise format depends on the instructions for the particular record.