Passport refused - uncancelled passport in maiden name

[hellonewhere]

@noajthan - thank you so much for the very informative post and suggestions.
I appreciate the time you took to write it; certainly helps me to assess my options available.

Point 1 you mentioned - I was thinking to go along this option, however, I am unsure whether my embassy will cancel my existing passport. It's a very small embassy, I will make an appointment to see whether I will be able to do this.

However, failing that, could I ask you regarding the point 6 you mentioned.
I was under the impression that as my naturalisation certificate is under my married name, I wouldn't be able to apply for a British passport under my maiden name?. I would be happy to be corrected if this isn't the case.
If this is possible, then I could apply for the British passport under my maiden name and upon receipt send it back to be changed to my married name along with my marriage certificate. I think the issue is just the first passport.

Option 5 is certainly something I can look into, however, I will adopt it as a last option, as you mentioned there's not much success yet!

It's a bit of a nightmare. It just seems that the new guidance hasn't made much of an allowance for women who have got married after issuing of their birth country's passport. It certainly makes things complicated and time consuming.

I hope your wife's case get sorted soon. It just seem such a lengthy exercise!

[noajthan]

@noajthan - thank you so much for the very informative post and suggestions.
I appreciate the time you took to write it; certainly helps me to assess my options available.

Point 1 you mentioned - I was thinking to go along this option, however, I am unsure whether my embassy will cancel my existing passport. It's a very small embassy, I will make an appointment to see whether I will be able to do this.

However, failing that, could I ask you regarding the point 6 you mentioned.
I was under the impression that as my naturalisation certificate is under my married name, I wouldn't be able to apply for a British passport under my maiden name?. I would be happy to be corrected if this isn't the case.
If this is possible, then I could apply for the British passport under my maiden name and upon receipt send it back to be changed to my married name along with my marriage certificate. I think the issue is just the first passport.

Option 5 is certainly something I can look into, however, I will adopt it as a last option, as you mentioned there's not much success yet!

It's a bit of a nightmare. It just seems that the new guidance hasn't made much of an allowance for women who have got married after issuing of their birth country's passport. It certainly makes things complicated and time consuming.

I hope your wife's case get sorted soon. It just seem such a lengthy exercise!

Option 1 is our best bet and if it works out it will confirm the name my wife now chooses to use.
Thanks for your good wishes.

Note: the Philippine embassy didn't have a ready-made process available for us to have the passport cancelled.
There was no ready-made form to fill in; we spent a stressful day at the embassy last month trying to explain & organise it.
In the end we got a kind of legal document.

So keep calm, be patient and be peruasive with your embassy - don't take no for an answer.
All you need is something in writing on official paper - plus some holes punched in the passport!

Option 5 is actually mentioned in the new guidance but HM PO wasn't encouraging when I tried to ask about it. So we went for #1.
For #5, I think they require evidence you're an established professional or performer;
(perhaps lawyer, scientist, actress - or some sort of lord of the realm, as per their example )

Regarding #6, aiming for a British passport in maiden name (even with recent naturalisation granted in married name - as applies to my wife and also you)...

This is what HM PO wrote to us:

If the authorities are unable to amend your name so that it is the same as on your Naturalization certificate, or if the ... authorities state that you are no longer entitled to hold a <foreign> passport, we will require written confirmation of this from the <foreign> authorities.

Alternatively you may choose to have your name on your British passport as <maiden name>. To do this we will require a new application form in the name of <maiden name>, evidence of the change of name to <maiden name>, and documents to confirm you are now using the name <maiden name> for all purposes, such as a current letter from your employer or government department.

So as we'd already applied in married name they have told us we could opt to give up on that application & reapply in maiden name (with certain conditions).
In your case you could apply directly in maiden name. Probably worth including an explanation in the Additional Information section of the form (or on a separate sheet).
Suggest calling the help line first to discuss it with someone.

It makes sense for each person to take the path of least resistance for them, even if a short-term compromise is required.
(In our case, my wife may yet reclaim her previous nationality in due course).

