First British passport after naturalisation

[jayeshkaushik]

Hi Guru's,

I am looking for some advice on documents required for first child passport after naturalisation. I have applied for my daughter's passport around 6 weeks ago and sent all the required documents to HMPO. However, as the application was taking longer than expected, I called HMPO and requested if they have verified the supporting documents, then can they please return my daughter's foreign passport which is expired. I needed this passport to surrender at Indian Embassy because India doesn't allow dual citizenship and I need surrender certificate to apply for Indian visa's etc. We were planning to travel in December that's why I thought while the passport application is being processed I can apply for surrender certificate to save some time.
I received a call from a passport officer yesterday night around 8:30 PM and he told me that he has made a copy of passport and is returning it with first class post. I asked him if the application will be processed anytime soon, he said he is going to deal with application and he has got everything he needs. He will verify the information provided and issue the British passport for my daughter. However, he emailed me after the call and stated that he has returned my daughter's Indian passport but in order for him to issue the British passport I need to submit a confirmation from Indian consulate confirming that my daughter's Indian passport has been cancelled. This was not required when we applied our British passports few weeks ago. So I am wondering why in this case he is asking for this. I have replied back to him querying this but he hasn't replied to me yet.
My problem is that currently there are no appointments available at Indian embassy for surrender of Indian passport and it will take any where between 6 to 8 weeks to get surrender certificate and cancelled passport from Indian consulate. This will mean that I can't get my daughter's British Passport until December end.
Has anyone else experienced this with HMPO? Am I right in questioning that why they want us to show proof of renunciation of Indian citizenship when UK has no issues with Dual nationality.

Any guidance will be very helpful.

Thanks

[yomishu]

Hi

I am surprised they asked for the letter from Indian consulate confirming that your daughter's Indian passport has been cancelled , usually they don't ask for it and its not required (unless you have applied for name change in British passport or so)

I would question them and ask them if they need it (in polite way) , let them know the situation in regards to Indian embassy appointment since i don't think they need it

By the way could you please send me the phone number you used to contact HMPO or email address since i have tried to contact them in regards to my passport and im not getting any answer from them

[jayeshkaushik]

Hi

I am surprised they asked for the letter from Indian consulate confirming that your daughter's Indian passport has been cancelled , usually they don't ask for it and its not required (unless you have applied for name change in British passport or so)

I would question them and ask them if they need it (in polite way) , let them know the situation in regards to Indian embassy appointment since i don't think they need it

By the way could you please send me the phone number you used to contact HMPO or email address since i have tried to contact them in regards to my passport and im not getting any answer from them

Hi,

Yes I have asked them politely and still waiting for reply from them I got a direct email from CO who is working on this. Yes there is a minor change in spelling of my daughter's first name spelling for that they asked for a deed and a letter from school or GP confirming this spelling is in current use. I applied for my daughter's naturalisation with correct spelling howveer the certificate issued was based on her Indian passport and when I sent it for correction, they sent it back to me after 10 weeks stating that I should change this in British passport. In general I contacted them on 03002220000.

[yomishu]

Hi

I am surprised they asked for the letter from Indian consulate confirming that your daughter's Indian passport has been cancelled , usually they don't ask for it and its not required (unless you have applied for name change in British passport or so)

I would question them and ask them if they need it (in polite way) , let them know the situation in regards to Indian embassy appointment since i don't think they need it

By the way could you please send me the phone number you used to contact HMPO or email address since i have tried to contact them in regards to my passport and im not getting any answer from them

Hi,

Yes I have asked them politely and still waiting for reply from them I got a direct email from CO who is working on this. Yes there is a minor change in spelling of my daughter's first name spelling for that they asked for a deed and a letter from school or GP confirming this spelling is in current use. I applied for my daughter's naturalisation with correct spelling howveer the certificate issued was based on her Indian passport and when I sent it for correction, they sent it back to me after 10 weeks stating that I should change this in British passport. In general I contacted them on 03002220000.

Ok if this is the case then you will need to show them that your daughter have surrender indian passport since i had to do that and reapply for a name change . I am currently waiting for my passport as well and its been 5 weeks now . Usually you get your passport within 4 weeks

[jayeshkaushik]

Well, they can make it clear at the time of application. They ask for any current or expired passport which has not been cancelled, so you cant surrender first before application. Then it took them 6 weeks to ask for this and now I am struggling to get appointments at Indian consulate so my daughter's passport will be on hold for lot longer than normal. Besides's it is quite clear to them that we can't have dual citizenship neither can we renew that passport after becoming British citizen so the old Indian passport is of no use anyway.

I hope it get resolved soon because I need to travel back to India in early December.