New policy regarding passport names for dual nationals.

[TeamAc4]

I received my first UK passport yesterday in my assumed name which is different from the name in my other passport. It took HMPO only 16 days in total to issue the passport, and I wasn't quizzed about the name change at the interview at all. Here's how I went about it:

- I sent a one-page explanation why the name in my other passport is different from the name I requested for my UK passport, and why I could not have my other passport changed (sample wording below). I specifically referred the HMPO examiner to the change of name policy.
- I attached an email (not a formal letter) from a consular officer at my embassy confirming that my other passport could not be changed.
- I also included four pieces of identification in my assumed name: letter from a previous employer, letter from HMRC, bank statement, and letter from previous university - this was to demonstrate that I had been consistently using my assumed name for all purposes.

I sent all of this off to HMPO with my application form and non-UK passport, and got my new UK passport just over two weeks later. The key is to demonstrate that you have legitimate reasons for wanting to change your name, and that you have some evidence of using your name already.

----------

The letter I sent alongside the application form stated as follows:

"My legal surname is XXXXX [assumed name]. I am a dual national of the United Kingdom and XXXXX. I am kindly requesting an exception to the general requirement that the name on the British passport should match the name on any uncancelled non-British passports pursuant to paragraph 6.6.1 of the Home Office's Annex A: Use of Names in Passports. I am also requesting a corresponding observation in the passport stating that a passport in another name is also being held, as is HMPO policy.

[I then set out a brief name change history, explaining how I had used my assumed name for all purposes in the UK.] My naturalisation certificate was issued in my birth name in line with Home Office policy, and I was advised to take up the change of name at the point of applying for a passport. I enclose an additional change of name deed post-dating the certificate of naturalisation, as advised by UKVI via the Nationality Checking Service.

I have enclosed the following as proof of the change/use of name: original change of name deeds; bank statement; letter from employer; letter from university; letter from HMRC; correspondence from the XXXXX embassy confirming that the XXXXX passport cannot be amended accordingly. "

[TeamAc4]

Is a letter signed by the embassy mandatory? This sounds like a pain, and my 'country of origin' country isn't very helpful. Could I apply with my deed + certified translation of an extract of the relevant regulations from my country of origin official government website?

Given the wording of Annex A and the fact that HMPO accepted an email print-out from my embassy, I think you should be fine. Just explain the legal position in a letter and attach whatever material you can find (if it's certified, that should be ok.)

[owenmi]

(I hope I'm using the right thread, wasn't keen on opening a new one)

I've applied for registration of my son as a British citizen a week ago, and only after the application I've realised I may have a problem with his surname.
I am a Czech citizen living in the UK for over 6 years. I received my Permanent Residence last year. Our son was born in the UK before we were settled, and now that we're settled I've applied for his registration. Since his was born, our son had a Czech passport. Problem is, I now know, that in his Czech passport, he only have my surname, while in his UK documents (from birth certificate onwards, including the application for registration) he has his mother's and my surname.
After the application was made I contacted the Czech embassy, in order to change his surname (so all names will match), however I was told this surname combination is not possible under Czech law.
I'm still trying to find the right document to prove this to the HO, but wonder what should I do in the interim:
1) do I let the HO know as soon as possible?
2) if so - what type of document can I provide? the email from the embassy is very brief.
3) and - what exactly do I need to explain?
4) will the HO register my son as British with both surnames, but will not issue him a passport?

Thanks!

[Cofnho]

Hi Antsmall
I was hoping to get some advice from you.
My difficulty is as a mixed religion marriage the only way to get an observation on the non- British passport is for my partner to convert. This clearly puts us in a difficult position.
Can you advice?
Thank you

[phill74]

I am some way off from having to renew my UK passport but it is good I have seen this post now. For privacy purposes I won't include all my personal details but I became a British national in the 1980s through registration from another nationality of a majority Muslim country for which I don't have a current passport because I never needed to use it again after acquiring UK nationality.

