JCAP appointment refused

[query1979]

Hi,
Any help would be much appreciated. We asked for a joint citizenship and passport application [JCAP) appointment but was advised to go for NCS appointment instead. My wife’s Indian passport is in her maiden name and so is her ILR card. All her supporting documents and LIUK test are in married name but she has her marriage certificate to prove her change of name. We don’t mind getting the British passport in her maiden name if that makes things easier for all and change her name after into her married surname.

What should we do? it is rather confusing, as it is a catch 22 for us. If we wait till after naturalisation, then Indian passport name can’t be changed to married name and if we don’t the British passport office might refuse to issue passport. India doesn’t give dual citizenship, so essentially her passport will be invalid after.

Why is there an issue with giving us JCAP appointment if her identity can be proven with supporting documents?

[CR001]

She will get a British passport and her naturalisation in her maiden name as it appears in her Indian passport. If you want her married name on the documents, you need to change her Indian passport first.

[query1979]

Thanks. So can she ask for JCAP NDRS appointment in her Indian passport name, even if her supporting documents are in married name?

[CR001]

Yes, should be fine but her citizenship and passport will be issued in her maiden name.

[query1979]

The person over the phone at Edinburgh city council quoted the below and told my wife that the JCAP appointment can’t be given if her passport has her maiden name and the card she was paying the fee with for the appointment has my wife’smarried name.

“Applying for a British passport
You can apply for a British passport at the same time as submitting your documents through the nationality document return service. You can do this if:

you are applying online for citizenship
you are using the nationality document return service
your personal details match your identification and your citizenship passport application forms”

[CR001]

Nonsense. It is about the details in the form matching the details of your passport, that is what HO is concerned about.

[query1979]

Thank you so much. Will mention that this time.

[CR001]

If your spouse was paying, it would not be an issue.