No Surname in Indian Passport - British Passport Issue

[ukguyinlondon]

Hello All

I have now received my first British Passport – Thought of sharing the experience I went through
I will refer -
Indian Passport as IP
British Passport as BP

Note: Focus is on Name aspect as for me that was the key challenge as my IP had no surname and only forename – The forename had two names – let’s say – Mike Khan – for all my other purposes (bank, dvla, work etc) Khan was used as surname

8th Feb – Applied for Naturalisation – NCS Hounslow – lady said I should not include anything in surname as my passport doesn’t have it (Pl note i know some of my friends who had applied 4 or 5 months ago, with the same situation, no surname in IP, but in naturalization form they included surname, and they managed to get certificate with Surname printed - but i understand some name policy from gov has been in effect so not sure what the current state on this is)


11th March – approval – received it on 28th March (pl note dates are approximate)

18th April – Ceremony + post office Check service for passport – (London post office) – In passport form I included surname as Khan (post office guy didn't seem to know any better)

28th April – received letter from HMPO stating as name in form and IP different they can’t process as in their system surname is mandatory and i don't have surname in IP or certificate – After some calling to HMPO, reading and searching this forum and gov websites etc. And more importantly speaking to the actual examiner got the advice:

1) Surrender Indian Passport (thankfully VFS india can surrender just based on naturalisation certificate - no need for BP)

2) Created deed poll using https://deedpolloffice.com/change-name (i am sure there are others also) – current name include Mike Khan, for surname leave blank and it asks whether you have left it purposely – say yes. New Name put Khan as surname – this way in the deedpoll the difference is clearly highlighted.

Sign deedpoll, use witness (normal witness is fine no need for solicitor or lawyer) – seriously i didn’t think name change is so easy in this country..

Please note I didn't require to update my naturalization certificate - it had Mike Khan with no surname field. but this seems fine as naturalization certificate are not supposed to be amended for name change category as it is supposed to reflect point in time details (that's what i think...) (unless obviously if there is spelling mistake etc which probably is a different case)

2nd week May – I received my surrender certificate (took 4 days – which i thought was quick)

3rd week of May – sent the surrender certificate + cancelled IP + deed poll to HMPO

4th Week – within one day of receipt of docs, HMPO said application processed and asked to arrange interview

1st June – interview at London office

2nd June – text

4th June – passport delivery by dx-secure – (read some bad experience on websites about them but in my case i had a positive experience – instead of contacting via phone contact via twitter or facebook – they responded in 30min for each of my request or query – which was useful – gave instructions about access code for my appt gate and route to the actual flat (as it is not very straightforward) – i was surprised to see DX drive knock on my door at around 11ish today!

I hope this is of some help – and as one of the other guys said thanks for this forum is really an underestimate – this forum has been just so useful – big thanks to moderators and other contributors
Happy to assist with any other queries
Kind regards

[noajthan]

An inspiring and helpful post in the best traditions of the IB community.

And yes, a naturalisation certificate is a 'record of event', similar to a birth or adoption certificate in that regard.

[secret.simon]

As this is a common issue on these forums and as the OP's step-by-step guide is quite detailed, I suggest that this thread be made a sticky.

[john353]

Created deed poll using https://deedpolloffice.com/change-name (i am sure there are others also) – current name include Mike Khan, for surname leave blank and it asks whether you have left it purposely – say yes. New Name put Khan as surname – this way in the deedpoll the difference is clearly highlighted.

Very informative post. You have mentioned that surname can be left blank while filling the form in the above link. But can you please explain a bit more how the names actually appear in deed poll certificate, since the full name before and after name change are the same (i.e. Mike Khan). Please let know how the difference is highlighted in the certificate.

