name of birthplace

[mithu]

Dear Members,

I have been following this forum for quite some time now and found it very helpful.
I am in a bit of a quandry and would be most grateful for any guidance. ALthough I think the matter is probably very nominal but I would really appreciate any feedback.

My birthplace is Callcutta which in the last decade has been officially renamed to Kolkata. For most UKBA and other applications I have used Calcutta so far - also because my birth certificate (and my old passport which was issued after the name change) had Calcutta as my city of birth.

Recently I sat for my LIUK test and while validating my details the test centre examiner enquired why the name of the birthplace on my current passport and my test registration details were different. I explained to her that they are the old and new names of the same city and both should be acceptable. I was allowed to sit for the test and now I have passed it and got the Pass letter which has 'Calcutta' as my place of birth on it.

I have since consulted with the Indian Consulate who have advised me preferably to use 'Kolkata' in my applications but also confirmed that both Calcutta and Kolkata refers to the same city and any of them should be acceptable.

I have also consulted my immigration solicitor who was of the same above opinion and further remarked that if I am worried I should put in a short explanation in section 15 with regards to why the country of birth on my LIUK letter is different from my current passport and also enclose my birth certificate which has 'Calcutta' in it.

Anyways to cut a long story short I wanted some advice on whether I should just go ahead with my application as suggested by my solicitor (with explanations in section 15) or should I actually consider sitting for LIUK again and register this time with Kolkata.

I am quite aware that probably I am getting paranoid but I would be most grateful for any help.
Many apologies for any inconvenience for this post.

Hope you have a great evening.

Regards,
Mithu

[mithu]

I would be most grateful with any feedback. Many thanks

Regards,
Mithu

[ban.s]

use the current name; if you are worried you can explain in additional info section on page 15 but i would not bother.
there is no need to include any birth certificate

[mithu]

Many thanks for your reply I am most grateful. I do apologize for the lateness in thanking you for your advice.
Mithu

[theprideofpak]

You have already gathered respected info, however use the same name as of your passport displays and you would not need the explaination. Likewise I was born in the city called shortly in pakistan, which was part of district jhang, but now its part of toba tak Singh, which is mentioned in my birth certificate, however my passport still shows jhang, and I am not bothered to do anything about it, in fact nobody cares as long as the information matches with your Indian passport....

[mithu]

Hiya all,

Many thanks again for your previous advice and help.

I am most happy to say that I got a letter through last Saturday with my British Citizenship approval. Am awaiting confirmation of the ceremony date.
I just wanted some clarification again regarding what to fill in for 'Place of Birth' in the British Passport application.

As detailed in my previous post both Calcutta and Kolkata are acceptable according the Indian embassy although the official name is Kolkata now.
My old Indian passport and birth certificate has Calcutta on it but my current Indian passport has Kolkata on it. As had been advised by the members to my earlier post and the solicitor I had consulted on the issue, I had put in 'Kolkata' as my place of birth in the AN application form - with an explanation as to Kolkata and Calcutta being both acceptable and also why my LIUK pass letter had Calcutta on it.

In the approval letter I was sent - the Home Office officials has put in Calcutta which will be reflected in my naturalization certificate as per my understanding. Now for my British passport application according to the guidance available on the home Office website - we need to put in whatever is on the Birth Certificate and the Naturalization certificate, which is Calcutta as of now in the latter case.
But my current Indian passport which I have to send with the BP application has Kolkata on it - so there is again the chance of ambiguity.

My query is what should I put in as my 'Place of Birth' in the BP application.
If I put in Kolkata do I need to change the naturalization certificate in that case or just put in an explanation as to why the Calcutta has been put in on the Birth certificate and naturalization certificate. Although for the latter - the Home Office themselves seem to have ignored that in the AN application form I had put in Kolkata as the place of birth. Maybe it is also the case the Home Office still use Calcutta as well as Kolkata officially.

Many apologies for re-iterating this query again albeit in a different context - but I would be most grateful for any advice.
Hope your day goes well.

