British passport: No surname on the existing passport

[Vini1981]

Hi Everyone,
Landed myself in a bit of a quandary.
I am/was an Indian Citizen and obtained my naturalization in January 2024. I immediately applied for a passport (and cut up my BRP cards as required)
However I was informed yesterday that I can't get a passport because my existing passport (which Indian law doesn't allow me to use anymore) does not have a Surname. Instead my first and last name are added under Given Name.

I believe I can't apply to the Indian embassy to reissue my passport with my last name as my Surname as I have acquired British Citizenship (seen different posts here that I may have a 3 month grace period to use the Indian passport to travel but regardless, I expect the 3 month grace period doesn't apply for reissuance of a passport) . I could apply to surrender my existing passport but not sure if the HMPO will then decide to do something wacky like refuse to give me a british passport until my old and surrendered Indian passport can be updated.

I've seen some posts that advised getting the British passport with a XXX for a last name and then changing my name after getting a deed poll done and reapplying for a new passport.

I have seen another post that advised sending the surrender certificate as proof to HMPO but not sure if a deed poll is needed as well.

Have entered the UK numerous times on my Indian passport in the last 8 years and never thought this would be an issue. Not sure what to do now.

Let me know if anyone has faced a similar issue and could advise what they did.

Message from HMPO received yesterday as below

QUOTE
You sent us your foreign passport, travel document or identity document.

The name on your document doesn’t match the name you’ve asked us to show on your British passport.

The names must match before we can continue. We will not issue a British passport in a different name.

What you need to do
Update your name on your foreign passport, travel document or identity document through the relevant authorities.
Send your updated document to the address at the end of this message.
If you’re applying for your British passport from overseas, you can send a colour photocopy of your foreign document instead (every page, including blank pages).

If you cannot update the name on your foreign document
Check if any of the following reasons apply:

the issuing country prevents changes of name or only allows partial changes of name
the issuing country does not allow dual nationality and has cancelled your citizenship
you must travel to the issuing country to change your name and this would place you at risk
the issuing country does not recognise or permit a change of gender and your name has changed due to a change of gender
you’ve used a shortened version of your name because it was too long to fit on your foreign document
If any of these reasons apply, get a confirmation letter or email from the relevant authorities and send it to the address at the end of this message.

If none of these reasons apply, or you cannot get confirmation, send a letter explaining why you cannot update the name and include any evidence.

You must send original or official copies of letters.
UNQUOTE


Regards

[contorted_svy]

Hi Everyone,
Landed myself in a bit of a quandary.
I am/was an Indian Citizen and obtained my naturalization in January 2024. I immediately applied for a passport (and cut up my BRP cards as required)
However I was informed yesterday that I can't get a passport because my existing passport (which Indian law doesn't allow me to use anymore) does not have a Surname. Instead my first and last name are added under Given Name.

I believe I can't apply to the Indian embassy to reissue my passport with my last name as my Surname as I have acquired British Citizenship (seen different posts here that I may have a 3 month grace period to use the Indian passport to travel but regardless, I expect the 3 month grace period doesn't apply for reissuance of a passport) . I could apply to surrender my existing passport but not sure if the HMPO will then decide to do something wacky like refuse to give me a british passport until my old and surrendered Indian passport can be updated.

I've seen some posts that advised getting the British passport with a XXX for a last name and then changing my name after getting a deed poll done and reapplying for a new passport.

I have seen another post that advised sending the surrender certificate as proof to HMPO but not sure if a deed poll is needed as well.

Have entered the UK numerous times on my Indian passport in the last 8 years and never thought this would be an issue. Not sure what to do now.

Let me know if anyone has faced a similar issue and could advise what they did.

Message from HMPO received yesterday as below

QUOTE
You sent us your foreign passport, travel document or identity document.

The name on your document doesn’t match the name you’ve asked us to show on your British passport.

The names must match before we can continue. We will not issue a British passport in a different name.

What you need to do
Update your name on your foreign passport, travel document or identity document through the relevant authorities.
Send your updated document to the address at the end of this message.
If you’re applying for your British passport from overseas, you can send a colour photocopy of your foreign document instead (every page, including blank pages).

If you cannot update the name on your foreign document
Check if any of the following reasons apply:

the issuing country prevents changes of name or only allows partial changes of name
the issuing country does not allow dual nationality and has cancelled your citizenship
you must travel to the issuing country to change your name and this would place you at risk
the issuing country does not recognise or permit a change of gender and your name has changed due to a change of gender
you’ve used a shortened version of your name because it was too long to fit on your foreign document
If any of these reasons apply, get a confirmation letter or email from the relevant authorities and send it to the address at the end of this message.

If none of these reasons apply, or you cannot get confirmation, send a letter explaining why you cannot update the name and include any evidence.

You must send original or official copies of letters.
UNQUOTE


Regards

Can you get a letter from the Indian embassy that states you aren't an Indian citizen anymore?

[Vini1981]

Am not sure I will get such a letter. It's on the Indian counsel website. Have asked to speak to the case officer at HMPO to see what options I may have. Not sure how long that would take though.

Have applied for a surrender certificate of the passport. Might be able to show that to HMPO.

[contorted_svy]

I imagine that should do. Please come and report back as this question is often asked by Indian nationals naturalising as British.

[Rj2023]

Am not sure I will get such a letter. It's on the Indian counsel website. Have asked to speak to the case officer at HMPO to see what options I may have. Not sure how long that would take though.

Have applied for a surrender certificate of the passport. Might be able to show that to HMPO.

You could do as I have suggested you in other thread. I was in similar situation. There's no easy way to get the letter from Indian high commission or VFS.
You should apply for Surrender of Indian passport & Renuonciation online. Don't book any appoinment with VFS office at this point. Then you will need to download this application (Surrender application only), print, attach your photo, sign it and send to HMPO as evidence. You can also write a cover letter requesting either to accept this as evidence or send back your Indian Passport and Naturalisation certificate to let you proceed with Indian passport cancellation. And request them to hold-on your UK passport application until you send them back with cancelled Indian passport and Naturalisation certificate. I followed this route last week only to get my first UK passport with new name.
All the best!

[prince99]

Hi @rj2023,
My partner's application is struck with hmpo in similar situation. Can you please provide the a copy of the covering letter(draft) you submitted to hmpo.

Thanks

[Rj2023]

Hi @prince99, You could use below as reference for your cover letter and send along a copy of your signed surrender application with photograph attached. You could cancel

I would like to provide you with further information on my British passport application in new Name. India doesn’t allow dual Citizenship and this information is available on Indian High commission website.
For evidence, I am here providing here with a copy of my Surrender application for Indian passport & declaration for renouncing my Indian citizenship. I would be grateful if you could consider this as evidence for issuing my First British passport in new name. I have already provided you with Deed poll and address proof in my new name.
If these are not valid evidence, then I request you to return my following supporting documents and hold-on my passport application until I re-submit with my cancelled Indian passport.
Supporting documents to return:
• Indian passport
• Naturalisation Certificate

All the best!

[prince99]

Many Thanks.

[balsingh]

Hi, Did you have any luck on this? What documents did you provide in the end?
I’m stuck in the same situation

[AmazonianX]

Hi, Did you have any luck on this? What documents did you provide in the end?
I’m stuck in the same situation

OP mot here in over a month. You may want to ask your question in your own thread.