I was able to apply for the nationality of another new majority Muslim country a few years ago due to changes in the law there allowing this. The authorities of this other country never accepted my full UK name change from my original Muslim sounding names. I had only changed my first names to a more simple Western Christian name before going to university in the UK. This made it easier for me to make friends at university and get jobs afterwards. In addition my first name of my birth name had never been pronounced properly by my British schoolmates.

The problem now is that I am living in the other (Muslim majority) country and will never be able to change my first, Muslim sounding names to match the first names on my UK passport as the authorities never accepted it and it would be almost impossible and wreck my life there. In other words I would suffer exactly the same discrimination there as I would in the UK by having a non Christian name. How can this be fair as the Home Office are putting us in a position that we will be discriminated against whatever we do even if there is a footnote in our UK passport stating that this person is named (Muslim name) and has another passport (Muslim majority country).

I am not sure what documents the Home Office need to prove that the other country won't accept the UK name change. They made it difficult for me to do this at the time but I don't know if it is completely impossible to but for sure it is a complicated and long winded process. I have to check the full facts on this first.

At the worst case I imagine could change my UK name back to my original birth name but then I would suffer discrimination if I was to ever apply for a job again in a Western country.

I am not sure how well this change in the law has been thought out.

[phill74]

I wanted to add a few additional points to my previous comments:

- Why do HMPO not make obvious the documents listed here and link them to the actual passport application documents: https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ce#history It appears as though they do not want to advertise an individual's basic rights in this instance.

- When I changed all my first and middle names from obviously Muslim names to a Western sounding name it was to prevent as much discrimination as possible. My surname is not Christian sounding but is not obviously Muslim sounding either. Even if an observation were made in my UK passport linking me to my other passport through a country or name it would still open me up to discrimination.

- With this change HMPO is opening me up to discrimination, additional checks at borders and problems when applying for jobs with international organisations. In addition through this change I will have to declare my Muslim sounding names even though there is no part of any of my passports that have a section on declaring one's religion. If I have to revert to my complete full birth name because HMPO do not accept my arguments or the law in the other country is unclear in this instance or the authorities took the situation into their own hands and did not accept my legal name change in the UK, this is not my fault yet I will be penalised for the lack of clarity in this instance as well as the long term failure of international governmental cooperation in relation to the status of dual nationals.

- The Equality Act 2010 is supposed to protect me against religious discrimination but I do not see how. This is a good article on the problems individuals have had when applying for jobs using different names: http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/201609 ... -get-a-job

Discrimination is something real and I know it well as I went through the British school system. Having a new first name when I was living in the UK and when I travel to Western countries changed my life for the better.

I now fear that things are moving backwards and some of us are being forced to declare things that could be included in government databases behind the scenes and not on passports therefore opening us up to new and unwarranted changes in our lives.

[jdsantos]

Hello everyone,

My daughter is having issues with renewing her British passport. We are dual nationals- British and Filipino. My daughter has changed her name by deed poll here in the UK, but her Phil passport carries her birth name. Our biggest problem is that my daughter can actually change her name on her Filipino passport but through a very lengthy and expensive process. Her adoption by my husband (her step father) would first have to be recognised by various Phil agencies before we can even apply to the Phil courts. Only when this adoption is recognised (one of the few criteria for name change in the Phils- you have to have good reason to change your name there) and approved by the courts, can we then change her name on her passport.

Recognition of her UK adoption by the Phil courts can take up to a year or more, would require us to hire a lawyer, and would require our presence in the Phils when the judge asks us to present ourselves to court. As you can imagine, the cost and the time it will take to achieve all this would be enormous. The Phils isn't exactly next door to the UK, and flights are expensive. Our last visit to the Phils was in 2012. Before that was 2009. I run a business as a sole trader with no employees, and my husband works full time and is our main source of income. Our daughter having the issues is 18 and in university, and she has a little sister who is 8 and in school. My point is it is completely unreasonable for the home office (HO) to say that it is perfectly acceptable to require the whole family to undergo the whole process of having our daughter's adoption recognised, spend unlimited amounts of cash for the whole family to attend court when the judge requires, and take the time off to do so.

