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Hi,
I am not sure if this has been asked on the forum before,but really need some advice on this issue.

I had applied for my first British passport in September this year following my naturalization.

I recently informed via a letter to that my application has been out on hold as my previous passport (Indian citizenship) has my maiden name whereas I had applied for my British passport with my surname after marriage. I have used the maiden name for my naturalization and the certificate shows the same maiden surname that I use. However the passport caseworker has informed me that she cannot issue a British passport until I cancel my Indian passport or get my name changed in the Indian passport.

Unfortunately this has put me in a confusion as the Indian government will not cancel the passport until a passport of another nationality is produced (dual citizenship is not allowed in India) and they cannot change the name on the passport as this would require them to issue of a new passport which can only be provided to Indian citizens. Since I have acquired British citizenship, I can not be issued a new Indian passport.

The online passport application asked for my name and also any previous names such as maiden name, so I had filled the application with my married name as the name and previous name with maiden name as suggested in the application. I think this caused the confusion ( I really think they need to revisit how they have structured their application wordings).

I was under the impression that they would take the name on the Indian passport and the name on the naturalization certificate ( which is same - my maiden name) as the name for British passport (and it has always happened whenever I had applied for visa or visa extension, despite providing the marriage certificate)

Which is why I am surprised by why this query has been raised in the first place. If this was not allowed then why was this query not raised at the time of the naturalization application? I have also produced a valid marriage certificate, which I believe is a sufficient proof and evidence of my previous surname and my current surname.

The reason that was quoted to me was that the caseworker cannot issue a passport for an individual in two identities,.

I am so confused as to how to resolve this now, please provide me with guidance.

Your prompt responses and advice for resolution of this issue will be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards

HMPO will not issue a passport in a different name to your foreign passport and naturalisation certificate.

You should have applied for the passport in your maiden name.

british-citizenship/passport-refused-un ... l#p1590319

You can surrender (effectively cancel) your Indian passport using your Naturalisation Certificate. VFS will require you to write a brief letter explaining why you are not presenting a passport, just write that you haven’t applied for it yet.

Can I not withdraw my application so I can get my documents back and reapply under my maiden name??

Contact HMPO and advise them you wish to proceed with the passport in your Maiden name and see what they say.

All sorted and done now.
Received the British passport. Thank you everyone who replied for helping

Can you please elaborate?

There are many people in desperate situation where they acquired the British Citizenship but they cannot get a British passport due to inconsistencies in their names.

How did you fix your issue? I am sure it will help many.

Zerubbabel wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 08, 2019 8:16 am

Can you please elaborate?

There are many people in desperate situation where they acquired the British Citizenship but they cannot get a British passport due to inconsistencies in their names.

How did you fix your issue? I am sure it will help many.

Surrender your other passport, use Statutory declaration to change name get it signed by commissioner of oaths ..and submit to HMPO clarifying which name you will like to keep. This is to bring consistency in IDs.

or if you want to keep another passport (if allowed) then you will need to get that corrected with the name you want to use for all future references.

The idea is both of your passports should have same name.

Thank you for that.

It works only in the case where you original country allows/forces you to return your passport.