All in all, agreed it's a nightmare; totally undeserved.
The policy announced by Minister James Brokenshire is 'broken'.
It is said to be targeting criminals & terroists; instead it is catching out married ladies who have just had to prove they are respectable & law-abiding in order to become naturalised

Even the mandatory first-time passport interviews have been reported in the media as catching very few fraudsters.
And when contacted for advice (by other contributors to this thread) even the Naturalisation department of HO seems as confused by the Passport unit's actions as we all are.

Not much sign of joined up thinking from this government department at all.
The guidance notes for both naturalisation & passports need synchronising so they are aligned.
At the moment by the time people realise the catch-22 trap they have more than likely been naturalised in the 'wrong' name.

It needs to be challenged though the complaints process &/or due legal process in the end.

Good luck.

[hellonewhere]

Noajthan once again many thanks for the very insightful post; excellent advice as well.

On a positive note, at least your wife's case seem to be moving in the correct direction.
I am afraid my own embassy wouldn't have a ready-made process for cancelling an existing passport similar to your wife's embassy.
The last time I asked my embassy to provide me with an official document although unrelated to this issue - the answer was a firm "it is outside the scope of our work". I can only hope that if I go in person someone might be able to help me.

As you have expanded on option 5, it seems that it wouldn't be applicable to me. I believe it's for people who might have an official name, however, go by another name. For a lack of example, I can only think of Eminem, whereby his real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III. Sadly, I am neither a high profile artist nor a Lady of a manor ( although this is quite possibly questionable by my husband ).

I had a slight hope that I might be able to apply in my maiden name but even this route isn't straight forward. According to what the HM PO wrote to you, I will have to revert back to my maiden name via possibly a deed poll AND provide documents to confirm that I will actively be using that name. It just seems a pointless, expensive and time consuming activity to me. I have been using my married name for almost 14 years now and I don't see why I should be changing all my documents again to reflect my maiden name; only to have to change it again. It just seems unnecessary.

And of course you rightly said, it makes sense to take the least resistance path and I think for me, it will be the same as your wife i.e. cancelling my existing passport.

I had to laugh at your comment that Minister James Brokenshire's policy is "broken" - brilliant!

I knew getting married was trouble!

Once again, I must appreciate your great suggestions, thank you.

[Antsmall]

Hellonewhere: please note that now the passport people require all dual (or plural) nationals to submit colour photocopies (why is this trying to change my British spelling to American automatically by the way?) of any "uncancelled passports" even when renewing passports. I initially thought I could (unwillingly) apply for everything in my maiden name and then renew my British passport in my married name using the less intrusive passport renewal process, but no: it's not less intrusive. They still insist on seeing evidence of uncancelled passports (oh god, still trying to change my spelling to American every time I use my native language - or one of them), they specify that failure to show such evidence constitutes a crime and may evoke a Nasty Response, and they reserve the right to make even people who are merely renewing a British passport send original foreign passports if somehow the orgy of time and paper wastage constituted by the submission of colour (no, not color, you hegemonic machine that is driving me bonkers: respect diversity, you nefarious little robot) isn't enough to satisfy their lust for intrusive irritation. (This reminds me of the South Park episode where Chef points out "He feeds on the sweet milk of your tears").

My point is that the route of applying for everything in your maiden name (after going through a time-consuming and elaborate process whereby you abjure the identity you've chosen for yourself and have been using for the past 14 years, mind you) *and then* renewing the passport in your married name isn't going to work unless you can anyway either cancel your foreign passport (which as we've seen depends on one or more consular/ambassadorial bureaucrats being exceptionally reasonable and helpful rather than simply playing the stereotypical Vogonic role of Robots Who Say No) or have your married name reflected in your foreign passport.

So I'd say: give the passport cancellation thing a go and see if you do encounter that rare thing, the reasonable bureaucrat who genuinely wishes to reduce the discomfort of other sentient beings. (I do have a government job - not British, alas - and I do go out of my way to solve people's problems even when they don't Fall Within the Ordinary Scope of Our Work beep beep robot sounds, which is why I always have thank-you cards on my desk and my colleagues don't; there is the occasional person like that and I've met a couple of others). If that doesn't work, it may be preferable for you to go back to your other country and endure the gruelling name-changing process. Yes, it's deeply annoying and it consumes considerable amounts of time, but at least it's a known procedure with a clear outcome rather than one or more equally annoying, equally time-consuming procedures whose outcome is uncertain.