We got a call from the HO today by an 'examiner' who said that unless a letter from the Phil embassy says we virtually have to live in the Phils to change my daughter's name, then they cannot issue her passport renewal until it is done so, despite everything we said about the financial difficulties and time it would cost us. According to the HO, time and money is of no consequence to them. That is utter BS.

We are currently waiting for the Phil embassy to send us another official document outlining these facts, as requested by the Home Office, and my daughter's case will be sent to the 'Policy Team' who I hope will see sense. Amongst other things we will be stating in the letter, we will request that they add an annotation to her British passport to the effect that she also is known by her name on her Filipino passport. We will add in the letter that she has used her new name for over 8 years, and it is used in every document she has- bank statements, school letters, etc. We will provide evidence of all of these.

We started the passport renewal process in February. We have been going back and forth with the Home Office and also the Philippine Embassy all these months. It is now late April, and we are booked to go to Tenerife in mid June as I had not anticipated any problems with her passport renewal whatsoever. We are upset that my daughter may not be able to come with us. We have not been abroad as a family since 2012 as we have not been able to afford to do so. The HO does not know this, as even before this new policy, One Name, they had stated that no one should book a holiday until they receive their new/renewed passport, so I felt it was not going to help our daughter's case.

We have contacted our local MP, whose representative said they would send a letter to the HO about our daughter's situation and asking the HO to review/change their policy. I realise he can't tell the HO what to do, but I'm hoping his involvement will help. Our MP will have resigned from June 8 2017, so we're hoping that he has enough interest still in his constituents to help.

If anyone has anything they feel would be useful/beneficial to add to our next letter to the HO, I would appreciate.

I feel I myself should write to the HO, along with my daughter's letter, to give my thoughts on the matter- about how having to go through the process of having my daughter's adoption recognised and having her name changed would cause us hardship. Does anyone think this is a good idea?

apologies for such a long post- its such a complicated issue

[jdsantos]

Hello Antsmall.
" --- I explicitly asked for transgender situations to be covered as well, --- "

I hadn't realised the depth of your involvement in this. I'll take this opportunity to thank you on my behalf, my partners behalf, and on behalf of all Trans people. Finding people who understand the issues is hard enough, but finding people in a position to do something is even harder. Last year when the new names policy was first in place, it contained a clause that specifically denied Trans people, and only Trans people, their right to their foreign nationality, if they naturalised as British, couldn't change the foreign identity, and wanted a Brit passport. Not knowing at the time that the Phil's does this automatically anyway for any of it's nationals obtaining 'foreign' nationality, (but allows you to claim right back -- seems daft), we were on the brink of my partner relinquishing her Phil's nationality. But a), though she is proud to now be a British Citizen, she is also proud to be a Filipina. She wants to be able to enjoy the rights of still being a Filipina. And b) even more importantly, she has an elderly father in the Phil's, who relies on her for all kinds of things, that she probably couldn't do as only a Brit Cit. I sent a flurry of communications to various places, such as Press for Change, and to the Home office, etc, protesting the discriminatory nature of the clause. Eventually I got an email reply from the HO saying that it had been changed, and would be live from this September. I guess then from what you say you must have had a great deal to do with that change. Thank you so much.

And thank for for your reply in this, and specifically to our situation. I'm digesting all you've said. As you say, things are changing globally, and I'm hopeful that one day all nations will recognise Gender change. But in the Phil's that may be a long way off, because their legislation is still so closely tied to religion.

I've had a further tel conversation with hmpo. He said he is going to call me today, after speaking to a senior person in the policy section, to confirm the Annex A clauses, and to hopefully tell me exactly what will constitute acceptable proof of the Phil's lack of legislation on gender/name changes. But failing that, your advice on how to go about getting proof from the Phil's embassy in London, is very helpful. We've also now just discovered, that my partner's good Phil's friend here who is also a Brit Cit, has a close friend who works at a reasonably high level in the Phil's embassy in London. So that may give us a contact to someone in the Phil's embassy who can be more willing to help.

