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Help required regarding British citizenship

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2019 10:09 am
by Pippin
Hello everyone,

My situation is this, my aunt has an Indian passport (she is 70 year old) her married surname is not stated on it only forename and middle name.

She wants to apply for citizenship and then British passport, I am expected to help her, I know nothing about UK immigration although I was born here my family seem to think its easy for me to know what to do :( :( I work at aldi and until this started two weeks ago I was happy and OK and now I am losing sleep because I don't understand what the way forward is and what to tell her, this type of work has always confused me :| :|

If she gets her citizenship certificate in married name and then applies for british passport in her married name because the name won't match her expired Indian passport does this mean the passport office will refuse her application?

She rang me last night and told me she has a deed poll letter stating that is using her married name now and that I must tell the passport office this. I don't know what it looks like and how old it is. When the time comes if we apply with the deed letter, the citizenship certificate and tell them expired passport has no surname because just not renewed will they give her a British passport do you think??

I have read a few threads and it's all so confusing for me, how you guys keep on top of everything is amazing, any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'll update this if I get any further on as it may help someone.

Thanks a lot everyone.

Re: Help required regarding British citizenship

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2019 10:16 am
by alterhase58
Forum members will only be able to comment on this case if you provide details about the UK immigration status of your aunt.
Also citizenship has to be applied for first, before a passport can be applied for.

Re: Help required regarding British citizenship

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2019 10:17 am
by Zerubbabel
just not renewed will they give her a British passport do you think
Welcome :) You will soon become an expert.

When you apply for your first British passport after naturalization, you have to send your original passport. It's OK if it's expired. They won't ask you to renew.

However, it's important to have a perfect match between the name on the passport and naturalisation certificate.

Re: Help required regarding British citizenship

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2019 11:06 am
by Pippin
Hello All,

My aunt holds indian nationality but wants to change over all of a sudden - don't know why.

Her indian passport has her name and middle name only, no surname stated, seems to be a common problem for people of India over here. But she wants british passport to show name, middle name and surname, so no 100 per cent match.

That's what's worrying me, if I tell her it will be OK and british passport office say get the indian passport to show surname also, how can we do this if by then she has british citizenzhip? Fellow forum users are saying indian embassy won't change it and of course the family will look to me to get it sorted, I don't mind helping out but because of my ignorance I may leave her in limbo.

Re: Help required regarding British citizenship

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2019 11:16 am
by CR001
Citizenship will usually only be granted in the name that is stated on her foreign passport. You would have to change that first and then apply if she wants a different name. Passport office also will only issue a passport in the name of her naturalisation certificate and foreign passport.

As has already been asked, what is your aunt's UK immigration history etc??

Re: Help required regarding British citizenship

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2019 11:28 am
by katanayi
did you contact indian embassy?!
I sure this can be done in India but not sure about in the UK.

Go to indian high commission website and if you cannot find info then contact them.

Re: Help required regarding British citizenship

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2019 1:38 pm
by Zerubbabel
Fix the name issue at any cost before moving forward with the citizenship.

Worst case scenario, she can find herself with a useless British citizenship certificate as she won't get a British passport despite the naturalization.

There are a few posts in this forum about name mismatch but honestly you don't want to be in that position.