If it's any consolation, I'm currently undergoing a lengthy name-change process in my country of residence (which is neither Britain nor my other homeland - the one that isn't Britain that is) on the off-chance that the authorities of my non-British homeland will accept a foreign court order declaring a change of name and will proceed to grant me my married name despite their usually extremely constipated name-change rules. This was suggested to me by a helpful person in my non-British consulate who has memories of it working in the past. See: a helpful consular official. I initiated the procedure almost a month ago and will have to attend a court hearing in July, then (if all goes well) get an apostille (no, not apostle, bossy autocorrect robot with a tiny vocabulary) on the resulting decree, then go to my non-British consulate and initiate a name change petition on the strength of this document, and then probably wait several more months while everything is sent to that country and is considered by yet another bureaucrat who may or may not be reasonable. I don't even know if it will work. It may well be doomed because I'm not a citizen of my country of residence and any number of additional reasons. But my point is that even this horrifyingly convoluted process appears less blood-curdling to me than trying to reason with the British passport office. If you have access to a similar process *except that it will actually guarantee a name change rather than being probably doomed like mine*, then I'd say bite the bullet and go for it. It's not as if the alternatives will be less annoying, but they certainly will have a less clear outcome and therefore be more stressful.

By the way, I heartily agree with noajthan when he (I'm assuming it's a he) says that a) people should be free to choose their own name rather than having it imposed by a bureaucrat (even though my non-British homeland appears never to have received that particular memo and is particularly stubborn concerning name changes) and b) this ill-conceived new 'policy' is causing the passport people to go ape over people who *have already been turned inside out like a sock to check for any traces of crime*. It is therefore wasting time - their own and that of the applicants - on cases where *crime is demonstrably absent*. It's like pinpointed inefficiency. "Let's try to aim resources where they are specifically not needed" could be their unwieldy motto. A wieldy one wouldn't really fit with their whole cumbersome vibe. Can you tell I'm cheesed off just a touch?

Good luck to all. I hope that the slew of delayed passport applications that will soon deluge the passport people will eventually make even their slow-moving "minds" realise that some accommodation has to be made or things will really get out of hand. I wonder how much awkwardness and inconvenience is necessary to overcome the massive inertia of this comatose leviathan.

[hellonewhere]

Hellonewhere: please note that now the passport people require all dual (or plural) nationals to submit colour photocopies (why is this trying to change my British spelling to American automatically by the way?) of any "uncancelled passports" even when renewing passports. I initially thought I could (unwillingly) apply for everything in my maiden name and then renew my British passport in my married name using the less intrusive passport renewal process, but no: it's not less intrusive. They still insist on seeing evidence of uncancelled passports (oh god, still trying to change my spelling to American every time I use my native language - or one of them), they specify that failure to show such evidence constitutes a crime and may evoke a Nasty Response, and they reserve the right to make even people who are merely renewing a British passport send original foreign passports if somehow the orgy of time and paper wastage constituted by the submission of colour (no, not color, you hegemonic machine that is driving me bonkers: respect diversity, you nefarious little robot) isn't enough to satisfy their lust for intrusive irritation. (This reminds me of the South Park episode where Chef points out "He feeds on the sweet milk of your tears").

My point is that the route of applying for everything in your maiden name (after going through a time-consuming and elaborate process whereby you abjure the identity you've chosen for yourself and have been using for the past 14 years, mind you) *and then* renewing the passport in your married name isn't going to work unless you can anyway either cancel your foreign passport (which as we've seen depends on one or more consular/ambassadorial bureaucrats being exceptionally reasonable and helpful rather than simply playing the stereotypical Vogonic role of Robots Who Say No) or have your married name reflected in your foreign passport.

So I'd say: give the passport cancellation thing a go and see if you do encounter that rare thing, the reasonable bureaucrat who genuinely wishes to reduce the discomfort of other sentient beings. (I do have a government job - not British, alas - and I do go out of my way to solve people's problems even when they don't Fall Within the Ordinary Scope of Our Work beep beep robot sounds, which is why I always have thank-you cards on my desk and my colleagues don't; there is the occasional person like that and I've met a couple of others). If that doesn't work, it may be preferable for you to go back to your other country and endure the gruelling name-changing process. Yes, it's deeply annoying and it consumes considerable amounts of time, but at least it's a known procedure with a clear outcome rather than one or more equally annoying, equally time-consuming procedures whose outcome is uncertain.

