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Dear All,

I would be grateful for your help.

I am applying for my first British passport. However, I have some problems about my surname. Here is my case:

My maiden name:
-Foreign passport (I used to apply for UK entry clearance and other visa)
-Naturalisation certificate
-First British Application form

My married name:
-British National (Overseas) passport

I received a letter from HMPO and it said I should be using the same name for all documents. If I want to use my married name on my application, I need to get my foreign passport name changed and to send a new application with marriage certificate. However, I am not able to change my foreign passport because it is also linked to my foreign identity card. As I am still using my maiden name in my own country for my bank account, if I need to change name, I need to go back to my own country to change the name on my bank account. I am not able to do that at present.

However, If I want to use my maiden name on my British passport, I have to provide documents. The letter stated if I have not changed to my name with any other authorities yet, please provide a signed statement confirming that I intend to use the maiden surname for all official purposes in the future, both in the UK and overseas.

Since I got married in UK, I used my foreign passport (maiden name) and marriage certificate to follow my husband's surname. all documents in the UK are in my married name. As I intend to use my maiden name for the passport application, after I get my British passport (with maiden name), do I really need to revert back to my maiden name for all UK documents ?

Many thanks

Possible. They do have a solution. Unfortunately, they fail to make it simple.

Thanks for your reply

What if I write a letter to point out this "observation in passport"?

If I want to maintain my maiden name and married name.
Can I ask them to add "the holder is also known as (Full name and married surname)" ?


Many thanks

newlife2009 wrote:Thanks for your reply

What if I write a letter to point out this "observation in passport"?

If I want to maintain my maiden name and married name.
Can I ask them to add "the holder is also known as (Full name and married surname)" ?

Many thanks

To be granted a passport with an observation note included a really good case needs to be made together with irrefutable supporting evidence.

You can ask but it's unlikely to be granted just because its more convenient for you.
In my wife's case we asked & were refused.
- in the end we cancelled my wife's foreign passport.
That solved the problem as she no longer had 2 identities & British passport was finally issued to her.

Can you cancel your foreign passport
It is the existence of this alternative identity document that is the problem for HMPO.
(Strangely that is not a problem for the naturalisation side of HO who will happily naturalise someone in this kind of scenario).

With no other passport held in another name you can apply with naturalisation certificate plus marriage certificate to support use of your married name plus letter/evidence showing that is the name you use (in UK).

Other options here:
british-citizenship/passport-refused-un ... l#p1196883

Thanks for your reply.

My foreign passport with my maiden name. I used my foreign passport and marriage certificate to renewed my British National Overseas passport to change my surname and to follow my husband's surname.

My question is
1) they say I should be using the same name for all documents. Why they can issued my BNO with my married name (while my foreign passport with my maiden name)?
2) if now, my foreign passport/British passport/all uk documents are on my maiden name. In future, when I want to change to married name, do i need to change passport and all uk documents to married name? Or my passport can stay on maiden name and only change docuements to married name?

Many thanks

newlife2009 wrote:Thanks for your reply.

My foreign passport with my maiden name. I used my foreign passport and marriage certificate to renewed my British National Overseas passport to change my surname and to follow my husband's surname.

My question is
1) they say I should be using the same name for all documents. Why they can issued my BNO with my married name (while my foreign passport with my maiden name)?
2) if now, my foreign passport/British passport/all uk documents are on my maiden name. In future, when I want to change to married name, do i need to change passport and all uk documents to married name? Or my passport can stay on maiden name and only change docuements to married name?

Many thanks

1) Because (IMHO) it is due to an ill-conceived, impractical & poorly implemented identity policy which is incompatible with HO naturalisation practice as well as being incompatible with various other countries name/identity laws & practices.

Ref: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/crac ... -detection

At the moment we (on this forum) are just going along with the rules & trying to get our passports. A few successes have been reported recently (including for my wife).

The policy has not yet been challenged in any way (to my knowledge).

However (again IMHO) it appears to violate centuries of English case/common law as well as infringing recognised human rights in relation to both private & family life.

