British Passport refused

[teir12011]

We have the same issue, my Indian PP HAS A observation with my married name which HMPO would not accept. Not sure what to do now, guys above did u all get the PP sorted

[cs95tdg]

We have the same issue, my Indian PP HAS A observation with my married name which HMPO would not accept. Not sure what to do now, guys above did u all get the PP sorted

As fwd079 has suggested do have read through the thread below. There is a lot of useful information there.

http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 83170.html

[noajthan]

The linked post is by now a long thread.

- there is a summary on page 9

http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... l#p1196883

[teir12011]

My Issue is I do have an Observation in the passport of my MArried name, which they haven't replied in writing if they are accepting or not. A lady said over the phone that they would not accept observation.
Also the delay in the reply causing frustration
I wonder if I just send to HMPO my official documents with my married name on, may be they might consider

[noajthan]

My Issue is I do have an Observation in the passport of my MArried name, which they haven't replied in writing if they are accepting or not. A lady said over the phone that they would not accept observation.
Also the delay in the reply causing frustration
I wonder if I just send to HMPO my official documents with my married name on, may be they might consider

In my experience, different officials seem to give different answers & may have different knowledge or expertise.
Suggest you ask HM PO to explain the their objection in writing & ask them to include suggested options or course of action.

fyi - use of observations in passport are covered in the latest names policy.

Good luck.

[teir12011]

Hi Noajthan

Which part of policy deals with observation.
Thanks

[noajthan]

Hi Noajthan

Which part of policy deals with observation.
Thanks

teir12011,
it is paragraph 26 - Recognised multiple names.

See
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... -_v1_0.pdf

[teir12011]

I'm still waiting too. I'm gonna call the office tomorrow. It seems to me that this problem hasn't happened before and only started recently. I haven't found any official documents or rules that mention the name on British passport must match the name on foreign passport, instead, it only says the name on British passport must be the name on citizenship certificate . Looks like they're changing the rule regarding different name on foreign passport and we got stuck in the middle of this process.
Please keep updating, I'm in the same situation. when did you first apply?

Hi Kimsam
Did you get your British passport

[Out]

hi,

There is a new policy that is aimed at preventing criminals to hide their identity. That policy refers to "different" name being used and if the person has dual nationality and therefore a foreign passport then that passport must also be in the same name as their British passport. The policy does not mention dropping off of one forename as an example for a different name. Instead the policy uses the married name as the example. That as we all know means the surname would be different. However, the clerical staff at the passport office have come to this interpretation that even a small difference in the forename, for example using two forenames when you have three, also constitutes a different name.

The policy has a purpose obviously which gives it the justification and its purpose is to prevent criminals using different names on different identity documents such as passports. The way this is being handled is to ask British citizens with dual nationality to change their names on their foreign passports.

But that may not be the end of it and for those who can comply and change their names on their foreign passports. This may not be the end of the story for them. When you change your name on your foreign passport you will end up having a different name on your passports and your Naturalisation certificate. I am assuming that most dual nationals have become citizens using their foreign passport as their identity document. Beware, it is possible that later in the future some clerical staff will then decide that because your Naturalisation certificate has a different name to your passports, your citizenship is in doubt.

So what is the solution. The solution is usually to reach a point where policies are fair and reasonable and serve their stated purpose. If anyone cared to actually think through the policy they would see that someone with dual nationality and two passports can either change the name on their foreign passport or they can not.

If they can not change the name on their foreign passport then the policy is placing an unfair demand on the person.

If they can change the name on their foreign passport then if they have criminal intentions they would be able to go and reverse those changes a few weeks or months later. In fact they would be able to change their name on their foreign passport periodically as they like.

Therefore, the policy used by the passport office is unfair and useless. It is unfair in that it places an impossible demand on those who are not able to change the name on their foreign passports. It is useless because it does not serve its stated purpose (i.e. prevent criminals to hide their identity).

It is good to openly discuss this and call your MP and tell them about it so that the policy can be changed or withdrawn. Your MP can also contact the passport office to find out why you are being treated in this way.

[Antsmall]

Well said, Out. The policy doesn't prevent the criminal use of 'different identities' because those who can freely change their names on their foreign passports can simply change their names back again. It is an ill-conceived policy which merely gets in the way of those who cannot change their names on their foreign passports but would like to have their married names on their British passports after being denied this by their non-British country, which I can tell you is very humiliating as it forces the spouses in question to travel under different names, causing some people to assume they are not married.

I do not have an MP because I live abroad, though I have been in contact with some people in government about this. Those who do have MPs please bring this problem to their attention and make it clear that it is not an efficient means of preventing fraudulent multiple identities and that it is causing increasing difficulties for an ever-greater number of people, in turn leading to backlogs in the already inefficient and overwhelmed passport office as increasing numbers of harmless dual nationals renew their passports as they had previously done, sometimes for years or decades, in the name of their choice.

[noajthan]

Good news indeed - policy update:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 16754.html

[Antsmall]

Yes! And I made a typo: it is dated 16 August, not 18 August. The rest still stands I hope!

[Beancounter]

Thanks for the document, Passport Ofice have refused to renew my wife's passport which is in her married name as are all her documents within the UK, on the basis that her Russian Passport is in her maiden name.

I have elevated this to an official complaint and asked them to quote me chapter and verse of the legislation which allows them to go against common law that a woman may use either her maiden name or married name at any time.

I will let you know the result

[noajthan]

Thanks for the document, Passport Ofice have refused to renew my wife's passport which is in her married name as are all her documents within the UK, on the basis that her Russian Passport is in her maiden name.

I have elevated this to an official complaint and asked them to quote me chapter and verse of the legislation which allows them to go against common law that a woman may use either her maiden name or married name at any time.

I will let you know the result

Passports are not governed or issued by specific legislation but under auspices of Royal Prerogative (presumably delegated to officials of HMPO).

[ouflak1]

Thanks for the document, Passport Ofice have refused to renew my wife's passport which is in her married name as are all her documents within the UK, on the basis that her Russian Passport is in her maiden name.

I have elevated this to an official complaint and asked them to quote me chapter and verse of the legislation which allows them to go against common law that a woman may use either her maiden name or married name at any time.

I will let you know the result

The new policy update does nothing to address this most obvious and common of all situations. I don't know why they even bothered.

In any case, even if there is no specific law involved in the matter (common or otherwise), the UK is a signatory to the non-binding Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that citizens of a country have a fundamental right to leave their own country. As the UK has denied your wife, and their citizen, a passport, this effectively blocks her from leaving her home country. I don't see any argument that the UK could make to defend itself in court. It's something to consider.