If it's any consolation, I'm currently undergoing a lengthy name-change process in my country of residence (which is neither Britain nor my other homeland - the one that isn't Britain that is) on the off-chance that the authorities of my non-British homeland will accept a foreign court order declaring a change of name and will proceed to grant me my married name despite their usually extremely constipated name-change rules. This was suggested to me by a helpful person in my non-British consulate who has memories of it working in the past. See: a helpful consular official. I initiated the procedure almost a month ago and will have to attend a court hearing in July, then (if all goes well) get an apostille (no, not apostle, bossy autocorrect robot with a tiny vocabulary) on the resulting decree, then go to my non-British consulate and initiate a name change petition on the strength of this document, and then probably wait several more months while everything is sent to that country and is considered by yet another bureaucrat who may or may not be reasonable. I don't even know if it will work. It may well be doomed because I'm not a citizen of my country of residence and any number of additional reasons. But my point is that even this horrifyingly convoluted process appears less blood-curdling to me than trying to reason with the British passport office. If you have access to a similar process *except that it will actually guarantee a name change rather than being probably doomed like mine*, then I'd say bite the bullet and go for it. It's not as if the alternatives will be less annoying, but they certainly will have a less clear outcome and therefore be more stressful.

By the way, I heartily agree with noajthan when he (I'm assuming it's a he) says that a) people should be free to choose their own name rather than having it imposed by a bureaucrat (even though my non-British homeland appears never to have received that particular memo and is particularly stubborn concerning name changes) and b) this ill-conceived new 'policy' is causing the passport people to go ape over people who *have already been turned inside out like a sock to check for any traces of crime*. It is therefore wasting time - their own and that of the applicants - on cases where *crime is demonstrably absent*. It's like pinpointed inefficiency. "Let's try to aim resources where they are specifically not needed" could be their unwieldy motto. A wieldy one wouldn't really fit with their whole cumbersome vibe. Can you tell I'm cheesed off just a touch?

Good luck to all. I hope that the slew of delayed passport applications that will soon deluge the passport people will eventually make even their slow-moving "minds" realise that some accommodation has to be made or things will really get out of hand. I wonder how much awkwardness and inconvenience is necessary to overcome the massive inertia of this comatose leviathan.

Thank you for elaborating on the "maiden name" route, it certainly isn't as straight forward as I initially thought.
The name change process in my country is similar to what you are going through.
As a first step, I will attempt to have my existing passport to be cancelled. I hope to meet a kindred soul as yourself who can help me.

On a separate note, you have a refreshingly great sense of humour; hilarious.

Good luck to you as well, hope it gets sorted out.

[Antsmall]

Thanks for the kind words. Watch out or I'll send you my short stories. (Not to worry, that was probably an empty threat. Probably. *ominous music*).

This is almost certainly a cliche', but when dealing with obstructionism of this magnitude, humour (no, not humor, you malignant mechanical elf) may be the only means for the disempowered civilian to preserve mental sanity. One wonders how this evolved. "Oh well, I got gored by yet another mammoth, ha ha".

Let's all keep each other updated about the progress of these distasteful procedures. (I would perpetrate some sort of gynaecological metaphor at this juncture but I'm far too ladylike, and besides I might get censored or Worse). I wonder if we can somehow Join Together in a Mighty Coalition of the Reasonable and press for mind-bogglingly harmless minor changes.

Good luck to all.

[noajthan]

Well, I haven't seen yet what we've been sent.
And HM PO will still have to agree to accept it. That's not a given.

.... and it complies with what the HM PO official asked for...

I still find this part very strange. It's not the Phillipines responsibility to make sure that UK citizens can leave their own country in conformance with basic human rights. It's the UK's responsibility to make sure its citizens can leave the country in conformance with human rights. I hope you've made a copy of all your correspondance. I think you have genuine civil rights complaint against the UK government. You might be able to get a nice settlement.

