Academic and Professional Titles in Passport not allowed?

[tier1o]

Hi All,

Academic titles such as Dr. (through a Ph.D) is not allowed in British passport? please correct me if I am wrong?

Best

[CR001]

That's what it says in the link you provided.

[rsa707]

I think it is possible. Usually people avoid to use Dr for phd but you can. Here is the wording what says about it.

Professional titles
Professional titles and forms of address such as Doctor, Judge, Ministers of Religion, Professor, MP, MEP, and QC may on request be entered as an observation in the passport.

[noajthan]

I think it is possible. Usually people avoid to use Dr for phd but you can. Here is the wording what says about it.

Professional titles
Professional titles and forms of address such as Doctor, Judge, Ministers of Religion, Professor, MP, MEP, and QC may on request be entered as an observation in the passport.

This type of titles (professional, eg Doctor) are a different category from academic titles, eg Dr.
Academic titles don't make the cut.

[secret.simon]

If one is at all inclined to research into the thinking of this government in depth, a good place to start would be the debates in the House of Lords on the Identity Cards Bill in 2005. Their Lordships went into a discussion of great detail as to exactly what is a name.

For instance,
Lords Hansard of 12th December 2005

Lord Selsdon: Noble Lords will know that one in 12 of the British population was born overseas. Of that number—in total around 4.9 million or 8.3 per cent—a Home Office document states, perhaps incorrectly, that 53 per cent are white, which assumes that 47 per cent are of other ethnic origins. This includes Bangladeshi, Chinese, Pakistani and Indian. Those noble Lords who understand something of the sub-continents will know that confusion over names can be very real indeed. Therefore the purpose of my amendment is simply to suggest that after "full name", we should insert a form of words that states in effect that the name written in the passport should prevail.

Lords Hansard of 12th December 2005

Lord Selsdon: Finally, I refer back to Gaius Julius Caesar, who had two other names: Octavius, which meant he was the eighth in line—I am only the third or the fourth, I cannot remember which—and Augustus, which meant "holy" or "chosen". Since this is such an august moment, the Minister will appreciate that it would be helpful if there were some definition of what each name should be called, whether or not it is on the identity card. I still prefer the concept of Christian name, middle name and surname.

The Identity Cards Act was later repealed by the Coalition, but the quotes above show the attention paid to the detail of what constituted a name and titles.

PS: Please excuse my somewhat unconventional reading habits.

[noajthan]

...

PS: Please excuse my somewhat unconventional reading habits.

Simon, whatever you choose to read in the privacy of your own home (or perhaps on the Tube on your own Kindle) is ofcourse your business.
But it is usually most illuminating or entertaining when you do choose to share.

[CR001]

...

PS: Please excuse my somewhat unconventional reading habits.

Simon, whatever you choose to read in the privacy of your own home (or perhaps on the Tube on your own Kindle) is ofcourse your business.
But it is usually most illuminating or entertaining when you do choose to share.

+1 noajthan Absolutely agree and love reading secret.simon's posts like this

[tier1o]

Interesting debate.

Thanks for the replies particularly Simon perhaps simon acting as typical phd supervisor, giving you enough pointers but still leave you confused.

I think ras707 is right,

I think it is possible. Usually people avoid to use Dr for phd but you can. Here is the wording what says about it.

those with a phd can use Dr. title in their passport. I think it goes to the observation on the passport as highlighted here.

Surprisingly, they are allowing titles such as Professor, However, professor is not a permanent title, you could be a professor in one uni but Senior Lecturer in another but your Dr. title remains with you for life. My supervisor used to tell me that its a name changing experience. Obviously, you can claim this on your professional documents. Btw, academic dr. is as professional as clinical. same discussion on another forum, where someone reported name change on passport after PhD.

However, academic titles such as Engineer, etc might be not be allowed.

Perhaps, someone in the forum who personally tried; could share their experience.

[secret.simon]

Interesting debate. Thanks for the replies particularly Simon perhaps simon acting as typical phd supervisor, giving you enough pointers but still leave you confused.

I am totally flattered to be considered a typical PhD supervisor, especially given that the OP seems to be a Dr himself (though as the Nobel Prize winner overheard his maid say, he is not the kind of doctor who would do you any good). I did my Masters part-time while doing two jobs on my HSMP based immigration journey and funnily enough, the Masters course was way less stressful than the visa applications. I am exploring applying for a PhD, though funding seems to be the main issue facing me.

Returning to the main topic, It seems that a professional title such as "Dr" would only be displayed on the observations page, as the main identity page has no field for "title".

@Tier1O, the discussion on the other forum (thanks for the link) seems to suggest that the change is on a non-UK EU passport. As the discussion also states, there are cultural differences at play in that continental Europe takes academic titles far more seriously.

[tier1o]

I am exploring applying for a PhD, though funding seems to be the main issue facing me.

Usually with funded PhDs, you are restricted to a specific subject but you have the luxury to select your own topic with self-funding. Anyway, try exploring jobs.ac.uk or findaphd.com, I see 20+ funded offers with stipend every day. Good luck btw!

@Tier1O, the discussion on the other forum (thanks for the link) seems to suggest that the change is on a non-UK EU passport. As the discussion also states, there are cultural differences at play in that continental Europe takes academic titles far more seriously.

If you read further, you will see UK is not any different. I am convinced that IPS allow Dr titles for PhDs.

[noajthan]

If you read further, you will see UK is not any different. I am convinced that IPS allow Dr titles for PhDs.

The last paragraph in the original document you linked is quite categorical...

Academic and professional qualifications

Other than members of the legal profession appointed Queen's Counsel and engineers who hold the qualification "Eur Ing" (European Engineer), requests for professional and academic qualifications to be recorded in a passport should be refused.

[secret.simon]

I read that paragraph carefully. I think it distinguishes between professional titles (such as Dr., Prof., etc) and professional qualifications, which are typically denoted by post-nominals (e.g. John Doe, QC).

So, John Doe QC is acceptable, but not John Doe, MA (Oxon) or John Doe, B. Eng, FRS.

Also see the second last page of Observations in Passports.

[tier1o]

John Doe QC is acceptable, but not John Doe, MA (Oxon) or John Doe, B. Eng, FRS.

Thank you Simon, this is exactly what the last para refers to. You have nailed it.

Also see the second last page of Observations in Passports.

Not sure, how this link is relevant to the discussion?

[secret.simon]

I am so very sorry. I meant to reference the second last page of this link, which relates to "DOCTOR (Medical and other doctorates)".

The other link was a response to another question elsewhere on these forums.

[tier1o]

Thank you Simon for the link.

I started this post on the assumption that professional titles in the UK passports (via doctorates) are not allowed. But through exhume and with thanks, you re-affirming (via .gov links) concludes that such titles are admissible and goes onto the observation page on the passport as

{ THE HOLDER IS
(PROFESSIONAL TITLE)
(forenames and surname) }

Finally, other titles (in application forms) require documentary evidence, you can appease through (doctorate) certificates.