Naturalisation - Surname field in foreign passport blank

Hello Gurus,

Please advise on the below query...and thanks in advance for all your help...

Am on ILR and will be eligible to apply for naturalization as a British Citizen next month. The problem is, my Full name is Ranbir Singh, and on my Indian passport the First Name is mentioned as 'Ranbir Singh' and the last name field is 'Empty/Blank'.
On my ILR Bio metric card also it says First name - Ranbir Singh, Last Name is left 'Empty/Blank'

Now I want to fix this mistake and want to make sure that the name on both my British Passport and Naturalization certificate should be like: First Name - Ranbir and Last Name - Singh.

Am not sure how to get this sorted out, should I first change the name on my Indian Passport ( in this case do i need to inform home office about this change) and then apply for Naturalization/Passport or
should I change the name when applying for my First British passport.

Please advise gurus...

Regards..

If you want this issue fixed, get your name changed in the Indian passport first. You don't need to inform the Home Office about it but you may need to apply for replacement BRP in the new name after receiving the new passport.

Only then apply for naturalisation.


See also No Given Names on British Passport.

Things will be monumentally simpler if you do it before applying for naturalisation. Change your name on your Indian passport, then change name on BRP, then apply for naturalisation.

Dear Geriatrix,

Thanks for the quick response, appreciate it....

Is it still mandatory to apply for replacement ILR BRP card, even though I do not have any plans to visit India for the next 1 year. I ll be eligible to apply for Naturalization next month, and not sure how much time the new BRP card may take to arrive.

If I have to apply for BRP, then:

1. Will I have to give Bio metric details again.
2. IS there any fee involved
3. Any idea how much time will I have to wait to get the replacement card.

Regards..

https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances ... have-a-brp

You must apply for a new BRP straight away if any of these things change:

name, eg if you’ve got married

It doesn't look like there is a fee although I may be mistaken.

I am not sure you need to, that is why I chose to use "may" in that sentence!
Yes, getting replacement BRP takes both money and time.

That said, an alternate strategy that may also work - get a deed poll in the new name (same as in new Indian passport). If you do need to use it for an official purpose (e.g. - applying for a new job) other than travelling abroad, include copy of deed poll along with BRP. Likewise, include deed poll in the naturalisation application along with the current BRP.

IMHO ...

You could also try out the option found in the below link

http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 85-20.html

john353 wrote:You could also try out the option found in the below link

http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 85-20.html

1. That's another expense of a second British passport.
2. Not every person posting here is an Indian (or similar) who can hold only one nationality after becoming British. The suggestions outlined in the link you have provided will not work for dual nationals (e.g. - someone with Pakistani nationality, a country which allows dual citizenship).

someone with Pakistani nationality, a country which allows dual citizenship

Agree that the solution is not the same for all nationalities.

But isn't the OP an Indian from his post?

Am not sure how to get this sorted out, should I first change the name on my Indian Passport

What troubles me with this post, is why op had never seemed it necessary to resolve this anomaly.

You have waited all these years.

It may call into question the fact that you were seeking to hide something. I am clearly not suggesting that this is the case.

Obie wrote:What troubles me with this post, is why op had never seemed it necessary to resolve this anomaly.

You have waited all these years.

It may call into question the fact that you were seeking to hide something. I am clearly not suggesting that this is the case.

There is a sudden influx of name change queries I have to admit, and those applicants should have sorted this name change business years before even getting to the ILR stage and now BC, just to save themselves the hassle later down the line. Maybe put a sticky along the lines of: Deed Poll name change ->Foreign Passport Name change -> BC application new name -> Passport new name etc?