It appears particularly discriminatory against married women; it discriminates on both gender & marital status which is contrary to much-touted British values (& may be illegal).

It has created a catch-22 scenario for respectable married women who naturalise/change name. They can then find themselves trapped by the policy, and denied a passport or, at the very least, are significantly delayed & inconvenienced (& stressed) when applying for a passport.

Some countries do not allow the kind of passport changes that HMPO now expects & demands

Unfortunately the naturalisation & passport guidance notes, Gov UK website, NCS & Check & Send services are all out of sync & unclear on (or ignorant of) this policy.

2) I cannot say as this is all uncharted territory.

But as far as I understand it the HMPO position appears to be: one name only plus one identity document only with that name to be used for all purposes.

How practical this is & how HMPO expects to enforce this in UK, never mind in a person's 'dual' country, (except at passport renewal time) remains to be seen

As I am unable to change my foreign passport, do you think I should keep my maiden name on my application. Once my passport is issued with maiden name, change uk docuements from married name to maiden one by one?

newlife2009 wrote:As I am unable to change my foreign passport, do you think I should keep my maiden name on my application. Once my passport is issued with maiden name, change uk docuements from married name to maiden one by one?

Before reverting to maiden name & applying in maiden name, (which it appears you do not really wish to do), you could try to make a case similar to this (successful) one:
british-citizenship/passport-refused-un ... l#p1225431
- be aware it will take effort & may involve getting your MP to back you.
It will require other robust supporting evidence too (for example from your embassy) to persuade HMPO to add the observation about maiden name & grant the passport in married name.

If you do revert to maiden name then HMPO will expect you to revert to using it for everything.
However it is unclear how they would actually police that & check up on you until you required a passport renewal in 10 years time.

It seems the easiler way is.
Keep my foreign passport on maiden name.
Application- maiden name
Amend all UK documents after get the new passport

newlife2009 wrote:It seems the easiler way is.
Keep my foreign passport on maiden name.
Application- maiden name
Amend all UK documents after get the new passport

I think you are the first to try this approach so kindly keep us posted.

It will be interesting to see if HMPO picks up on your current use of married name & stipulates that you stop using it.

If use of married name is not detected by the background checks then changing your other documents & bank accounts (etc) back to your maiden name will presumably be left to your own conscience (& to be done on your own terms).

Good luck.

I have to withdrawal my application.

I need some more advise for my next time first British passport application.

My current situation:

My maiden name:
-Foreign passport (I used to apply for UK entry clearance and other visa)
-Naturalisation certificate

My married name:
-British National (Overseas) passport
-All UK documents

I understand I should use the same name for all purposes. I intend to use my maiden name to apply. That means I need to change my British National (Overseas) passport and documents to maiden name first (apply with my foreign passport).

Different surname cause me problems on my application. Do I really need to change my British National (Overseas) passport to my maiden name or Can I surrender it ? If I surrender my British National (Overseas) passport, then I only need to provide my foreign passport with my maiden name.

Once my British passport issued on my maiden name, what will happen to my British National (Overseas) passport? Will they take it or return to me?


I really appreciation your help.

Many thanks

newlife2009 wrote:I need some more advise for my next time first British passport application.

My current situation:

My maiden name:
-Foreign passport (I used to apply for UK entry clearance and other visa)
-Naturalisation certificate

My married name:
-British National (Overseas) passport
-All UK documents

I understand I should use the same name for all purposes. I intend to use my maiden name to apply. That means I need to change my British National (Overseas) passport and documents to maiden name first (apply with my foreign passport).

Different surname cause me problems on my application. Do I really need to change my British National (Overseas) passport to my maiden name or Can I surrender it ? If I surrender my British National (Overseas) passport, then I only need to provide my foreign passport with my maiden name.

Once my British passport issued on my maiden name, what will happen to my British National (Overseas) passport? Will they take it or return to me?


I really appreciation your help.

Many thanks

This is really uncharted territory.
You probably need direct guidance from HMPO as it must be their new identity policy that is causing this complication for you.

I assume it is they who told you

I have to withdrawal my application

- what other instructions have they given you in connection with this?