Update: we have just received a standard letter inviting my wife to arrange the mandatory first-time applicant's passport interview.
So, without acknowledging it, HM PO have evidently now accepted the cancelled passport and Certificate of Cancellation we provided.

We can only assume HM PO finally accepts that:
1) my wife is not currently a dual national, she is now 'only' British (as we have asserted all through this passport application process);
2) her UK naturalisation did (in her case, for the Philippines) automatically cancel her previous citizenship and render her foreign passport invalid;
3) she does not hold any second, different identity that is preventing HM PO from issuing a UK identity document, (a British passport), according to their rules

- the legal situation may ofcourse be different for each different country (and in each individual case)

Fingers now crossed for the interview.

[noajthan]

Next hurdle, seems yet more delay for no real purpose except to stress & inconvenience honest applicants

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -none.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... sters.html

[noajthan]

About HM PO requirement to have all uncancelled pasports submitted with passport application:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ ... foreign_pa

Two points to note in the answers from HMPO (see PDF on above link):

The requirement to submit an uncancelled passports relates to any uncancelled passport, British or otherwise. The document is required to support identity and nationality checks. It is also required to ensure that any British passport issued is compatible with the biographical and photographic details contained in an existing passport.

Should it subsequently come to HMPO’s notice that a person had failed to disclose at the point of application for a British passport that they hold a passport in another nationality, it would be a criminal offence on the basis that they would have made a false statement on the application form.

This may render them liable to criminal proceedings and it would be open to the Secretary of State to consider the exercise of the Royal Prerogative to withdraw or refuse the issue of a British passport. That would be considered on the individual circumstances of the case and the seriousness of the consequences of the attempted deception.

Link to the full response from HM PO to the above FOI request:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ ... y.pdf.html

[mimimari26]

Hello everyone

I have a similar problem too,

My naturalisation certificate has been issued on 10th feb 2015 with my previous name as i changed my name after receiving my naturalisation certificate with deed poll.
I applied on 15th may 2015 for my British passport i received a letter on 28th may which was dated 26th may saying :

That i need to provide HMPO with 3 documents confirming that i have changed my name with authorities such as education, Driving License, bank and etc ,also stating that i will be using my current name for all purposes in future in The UK and overseas.
Many authorities refused to change my name in their system as i couldnt provide them with an ID or passport.
Changing name or surname is very difficult and sometimes impossible in my country

i sent back on 29th may confirmation letter that i intend to use my current name for all proposes and i will change my name in my other passport as soon i receive my British passport issued with my current name. also included my council tax bill and letter from HO as i only have those with my new name.

Finger cross

[noajthan]

Hello everyone

I have a similar problem too,

My naturalisation certificate has been issued on 10th feb 2015 with my previous name as i changed my name after receiving my naturalisation certificate with deed poll.
I applied on 15th may 2015 for my British passport i received a letter on 28th may which was dated 26th may saying :

That i need to provide HMPO with 3 documents confirming that i have changed my name with authorities such as education, Driving License, bank and etc ,also stating that i will be using my current name for all purposes in future in The UK and overseas.
Many authorities refused to change my name in their system as i couldnt provide them with an ID or passport.
Changing name or surname is very difficult and sometimes impossible in my country

i sent back on 29th may confirmation letter that i intend to use my current name for all proposes and i will change my name in my other passport as soon i receive my British passport issued with my current name. also included my council tax bill and letter from HO as i only have those with my new name.

Finger cross

mimimari26,
The outcome of your case (with name change after UK naturalisation & passport applied for in new name) may be of interest to many people here.

Best of luck.

[noajthan]

Update: we have just received a standard letter inviting my wife to arrange the mandatory first-time applicant's passport interview.
So, without acknowledging it, HM PO have evidently now accepted the cancelled passport and Certificate of Cancellation we provided.

...

Fingers now crossed for the interview.

Yesterday, my wife attended Crawley passport office for the mandatory passport interview.

There were the usual type of questions about:

• journey to the passport office
  passport application & documents submitted
  countersignatory details, including age (!)
  address & phone details
  banking details
  voting register question
  immediate family details
  how she met spouse
  house & garden details (including type of plants grown!)
  lifestyle questions (various)
  questions about hometown, including directions to various places
  questions about daughter's college, the headteacher, her uniform & subjects studied
  wider family questions (number of siblings, parents & grandparents names - including spellings, dates of birth)

& etc.

