Passport Issue – Name Discrepancy (Deed Poll vs Indian Passport)

Hi everyone,

I really need some advice about my first British passport application.

It’s been over 5 weeks since I applied, and every time I call HM Passport Office they just say my application is “in the queue.” The delay is because the name on my Indian passport does not match the name on my British passport application.

I already sent them a UK deed poll confirming my legal name here. They then asked me to provide proof of why changing the name on my Indian passport isn’t practical, so I sent them screenshots from the official Indian High Commission website showing that the process requires:
• Publishing the new name in 2 Indian newspapers and 1 UK newspaper, and
• Police verification at my Indian address in India.

This is obviously impossible right now as I have small children in the UK and can’t travel. HMPO confirmed they received those documents, but since then nothing has moved forward.

I urgently need my passport

My questions are:
1. Has anyone been in a similar situation where HMPO accepted a deed poll without the foreign passport being changed?
2. Is there any effective escalation route (MP, FCDO, Ministerial, Ombudsman) that actually works when an application is stuck like this?
3. Does anyone know how long cases like this usually sit “in the queue” before being picked up?

Any advice or shared experiences would be really appreciated .. I’m under a lot of pressure with the family emergency.

Thanks in advance.

Hard to know how long it can take them. Can you buy a, possibly inexpensive, ticket to travel abroad and explain you have to urgently travel? Call the helpline and ask to speak to a senior caseworker to explain the situation. You can also lodge a complaint https://www.gov.uk/government/organisat ... -procedure

Hi,

I applied on 22nd July and they are still saying it’s going through standard checks. I involved my MP and they wrote to him saying it’s going through standard checks, what do I do? They have all my IDs still, I really want my British passport. My husband and both kids have British passport we wanted to travel in school holidays but this delay is excessive, any advice in this matter please

Have you lodged a complaint as I advised above? Call the helpline and ask to speak with a senior caseworker or a manager. As I said above try purchasing a refundable ticket for e.g. next week and see if that can escalate the process.

Lodged a complain and just got a call to say ‘it’s going through standard process’, and not allowed to speak to the senior caseworker. They just say we don’t have service to transfer to them. We can only leave note

Try buying a plane ticket, possibly refundable, and say you have to travel soon.