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I am stuck with a unique problem in UK. My passport details indicate my name as a Single Name and the SurName field is empty. I tried opening a Bank Account and it got rejected the next day stating that the SurName field is mandatory. After checking on, it appears that all National bodies in UK are insisting for the SurName. Can you please help as to what I would need to do next? Do I need to contact the Embassy of India requesting for the name to be broken into two First Name and SurName? How much time would this take?

Does your given name have one word (e.g. - first name only) or two/more words (e.g. - first name + middle name)?


regards

Thank you for your quick response. My given name has two words. SurName field is empty. Isn't there some alternative apart from changing my name on the Passport itself? All my visas will go for a toss..

I have the same name format, and never had a problem. Ask the banks / organisations to use your middle name / second word as the surname.

All accounts that I have with UK bodies reflect my middle name (second word in the given name field of passport) as the surname, with the exception of UKBA issued vignettes and DVLA issued licence, where the "given name" is used entirely as the surname!


regards

Thank you very much that is very positive. However the Bank(Santander) simply refused to cooperate, as they said that the passport does not have SurName and they cannot proceed with that. He also said in UK, that no bank will open an account for you. Further the problem is I do not have a address proof, so none of the banks are willing to proceed immediately without Address Proof. Hence I need to do apply for a provisional Driving License.

Alternatively I carried application forms from bank like Halifax and Post Office. Can you let me know which bank was that? When I fill the application form what should I enter the SurName as?

There is no law which states that banks (or other companies) cannot open accounts for individuals who do not use a surname!

I have never had an issue with banks (HSBC. Natwest, Barclays), utility companies (EDF, E-On, BT) or with others (Virgin, Sky) for such a reason.

DVLA, on the other hand, will use the name format in your passport as is, but in your given name will come up in the surname field of the licence, which is the same when UKBA issues visas for individuals who do not use a surname.


regards

Ok great. By the way when I fill the Application Form what would I enter in the SurName, as the SurName field is mandatory. Could they have come up with such rule a in the recent past?

light_tunnel wrote:Could they have come up with such rule a in the recent past?

There wasn't any, until mid-December last year, else I wouldn't have been able to open an account with NatWest.

I have always used the second word in the given name as my surname, when filling up such forms, unless the form(s) clearly states "Write your name exactly as it is mentioned in your passport".

Try different banks and / or different branches.

regards

Ok thanks once again, that is very helpful. I will try with different Banks/Branches.

Thanks sushdmehta. Managed to get an account with Barclays without any hassles.