Regards,
Mithu

[mithu]

Would really appreciate any advice.
Many thanks

Mithu

[fwd079]

Its a trick question and will hugely depend upon interviewer/passport printing persons. Personally I'd repeat the process of naturalisation by putting official name and explain in notes about name being changed etc.

[mithu]

Many thanks for your reply.
I did put in the Naturalization application the official name of the birth place as 'Kolkata' - so I am a bit confused as to why I should need to apply for the naturalization again? Or am I mis-understanding your advice?
Of course I can send in the naturalization certificate to get it amended after the ceremony!

Please do let me know what is it you had meant. Thanks again

Mithu

[mithu]

Would be really grateful for a clarification
Many thanks

Mithu

[fwd079]

Sorry for not being clear.

When I said:

Personally I'd repeat the process of naturalisation by putting official name and explain in notes about name being changed etc.

What I meant was:

Personally now at the time of passport application, I'd repeat the same process you followed during your naturalisation, i.e. by putting official name in passport application and explain in notes about name being changed etc.

In other words, apply for passport in the same manner you applied for Naturalisation. So put official name of your city in application and put older name in notes.

[mithu]

Many thanks for the clarification!

Just got the ceremony done today and got the certificate still in two minds about what to do to be honest.
I don't really care whether the naturalization certificate and or the british passport has 'Calcutta' on it - as long as there are no issues in getting the British Passport.
I think the HMPO officials will enquire about the issue when they come across 'Kolkata' as my birthplace in the BP application form and the naturalization certificate having 'Calcutta' in it - even if there are explanations put in the BP application form.

Would it be a mistake to fill in Calcutta in the BP application form as the current Indian passport is technically invalid as India does not allow dual citizenship?
I know it's probably a trivial matter and many apologies for bothering folk with this issue - but I would be most grateful for any input!

Regards,
Mithu

[fwd079]

Many thanks for the clarification!

Just got the ceremony done today and got the certificate still in two minds about what to do to be honest.
I don't really care whether the naturalization certificate and or the british passport has 'Calcutta' on it - as long as there are no issues in getting the British Passport.
I think the HMPO officials will enquire about the issue when they come across 'Kolkata' as my birthplace in the BP application form and the naturalization certificate having 'Calcutta' in it - even if there are explanations put in the BP application form.

Would it be a mistake to fill in Calcutta in the BP application form as the current Indian passport is technically invalid as India does not allow dual citizenship?
I know it's probably a trivial matter and many apologies for bothering folk with this issue - but I would be most grateful for any input!

Regards,
Mithu

If you don't care about name, then I would put the exact name as per your Naturalisation certificate, as that is the most important document you have regarding the proof of your British Citizenship, passport isn't the proof. So I would follow that Naturalisation Certificate to the letter.

You can put old name in additional notes, and if they ask during interview, you can explain its changed, but I doubt you are the first one from that Indian city going through this process so they are most probably already aware of this and there should not be much of a problem. Good luck.

[mithu]

Hiya all,

Firstly, fwd079 many thanks for all your comments and advice - am really grateful.

I am going to fill in the passport application this week and put in the old name 'Calcutta' in it as that is the name which is printed in my naturalization certificate.
I will put in an explanation in a covering letter explaining:
- According to Indian High Commission both 'Calcutta' and 'Kolkata' are acceptable, although the official name is the latter (Kolkata).
- According to HMPO help line advice and the passport guidance booklet guidelines, I should put in the name of my birth place that is there in my Birth Certificate and Naturalization certificate.

I still am apprehensive putting in the old name instead of the official name especially since my uncancelled Indian passport which I believe I have to send with my passport application has the official name in it!
Can I by any chance put in both 'Calcutta' and then in brackets (Kolkata) in the BP application form?

I know I am probably making a mountain out of a molehill but from years of experience with the HO I have learned it is best to err on the side of caution.

Regards,
Mithu

[fwd079]

- According to HMPO help line advice and the passport guidance booklet guidelines, I should put in the name of my birth place that is there in my Birth Certificate and Naturalization certificate.

I'd follow HMPO's helpline advice you mentioned. You can attach a cover letter for your own satisfaction though.