First British Passport application With name change

[Prisha]

Hello everyone.

Hope you all are safe and doing well in this pandemic!!

Finally I after a long wait (almost 8 months after getting the citizenship approval letter) I have my BC citizenship rescheduled in September. I am going to collect my kid’s registration certificate at the same time. Afterwords I straightforwardly want to apply for British passport I have following question to get answered before I make my application.

1. I know that immediately after getting my citizenship certificate I have to return my ILR BRP but do I need to send my kid’s ILR brp as well??
2. I want to take my husband’s surname on my new British passport. So should I do this while applying my first BC passport with sending my marriage certificate with it ? As my old passport and my naturalisation certificate will have same name so does that create problem?
3. Or should I first get my BC passport straight away with old name as per Indian passport and naturalisation certificate and then change it?
4. If I do step 3 then:
-just marriage certificate is fine as supporting document or do I need Deed poll?
- Also do I need to pay passport fees again for name change?

Please help to me. Thanks in advance

[vinny]

HMPO prefers applicants to use the same name in a British passport as in a foreign passport and makes it very difficult for applicants otherwise. You may have to prove that you are not a dual National and ap cannot use a foreign passport with a different name.

[Prisha]

I wont be holding dual citizenship as my origin country dont support that.
but then what is the best approach to get name change on british passport?

[vinny]

See also Change of name guidance for official documents.

[Prisha]

Hey Vinny thank you for the link.

Read those documents. In that, it is mentioned that I should provide Change of name evidence and Use of name evidence. but right now my employment documents, tax documents, bank statement everywhere my old name before marriage is mentioned. I have not changed that yet as I hold passport with old name and that is the only identity proof I have. This is why I want to change my name while applying for british passport. But I am not getting how to do that If I dont have "Use of name evidence"

Its confusing for me now.

[Prisha]

also I read this
Marriage and civil partnership
You do not need a deed poll to take your spouse’s or civil partner’s surname. Send a copy of your marriage or civil partnership certificate to record-holders, such as benefits offices. Your documents will be updated for free.
Ref: https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll

What does this mean?

[vinny]

Marriage and civil partnership

You do not need a deed poll to take your spouse’s or civil partner’s surname. Send a copy of your marriage or civil partnership certificate to record-holders, such as benefits offices. Your documents will be updated for free.

It means there is no requirement to use a deed poll to change to a spouse's surname.

There is also no legal requirement to change your surname after marriage. So, it may be easier to apply for a British passport in your maiden name and not change your surname at all. However, if you still wish to change your surname, then this also gives you time to collect evidence that you have single nationality, etc., and time for changing your surname in all other documents.

Else, HMPO may refuse or delay issuing a British passport that has a different surname.

[Prisha]

Getting passport with maiden name sound the good way right now. Just called the passport advice line. The lady on the phone was not much helpful as most of the time I had to correct her. she confused me more saying its wrong to have passport with illegal name.
But in the end she said after getting passport I can apply to change name with marriage of certificate and any evidence where married name used which can be bank statement.

I was concern so much because, now onwards I want everything, (british passport, OCI) with my married name. Once I get this done I will change all other documents. But I think I have to do it other way now, first get all other documents converted to married name and then change passport.

only last question: so assume I did everything as mentioned above and got new British passport with married name, but I will be having naturalisation certificate with maiden name. Do I need to change that as well? I assume once I have passport the naturalisation certificate will not have that much importance.

Also what if my surrender certificate also hols the maiden name then while getting OCI will it be difficult again?

I am just trying to understand the possibilities here.
Sorry if I am creating too much confusions.

Thanks in advance

[alterhase58]

only last question: so assume I did everything as mentioned above and got new British passport with married name, but I will be having naturalisation certificate with maiden name. Do I need to change that as well? I assume once I have passport the naturalisation certificate will not have that much importance.

Note that your Naturalisation Certificate will not be changed - it is in the name you were naturalised under.
Also the certificate is of utmost important as it is your primary proof of citizenship so you want to keep that very safe (but don't laminate!). A British passport is a travel document which is not necessarily proof of citizenship.

[vinny]

Indeed. A passport does not confer citizenship. But a naturalisation certificate certainly does.

[Prisha]

hello there

I was talking to HMPO customer service number. I told them my situation where I want to have passport in married name and I have indian passport in maiden name so as naturalisation certificate. And I have got mixed replies from them like below
one person on call said cant do this unless I get in writing from indian high commission that my Indin passport can not be renewed to married name

other person took my details forwarded to name change query department. from there got call and lady said you can change name just need marriage certificate along with my application. but she was so dumb that she was confused between ILR rule and said I can not apply for passport for 12 months after becoming citizen

so I email liverpool passport office and they replied in email that I can apply first British passport in married name. Again just said need marriage certificate along with naturalisation.

I am so confused now. What should I do?

[Prisha]

Hi all,

Just received my british passport. I did not change name. it was very quick just got in 2 weeks.

Thank you all the Moderators and everyone who helped me in this entire process.