The interviewing official was pleasant, calm and reassuring.
It all seemed to go quite smoothly apart from one or two mixups on dates due to shyness and some nervousness (on my wife's part, not the interviewer's).

HM PO texted today to say passport is being printed & it should arrive in a few working days.
Will celebrate once it's in our hands.

[noajthan]

...
HM PO texted today to say passport is being printed & it should arrive in a few working days.
Will celebrate once it's in our hands.

Cancellation route has worked (cancel foreign passport plus obtain Certificate of Cancellation from embassy as supporting evidence).

Passport arrived today.

All good.

[noajthan]

For those caught in a similar catch-22 situation, namely:

Recently naturalised in married name (or other new name);
AND documents including foreign passport held in maiden name (or other previous name);
AND HM PO refusing or delaying first British passport (citing as their reason, "to avoid the creation of a second identity")

Summary of Options

1) You are:
Non-dual national - UK citizen (only)

You hold an uncancelled foreign passport in different name
(eg passport is in maiden name but you have been recently naturalised in UK & now applying for British passport in married name)

a) Cancel/surrender or revoke the foreign passport
PLUS obtain letter or certificate of cancellation (if possible)

b) Change name on foreign passport (to match name used in UK)

Note: this is often suggested by HM PO but can't easily be done if holder is no longer a citizen of the foreign country;
(eg typically due to losing foreign citizenship due to granting of UK naturalisation)

c) Apply in married name plus request an official observation in British passport to record use of maiden name
(possible option for professionals, members of nobility & similar cases - proof required)

d) Revert to using maiden name (or previous name) in UK & (re-)apply for British passport in the maiden/previous name;
(proof of reverting to full use of the maiden/previous name in UK will be required by HM PO)

e) Reapply/reacquire your original nationality (and reobtain a foreign passport); then obtain UK 'Right of Abode';
(as per option in group 2 below)

2) You are:
Dual national - with UK citizenship plus 1 or more other citizenships held

You hold an uncancelled foreign passport in a different name
(eg maiden name & you have been recently naturalised in UK, now applying for British passport in married name)

a) Revoke foreign citizenship; (see options in group 1, above)

b) Cancel/surrender or revoke foreign passport
PLUS obtain letter or certificate of cancellation (if possible)

c) Change name on foreign passport to match name used in UK

May involve trip back to country if the local embassy (in UK) cannot do this.
Minor name differences (eg just forename) may be accepted by HM PO;

d) Apply in married name plus request an official observation in British passport to record your use of maiden name
(possible option for professionals, members of nobility & similar cases - proof required)

e) Revert to using maiden name (or previous name) in UK & (re-)apply for British passport in maiden (/previous) name;
(proof of reverting to fully use the maiden/previous name in UK will be required by HM PO)

f) Give up on applying for/receiving British passport; apply for Right of Abode (a sticker in your foreign passport)

Note: RoA only granted if no British passport is held

Pros: proves your right of abode in UK;
Cons: costly; no additional travel benefits; expires with foreign passport (so need to renew & pay again);
Unclear if RoA adequately proves right to access UK NHS

Notes per country:

India - catch-22:
dual nationality not recognised;
it's hard to cancel/surrender or update India passport without first obtaining a British passport
&
British passport may be withheld until India passport is changed (!)

Note: Some posters have reported HM PO have accepted a letter committing to change name in the IN passport asap;
British passport has then been issued on that basis

Iran - catch-22: reported that wives (only?) cannot change to or use a foreign name

Philippines - 'cancel passport' option successfully done via UK embassy;
AND obtained Certificate of Cancellation for small fee (£18--) to use as supporting evidence

ie confirmation from embassy that holder lost citizenship from date of UK naturalisation
AND so is ineligible to hold PH passport
AND PH passport was invalidated by UK naturalisation

Russia - dual nationality seems to becoming a sensitive topic;
recent Russian laws appear to require foreign citizenship to be reported to the authorities (at least for residents in Russia);
- may be harder to approach embassy for supporting documents

Notes: some posters have reported they are currently in progress with filing name changes in their country (or via a UK embassy);
news on outcomes awaited

1 poster is currently in progress with applying for 1st British passport in a previous name to that used for their naturalisation.
news on outcome awaited

Other options...
Complaints to HM PO
[some made; outcomes unclear]

Legal/other challenges to new policy
eg via campaign group, migrants group (or similar) or via MP
[unaware of any being made at present]

Hope this summary helps someone - good luck to all.