Our perspective on this has been my partner being trans. And we hadn't realised that this use of names policy has affected so many others -- non trans -- too. Whilst of course sorry for all those that have been badly affected by it, in this respect, we are also grateful that it has, because I can see that it added to the publicity and pressure to alter it. Trans are a minority in a minority. Getting trans issues to the mainstream has a been a long battle, it's ongoing, but far better than it has ever been. We're grateful for any help along the way from anyone for whatever reason.

I'll update this as I get more news. But again, my thanks to everybody.

Hi SSJP, If it helps, I think the document you need to fill in is called 'Certification Request Form' (which my daughter filled in, twice). It can be downloaded online. You do have to ask the embassy which box you'd need to tick that best reflects your circumstance, then attach a letter requesting them to write a letter (if that makes sense) containing the information you need that will help your case with the home office. You have to pay £23 (by postal order- the only payment the Phil Embassy accepts) for the privilege. Best to call the embassy about this - so you can double check what documents they require you to submit along with the certification request form. Be warned- the embassy is not consistent. We sent our form along with the documents the lady over the phone said we should, only to get a call over a week later saying we hadn't sent the fee & some other documents.

There are only several criteria by which anyone in the Philippines can change their name, as outlined here: http://www.aganapcg.dfa.gov.ph/passport ... ge-in-name

If your partner does not meet any of the critera set out in this policy, then you have a good case to present to the Home Office. You can ask the Phil Embassy to outline all of this in the letter. When you get this letter, it is stamped and signed by the Philippine Embassy consul.

I hope that helps. good luck

[jdsantos]

(I hope I'm using the right thread, wasn't keen on opening a new one)

I've applied for registration of my son as a British citizen a week ago, and only after the application I've realised I may have a problem with his surname.
I am a Czech citizen living in the UK for over 6 years. I received my Permanent Residence last year. Our son was born in the UK before we were settled, and now that we're settled I've applied for his registration. Since his was born, our son had a Czech passport. Problem is, I now know, that in his Czech passport, he only have my surname, while in his UK documents (from birth certificate onwards, including the application for registration) he has his mother's and my surname.
After the application was made I contacted the Czech embassy, in order to change his surname (so all names will match), however I was told this surname combination is not possible under Czech law.
I'm still trying to find the right document to prove this to the HO, but wonder what should I do in the interim:
1) do I let the HO know as soon as possible?
2) if so - what type of document can I provide? the email from the embassy is very brief.
3) and - what exactly do I need to explain?
4) will the HO register my son as British with both surnames, but will not issue him a passport?

Thanks!

I would ask the Czech Embassy to issue an official letter outlining that your son cannot change the name on his passport as specified by Czech law. An email probably won't cut it, I would ask for a hard copy signed by an official. You probably need to pay a fee (we paid for an official letter from the Philippine Embassy). Call your embassy and ask how you can get an official letter/document and why you need it. They are probably, by now, familiar with this new policy by the Home Office. My contact at the Philippine Embassy certainly was- he even told me how long they've had it enforced. You may not be the first person they've had to write a letter for. My daughter requested, and got a letter with an official stamp and signed by our consul.

Good luck!

[Emankiwi]

Hello Guys, I would really appreciate your help.
I have a Latvian Passport and I would like to apply for UK Naturalisation , the problem is that I have changed my surname to Parker in U.K. By Deedpoll.
To change the surname in my Latvian passport they would have to "Latvianize" it, so it would go from Parker to Parkers. Do you think that would be acceptable for the application?
Thank you in advance

[vekav]

Hello,

I have the following issue:

I am trying to renew my British passport (after I have held it for 10 years). I however have an un cancelled Kenyan Passport in my maiden name. The HMPO requires the name changed on the Kenyan Passport but I cannot do that as I lost citizenship when I acquired British Citizenship as dual citizenship wansnt permitted at the time. It is now though but the process of regaining it and thus changing the name on is a lengthy one. The HMPO requested either a passport tint he married name or confirmation from the Authorities that I am no longer a Kenyan. I didn't get any luck form the embassies so I decided to officially renounce for which I have confirmation.

