Spouse Visa application issues relating to change of name.

[balixonline]

Tom is a British National and his partner Mary is a Pakistani national. They had planned to submit spouse visa application in Karachi, Pakistan first week of March 2019.

Early February 2019, Mary attended TB and English language test appointments, both were cleared and both certificates were issued.

Now, due to personal reasons, they have decided to submit an application in June 2019. Just last week they also got married in Karachi, Pakistan and Mary have decided to take up Tom's name as her marital name.

Mary has successfully updated her CNIC (Computerised National Identity Card) and will attend appointment later in the week to change her passport. She reckons, she will be issued with a new passport number too.

The issue is that both her TB and English test certificates are with her pre-marital surname, for example, Mary Hary whereas her marital name now is Mary Tom.

She emailed IOM (TB test appointment centre) and they have replied that 'If you are updating your passport with Bio-data change (Surname) you need to undergo the TB screening again (this is as per British high commission protocol).

She has not contacted the English test centre (AEO, Karachi).

Question: Is this the case that she needs to re-sit both of her tests again?

Someone suggests leaving the details on the passport as it is but then I feel this will cause issues at later and she will struggle with two different names etc.

Perhaps something someone can suggest or anywhere she can write to (British High Commission etc) to get clarification about it? I feel this is unfair she has to fork out thousands and also sit exams again just to get personal details updated on certificates. Can she not submit a copy of her previous passport to prove that this certificate belongs to her etc??

[CR001]

It is not an issue. Presumably the marriage cert will state the maiden name!!

[balixonline]

It does Indeed, the confusion may be that both TB and English test certificates have passport number which presumably changes too when she is issued with a new passport.

How do you think we can work around this issue? You think submitting copies of old passport, marriage certificate and new passport would do with a clarification on the letter?

lastly, any email address you think/suggest we can write to the Home office who can reply and we could use that reply to attach with application later?

[CR001]

You are overthinking this. It is not an issue.

[balixonline]

very true, thank you for your responses.

[seagul]

Easiest way was just apply initial spouse visa with same name then while extending the visa update to HO with new name. But still in current scenario maybe the things go smoother if caseworker doesn't get confused.