Page 1 of 1
Different Surname Spelling
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2025 1:54 am
by amkay
Hello,
I plan to submit my application within the next few months, but after reviewing the forum, I noticed that I will need to answer a question regarding my previous UK/Immigration applications. The challenging question that I will need to answer is "Name in which you made the application"
The problem I have is that I submitted a visa application in 2007, and I stayed in the UK for only a few months before returning in 2018 with another visa. In my first visa application(2007), two letters in my surname were slightly different due to translation from another language with a different alphabet (though the pronunciations are almost the same). My passport and visa from 2007 are the only places and documents in my life with that spelling, and I never used that spelling in any place, and even in my 2007 police registration certificate(which was mandatory for all people with my nationality), my surname spelling is the same as the one I use at the moment. (not the one on my 2007 visa)
I am not sure what name I provided in my 2007 visa application, but I suppose it would be better to use the spelling from my 2007 visa application when answering this question.
But what made me worried is that in all my next visa applications (in 2018 and later), I had to answer another question("In addition to the names already provided, are you now or have you ever been known by another name?"), which I always responded with "No" as I either could not remember this or thought they were not really different.
My question is how shall I answer these two questions in my naturalisation application? And may it cause any problem for me? If in my naturalisation application I answer yes, it will be inconsistent with my answers in my previous applications, and if I answer No, it will be inconsistent with my answer to the other question in the same form.
Re: Different Surname Spelling
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2025 2:59 pm
by contorted_svy
No issue, you only need to mention the application that lead to settlement. Just explain the difference in name, but unlikely this will be a problem.
Re: Different Surname Spelling
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2025 12:55 am
by amkay
contorted_svy wrote: ↑Sat Jul 26, 2025 2:59 pm
No issue, you only need to mention the application that lead to settlement. Just explain the difference in name, but unlikely this will be a problem.
Thank you very much for your reply. The question asks for all the previous UK immigration applications. So I think I need to provide the details of all of the visa applications, not only for the settlement application. Isn't it?
And, how shall I answer the question "In addition to the names already provided, are you now or have you ever been known by another name?"
In all my previous applications, I answered No. I suppose it would be better to give the same answer (No) for consistency, but I will provide my surname with the different spelling (two different letters) in response to the question "Name in which you made the application".
Re: Different Surname Spelling
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2025 3:02 am
by contorted_svy
amkay wrote: ↑Mon Jul 28, 2025 12:55 am
contorted_svy wrote: ↑Sat Jul 26, 2025 2:59 pm
No issue, you only need to mention the application that lead to settlement. Just explain the difference in name, but unlikely this will be a problem.
Thank you very much for your reply. The question asks for all the previous UK immigration applications. So I think I need to provide the details of all of the visa applications, not only for the settlement application. Isn't it?
Only the visa applications that lead to settlement are relevant for citizenship. So that one is irrelevant.
And, how shall I answer the question "In addition to the names already provided, are you now or have you ever been known by another name?"
In all my previous applications, I answered No. I suppose it would be better to give the same answer (No) for consistency, but I will provide my surname with the different spelling (two different letters) in response to the question "Name in which you made the application".
As I explained this won't be relevant for the visa application you mentioned. I would still take the time to explain in a cover letter that although your legal name didn't change, in the years xxxx-xxxx you used a different spelling of your last name for translation reasons but all your documents are now in a certain spelling.
Re: Different Surname Spelling
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2025 7:54 pm
by amkay
contorted_svy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 28, 2025 3:02 am
amkay wrote: ↑Mon Jul 28, 2025 12:55 am
contorted_svy wrote: ↑Sat Jul 26, 2025 2:59 pm
No issue, you only need to mention the application that lead to settlement. Just explain the difference in name, but unlikely this will be a problem.
Thank you very much for your reply. The question asks for all the previous UK immigration applications. So I think I need to provide the details of all of the visa applications, not only for the settlement application. Isn't it?
Only the visa applications that lead to settlement are relevant for citizenship. So that one is irrelevant.
And, how shall I answer the question "In addition to the names already provided, are you now or have you ever been known by another name?"
In all my previous applications, I answered No. I suppose it would be better to give the same answer (No) for consistency, but I will provide my surname with the different spelling (two different letters) in response to the question "Name in which you made the application".
As I explained this won't be relevant for the visa application you mentioned. I would still take the time to explain in a cover letter that although your legal name didn't change, in the years xxxx-xxxx you used a different spelling of your last name for translation reasons but all your documents are now in a certain spelling.
Thank you very much for your response. So, from my understanding, I can answer "No" to the "In addition to the names already provided, are you now or have you ever been known by another name?" question, but I will write a cover letter to explain..... Is that right?
Naturalisation Application
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2025 8:31 pm
by amkay
CR001 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 26, 2025 9:39 pm
1. Fine.
2. You do NOT need these documents if your passport is stamped.
You do NOT need employer letters!!!
Could you please also advise what someone who has travelled abroad during the year before naturalisation, but whose passport is
not stamped, should do?
Re: Employer Letter for Naturalisation Application?
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2025 8:35 pm
by alterhase58
Not an issue.
Your passport was scanned at the border and travel details stored in Home Office systems - so they can match the travel dates you have declared in the application form.
Re: Naturalisation Application
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2025 8:50 pm
by CR001
@amkay please keep your questions in your own topic, this one, rather than tagging onto other members threads/topics.
Re: Different Surname Spelling
Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2025 1:40 am
by amkay
amkay wrote: ↑Wed Jul 30, 2025 7:54 pm
contorted_svy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 28, 2025 3:02 am
amkay wrote: ↑Mon Jul 28, 2025 12:55 am
contorted_svy wrote: ↑Sat Jul 26, 2025 2:59 pm
No issue, you only need to mention the application that lead to settlement. Just explain the difference in name, but unlikely this will be a problem.
Thank you very much for your reply. The question asks for all the previous UK immigration applications. So I think I need to provide the details of all of the visa applications, not only for the settlement application. Isn't it?
Only the visa applications that lead to settlement are relevant for citizenship. So that one is irrelevant.
And, how shall I answer the question "In addition to the names already provided, are you now or have you ever been known by another name?"
In all my previous applications, I answered No. I suppose it would be better to give the same answer (No) for consistency, but I will provide my surname with the different spelling (two different letters) in response to the question "Name in which you made the application".
As I explained this won't be relevant for the visa application you mentioned. I would still take the time to explain in a cover letter that although your legal name didn't change, in the years xxxx-xxxx you used a different spelling of your last name for translation reasons but all your documents are now in a certain spelling.
Thank you very much for your response. So, from my understanding, I can answer "No" to the "In addition to the names already provided, are you now or have you ever been known by another name?" question, but I will write a cover letter to explain..... Is that right?
Thanks for your response. It seems that the above post has been merged with this topic. Could you please respond to this as well?
Re: Naturalisation Application
Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2025 3:28 pm
by lolo2
I don't think this would be an issue. A misspelling error doesn't mean you had another name. Also you made other applications to UKVI with your correct name and they proceeded.
However I wonder why you didn't request to correct that at the time. I think it's a general practice for every country to suggest that the individual must check that the information on these documents are correct and immediately report any error.