[mimimari26]

Update
I have received a letter on 4th june to call back HMPO, They told me that i need to change the Naturalisation certificate changed to my current name, also i asked them on of the caseworker to call me back.

I have informed the Home office after my Naturalisation certificate on 1st april about my name change i sent them my deed poll , also correct the date of birth,which was incorrect.
Home office acknowledged my name change by sending me a letter stating my and that they will change the correct certificate shortly. Home office only Corrected my date of birth and did not change the name.

When the case worker called me back the same day she said the case worker who is handling my application will be back next Tuesday, And she add that this case has to go to our professional team name changing section. Also i have realised every caseworker they have difference suggestion, one says change the certificate one says this application has to go to different department.
But i just want to add this:

HMPO dose not make any sense what so ever, i can easy apply For my passport with old name and once i get my pass then again apply to change my name. once you have a British passport they must change it for you.

It just so annoying.

[noajthan]

Update
I have received a letter on 4th june to call back HMPO, They told me that i need to change the Naturalisation certificate changed to my current name, also i asked them on of the caseworker to call me back.

I have informed the Home office after my Naturalisation certificate on 1st april about my name change i sent them my deed poll , also correct the date of birth,which was incorrect.
Home office acknowledged my name change by sending me a letter stating my and that they will change the correct certificate shortly. Home office only Corrected my date of birth and did not change the name.

When the case worker called me back the same day she said the case worker who is handling my application will be back next Tuesday, And she add that this case has to go to our professional team name changing section. Also i have realised every caseworker they have difference suggestion, one says change the certificate one says this application has to go to different department.
But i just want to add this:

HMPO dose not make any sense what so ever, i can easy apply For my passport with old name and once i get my pass then again apply to change my name. once you have a British passport they must change it for you.

It just so annoying.

mimimari,

So sorry to hear this.

It's our experience too that people are given misleading or conflicting advice by different HM PO officials we deal with over time.
Who knows how well-trained or up to date they are with all policies.
To be fair, one or two have been helpful and knowlegeable.

But in your case I believe that the HM PO official is incorrect in advising your naturalisation certificate needs to be changed.

The latest names policy doc is very clear - see exclusion (para. 28):
Ref: https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... e-guidance

Adoption, Birth and Naturalisation certificates
28.
These documents are records of events and changes to these records are not covered by this policy

I believe it means you do not keep the certificate in sync with any & all later name changes, (such as yours).
Just as noone changes their birth certificate on marriage &/or changing a name.
It just wouldn't make any sense to do so

Suggest you contact HM PO (in writing backing up any phone call) quoting their names policy and their exclusion clause.

fyi - we definitely received a letter from HM PO with an option to apply for British passport in maiden name even after recently naturalising in married name.

Note: They did stipulate an agreement to only use that maiden name in future would be required (and proof would be required too).

You may not wish to do this, (you may ofcourse prefer a passport in your married name ) but if all else fails it seems to be an option in order to be granted a British passport.

Suggest you call & write to explore this option too.

I know my wife's case is slightly different to yours but she received her passport in the end. (7 months from start of naturalisation then working through passport application difficulties to finally receiving it this week).

Don't give up.
Good luck to you.

[ouflak1]

For those caught in a similar catch-22 situation, namely:

Recently naturalised in married name (or other new name);
AND documents including foreign passport held in maiden name (or other previous name);
AND HM PO refusing or delaying first British passport (citing as their reason, "to avoid the creation of a second identity")

Summary of Options

...

There is one more option:

Sue the United Kingdom for violation your basic human right to leave the country as a citizen of the UK should be able to do. It's an open and shut case unless the UK decides to leave the UDHR treaty as well as the EU.

[hsmpjr]

My wife had also faced same issue because of changing surname during naturalization process. It has been 5 weeks since we applied, in the end there was no solution. We just sent authorization letter to examiner saying we will surrender indian passport as soon as we get british passport as we dont have any other solution.

