British Citizenship / passport applications - which name to use?

Hi,

hope someone can clarify something for me. Have read several threads here including the huge on on passport maiden name and getting more confused.

My wife was born in Vietnam then lived in Japan (with Japanese name) and we are now living in UK. We got married in Japan. When we moved here from Japan she was advised she would be legally known as a name which has 1 Japanese and 1 Vietnamese name and my surname. Her driving license is therefore in this name and this was the name we used for her life in Uk test which she has just passed.

Surely therefore her citizenship and passport application should be done in this name? She has a Vietnamese passport which of course is different to the name on her British driving license. Been reading other threads about complications with different names so trying to check before we go further.

Any advice much appreciated.

It will be better she applies with her name as per passport otherwise HMPO will raise issues due to her foreign passport name not in line with the naturalisation certificate. Unless she can get a new Vietnamese passport with the married name.

Thanks for your reply if that was correct though it would mean she wouldn't even be able to do the life in uk test as wouldnt have proof of address in name that matches her passport. Her bank account, mortgage and driving license are all in the new name. So she then would have to go through the process of getting her name changed back all over again which sounds ludicrous.

If it's not possible to get a passport with the new married name due to Vietnamese legislation/requirements then perhaps the consulate here can give written confirmation of that fact which I believe would be accepted by HMPO. Perhaps other members on here who have been through that issue could comment.

Thank you yes I have read elsewhere some people have been successful this way and I know the Vietnamese embassy won't change it. Will probably go down this route.

Do you think it is worth asking for legal advice on the best way to present the application, I know my wife is definitely eligible for a passport but worried about being declined initially and having to reapply. Maybe incurring more fees?

You need to separate naturalisation from the passport process.
It would be easiest to apply for naturalisation under the name as per original passport - once British she could then get a British passport in that name. OR before that arrange an official name change by Deed Poll and then apply for passport in married name. Refer to https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll. I know people who have done that in different circumstances and it seems quite straightforward. As for legal opinion I can't make any recommendations - overall naturalisation is a straightforward application as long as the requirements are met. Normally you would not use legal advice to apply for a passport which comes after naturalisation.

Thank you for all the advice which is greatly appreciated. The Vietnamese embassy have said they can provide a letter confirming they can't change the name in her original passport. Good news although we have to go to the embassy for it which is annoying. Surely if it's their policy they should just be able to fire off a generic letter confirming this

The only dilemma I have now is the English language test for which she can't use her driving licence so will take passport as id. This means her language test will be in different name to name she is applying in! I would hope again that common sense will prevail if I explain all this?