UK Citizenship

[mark2019]

Hello all hope you are well.

My wife went through the fiancé, Spouse, Spouse Extension and received her indefinite leave to remain in November 2025. I have a couple of questions regarding the UK Citizenship.

1. I am British born and citizen, as this is the case, can my wife apply for her Citizenship now?

2. When we got married, we continued all the visas in my wife’s maiden name, as I was worried about changing it to our married name in case the supporting documents were refused due to not matching. Are we able to now apply for Citizenship in our married name? Or will this cause issues? For example, her English exam certificate is in her maiden name.

Any support would be much appreciated.

Many Thanks

[CR001]

1. She could have applied as soon as she got ilr.

2. She needs to apply in the name that is kn her passport. FYI, a spouse wouldn't be refused due to the name issue you state anyway. It if you want her married for citizenship, she has to change her passport first.

[mark2019]

Hello Char, thank you for you quick response.

The issue we have here is, her nationality is Peruvian, when we spoke to them before they were unable to change to what we required. As an example (not actual names) Jenifer Lopez is the maiden name, for us to include my married name, the only thing they would accept is Jennifer Lopez De Smith rather than Jennifer Smith. How would we get around this?

Thanks

[lolo2]

If your wife wants to apply for a British passport after naturalisation using her married name, she must change her name on her Peruvian passport first.

This is something your wife needs to address with the Peruvian authorities.

In most Latin-American countries changing names after marriage - or for the wife to add husband's last name - is not an easy process, even more if you live abroad. That's the reason why many couples desist on embarking on that process.

[lolo2]

the only thing they would accept is Jennifer Lopez De Smith rather than Jennifer Smith. How would we get around this?

Just wanted to add, the "De" (meaning "of" in English) in a married woman means - in your example - "married to Mr Smith".

That's the name structure married women have followed in all Latin-American countries for centuries - some "heritage" from Spain. Your wife cannot remove her surname and replace it by yours, unless she does that from her birth certificate (or registration or whatever Peru require) which will make the situation even more complicated.

[mark2019]

So there is no way other than Jennifer Lopez De Smith of getting a British passport in the name of Jennifer Smith

[lolo2]

She needs to change the name on her Peruvian passport first for HMPO to issue her British passport with the same name. Both names must match.

The Home Office cannot change names on personal documents issued by third countries, for obvious reasons.

[mark2019]

Therein lies the problem, they will not change it to how we traditionally do things in the UK, they will, as you have mentioned only add “De Smith” to the end of the maiden name.

[mark2019]

Once the British passport has been issued, can it then be reissued into the British way of doing married surnames? If we were to provide documents for doctors, HMRC, Energy bills, bank statements etc, which we can provide as evidence, then having the passport updated to the British traditional way of surnames ?

[contorted_svy]

No, because the government really cares about names on passports being consistent. So, unless you manage to change the name on the peruvian passport or renounce it in some way, there is pretty much no way of getting a British passport in a different name.