Please try to avoid this situation, if you are planning to change name then please update your indian passport first before applying for naturalization so that every document matches.

Good luck.

[teir12011]

My wife had also faced same issue because of changing surname during naturalization process. It has been 5 weeks since we applied, in the end there was no solution. We just sent authorization letter to examiner saying we will surrender indian passport as soon as we get british passport as we dont have any other solution.

Please try to avoid this situation, if you are planning to change name then please update your indian passport first before applying for naturalization so that every document matches.

Good luck.

Hi HSMPJR, have you got anywhere after the authorisation letter

[hsmpjr]

Yes we sent letter by royal mail next day delivery, which was received and the interview letter was posted the same day and we received it after 2 days. My wife got her passport now, we have also surrendered her indian passport and sent copy of the surrender certificate to examiner as we declared.

[noajthan]

Yes we sent letter by royal mail next day delivery, which was received and the interview letter was posted the same day and we received it after 2 days. My wife got her passport now, we have also surrendered her indian passport and sent copy of the surrender certificate to examiner as we declared.

Congratulations on receiving the passport.

And good that you have helped to validate one solution for (ex-)Indian nationals as per:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... l#p1196883

[Ziuta]

I am facing very similar issue. In few weeks time I'm getting married, so I'm planning on changing my surname. My passport is expired now and I've been traveling on EEA ID card, which is valid for next 6 years or so and it has my maiden name on it. And now where the issue will start, my ID can't be renewed in UK - has to be done back home. If I do that I won't have valid document to travel back. It's a catch 22. For passport in my new name I'll have to wait until Christmas at least (procedures of registering marriage back home as my consulate won't accept British one, which is lengthy and costs huge amount of money if you want to have it completed quicker ie before Christmas). It's bonkers, I just hope I'll get naturalisation letter in a next 1-2weeks otherwise I'm going to have to fight the system

[chocolateorange88]

You dont have to change ur name straiht after marriage. Wait for naturalisation, do it all in your maiden name.... apply for UO passport afterwards then when u get married you can change ur name by submitting ur marriage certificate.
im uk born but i didnt change my passport straight away. i waited a while but the name change only took 10 days from receipt their end to delivery my end!

[noajthan]

I am facing very similar issue. In few weeks time I'm getting married, so I'm planning on changing my surname. My passport is expired now and I've been traveling on EEA ID card, which is valid for next 6 years or so and it has my maiden name on it. And now where the issue will start, my ID can't be renewed in UK - has to be done back home. If I do that I won't have valid document to travel back. It's a catch 22. For passport in my new name I'll have to wait until Christmas at least (procedures of registering marriage back home as my consulate won't accept British one, which is lengthy and costs huge amount of money if you want to have it completed quicker ie before Christmas). It's bonkers, I just hope I'll get naturalisation letter in a next 1-2weeks otherwise I'm going to have to fight the system

The requirement for a 1st time applicant for British passport is to submit all uncancelled passports (including expired ones).
It does not ask for submission of any other form of travel document;
ie it doesn't specifically ask for any type of ID card.

In our case we submitted passports as that's the only travel document we had; your mileage may vary.

But as other poster has suggested, to be more sure you could proceed to naturalise in your maiden name if all your supporting documents align with that (& you are currently only using your maiden name).
Then sort out longer term use of your married name when home & dry ie once naturalised & with one British passport in your hand.

That peace of mind will cost you the time & effort of a second passport application in your married name in a few months time, as well as switching all your other official documents in usual way.
It sounds like the timings would work out well for arranging your other (dual) passport in married name too.

Unless & until the HO name/identity policy is challenged or refined, the point is the passport office side of the HO only wants to see people using one name and holding travel documents in one name, (whether they are dual nationals or not).

PS Congratulations - summer weddings are lovely

[FighterBoy]

Very interesting thread, fantastic read, you guys should be proud of yourselves! It seems like sending uncancelled foreign passports is potentially dangerous ... you are best off cancelling them and/or 'losing' them unless they contain something pivotal to the application. I'm very grateful to stumble across this thread and wish the OP & others the very best of luck.