[ukguyinlondon]

Hi

This is how it appears on the deed poll certificate:

"I absolutely renounce and abandon the use of my former name Mike Khan and assume, adopt... from the date hereof the forename of Mike and the surname of KHAN in substitution for my former single name of Mike Khan"

"I shall at all times hereafter for all purposes use.... the said name of Mike KHAN as my name and not my former name of Mike Khan"


This is how it appears (Surname is listed in CAPS)

Hope this helps

[john353]

Many Thanks. Couple of questions.

adopt... from the date hereof the forename of Mike and the surname of KHAN in substitution for my former single name of Mike Khan

1) The wordings quoted above clearly highlights what is needed if there was no surname in the IP. Did you have to request to get these wordings OR is it what you get automatically when you leave the surname blank while filling the form in the below website?
https://deedpolloffice.com/change-name

2) Does the deed poll have to be signed by 1 witness or 2 witnesses?

[ukguyinlondon]

1. I did make a note in the additional notes section to highlight the fact that previous name has no surname and current name has a surname - But perhaps by default they would provide those words anyways - but you can always put an additional note - no harm

2. I used only one witness - a normal witness - and that worked for me - I don't want it to sound complex but later I found this link - https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-pol ... -deed-poll - where it said use lawyer (but I had already created mine using normal witness and was confident it would work) - but as i said it worked for me, also deed-poll website very confidentially says that a normal witness is more than sufficient for HMPO to process change of name.

[john353]

Thanks again.

I will make a note in the additional section.

I am also pretty sure that only normal witness is required who is not a relative. My confusion was to whether we need one or two....in some websites it says two and some only one.

[tier1ilrnatoci]

Thanks for this wonderful and detailed step-by-step explanation.

Got few questions related to this:

1) I have the same issue, Given Name as Mike Khan and Surname blank on my Indian Passport.

I have applied for Naturalisation and Passport using NCS JCAP process at the same time and
I have filled in both Naturalisation and Passport forms as Given Name as Mike and Surname as Khan. As, this is format on all other documents like Driving License, Banks statments, others.

After the approval of my Naturalisation application, I received a letter from Home Office saying, your certificate will printed in the same name as in Indian Passport.
But, after the ceremony, when I received the certificate, it was printed as *Surname*Given Name.

Now, its been over 2 weeks, I haven't heard anything from Passport Office.


2) If they don't ask any questions and directly print my passport with Given Name as XXX and Surname as Mike Khan, (seen this happening in few posts on IB), then what are the available options to me? Can I replace this passport using "surrender certificate + cancelled IP + deed poll"?


3) To get the surrender certificate without having British Passport, it says:
If UK Passport has not yet been obtained, a declaration from the Applicant stating “My UK passport is under process should be submitted.
http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/Surre ... provisions

Have you done this? What does "should be submitted" means here?
Did you received your Surrender Certificate without submitting the British Passport? or have to do anything after receiving British Passport?
Is there any chance, you can share the contents of the declaration letter?

In many forms, I have seen something like, any old names or name has changed?
So, If I do the deed poll, in future while filling any form, do I have to mention this, that name has changed?

[ukguyinlondon]

Hi tier1ilr

Some thoughts -

1. >>Now, its been over 2 weeks, I haven't heard anything from Passport Office.

you can always call then and check status - i won't be surprise if different offices have slightly different procedures for this particular issue

2. >>If they don't ask any questions and directly print my passport with Given Name as XXX and Surname as Mike Khan

I think this depend on particular passport office - mine was in belfast and they didn't put xxx rather asked me to surrender my IP - One of my friends got his BP printed as XXX - can't remember office loc (see below how he addressed)

If HMPO gives BP with xxx and Mike Khan in surname, then you can apply for name change fast track service as a BP holder - docs to take would be Indian surrender certificate, cancelled passport, change of name deed (plus ur bank statements, dvla etc just to assure them that that's what u have been using as surname ie khan) - it will get processed and sent to you in 6 or 7 days - (my friend was in this situation for his wife and that's what he did)

3. >>What does "should be submitted" means here?

that's a simple a4 paper with your declaration (your own statement and put hmpo ref and office loc etc) and signature

>>In many forms, I have seen something like, any old names or name has changed?

I think this is a tricky one - but I'd say you should say No - because everywhere else Khan is your surname -

<< deed poll - name change
Yes! you have to mention here your name has changed - otherwise why deedpoll - )

hope this helps