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My wife a foreign national was born (let's say) Jane Jones (no middle name). Let's say my name is John Smith.

After our marriage several years ago she started using the name Jane Jones Smith. (first name: Jane, surname: Jones Smith, with no hyphen). Her foreign (Non EU) passport is listed in this name, and this was the name on her BRP and UK Citizenship application, that has recently been approved.

She hasn't yet applied for a British Passport, but would like to use Jones as her middle and Smith as her surname - First name: Jane, Middle name: Jones. Surname: Smith.

I would've thought that a deed poll would not be necessary, given that she acquired the name Smith, after our marriage, and we have her old passports and our marriage certificate showing her maiden name. We also listed all formats of her name in the "other names you have used" section of her Citizenship application.

Does she have to change her name in her foreign passport to match the desired format first before applying, and if so, if she lets her foreign passport expire, before applying, will this remove this requirement?

If she just goes ahead and applies for a passport as firstname: Jane, surname: Jones Smith, can she change this to the correct format later?

Please advise what steps she must take in order to end up with the correct format of her name in her British passport.

TIA!

This should not be necessary for a citizenship application but having names on passports consistent with the name on the naturalisation certificate will be required when she applies for a British passport. So I would suggest to be proactive and align the names now. if her current foreign passport expires will she be able to request a new one in her new name? This issue will present itself every time she needs to renew her uk passport in the future.

jake82 wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 18, 2025 12:34 am

Does she have to change her name in her foreign passport to match the desired format first before applying

Yes.

jake82 wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 18, 2025 12:34 am

if she lets her foreign passport expire, before applying, will this remove this requirement?

Expired AND cancelled by the issuing country. She will need to submit all uncancelled passports, including expired passports, when applying for her first British passport.

jake82 wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 18, 2025 12:34 am

If she just goes ahead and applies for a passport as firstname: Jane, surname: Jones Smith, can she change this to the correct format later?

I think she can change her name in a subsequent British passport providing that the names are consistent across all passports held by her, including all foreign passports. She will likely be asked to submit all uncancelled foreign passports at such a time too. But wait for others to advise further on this point.

secret.simon wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 18, 2025 7:48 am

jake82 wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 18, 2025 12:34 am

If she just goes ahead and applies for a passport as firstname: Jane, surname: Jones Smith, can she change this to the correct format later?

I think she can change her name in a subsequent British passport providing that the names are consistent across all passports held by her, including all foreign passports. She will likely be asked to submit all uncancelled foreign passports at such a time too. But wait for others to advise further on this point.

For renewals, people are asked to send copies of all current uncancelled passports to check for name consistency. Best to do it now and avoid a headache later.

Thanks. She decided to stick with. firstname: Jane, surname: Jones Smith.

She needs to apply for her foreign passport in that name then, to avoid any issues later.