The HMPO now saying that the fact that I have renounced doesn't stop me from regaining it later and therefore will not issue a passport until I provide a Kenyan one in the married name.

Anyone else in the same boat and If you have managed to sort it would appreciate any advise.

Thanks

V

[jdsantos]

Hello,

I have the following issue:

I am trying to renew my British passport (after I have held it for 10 years). I however have an un cancelled Kenyan Passport in my maiden name. The HMPO requires the name changed on the Kenyan Passport but I cannot do that as I lost citizenship when I acquired British Citizenship as dual citizenship wansnt permitted at the time. It is now though but the process of regaining it and thus changing the name on is a lengthy one. The HMPO requested either a passport tint he married name or confirmation from the Authorities that I am no longer a Kenyan. I didn't get any luck form the embassies so I decided to officially renounce for which I have confirmation.

The HMPO now saying that the fact that I have renounced doesn't stop me from regaining it later and therefore will not issue a passport until I provide a Kenyan one in the married name.

Anyone else in the same boat and If you have managed to sort it would appreciate any advise.

Thanks

V

You can change your name by deed poll back to your maiden name. If you do this, you must show proof that you are using the new name, so you will have to change your name on your documents with the HMRC, DVLA, etc. This would mean that you can't use your married name, but the alternative is to sort out your name change in your home country.

[jjm07]

I received my first UK passport yesterday in my assumed name which is different from the name in my other passport. It took HMPO only 16 days in total to issue the passport, and I wasn't quizzed about the name change at the interview at all. Here's how I went about it:

- I sent a one-page explanation why the name in my other passport is different from the name I requested for my UK passport, and why I could not have my other passport changed (sample wording below). I specifically referred the HMPO examiner to the change of name policy.
- I attached an email (not a formal letter) from a consular officer at my embassy confirming that my other passport could not be changed.
- I also included four pieces of identification in my assumed name: letter from a previous employer, letter from HMRC, bank statement, and letter from previous university - this was to demonstrate that I had been consistently using my assumed name for all purposes.

I sent all of this off to HMPO with my application form and non-UK passport, and got my new UK passport just over two weeks later. The key is to demonstrate that you have legitimate reasons for wanting to change your name, and that you have some evidence of using your name already.

----------

The letter I sent alongside the application form stated as follows:

"My legal surname is XXXXX [assumed name]. I am a dual national of the United Kingdom and XXXXX. I am kindly requesting an exception to the general requirement that the name on the British passport should match the name on any uncancelled non-British passports pursuant to paragraph 6.6.1 of the Home Office's Annex A: Use of Names in Passports. I am also requesting a corresponding observation in the passport stating that a passport in another name is also being held, as is HMPO policy.

[I then set out a brief name change history, explaining how I had used my assumed name for all purposes in the UK.] My naturalisation certificate was issued in my birth name in line with Home Office policy, and I was advised to take up the change of name at the point of applying for a passport. I enclose an additional change of name deed post-dating the certificate of naturalisation, as advised by UKVI via the Nationality Checking Service.

I have enclosed the following as proof of the change/use of name: original change of name deeds; bank statement; letter from employer; letter from university; letter from HMRC; correspondence from the XXXXX embassy confirming that the XXXXX passport cannot be amended accordingly. "

Right I did EXACTLY what you did above and today I find out that HMPO is asking me to change my name on my country of origin passport. This sounds really ridiculous as I added the following to my passport application:

• Cover Letter explaining I cannot change my name
• Proof from country of origin that I cannot change my name
• PRint out of the "Change of NAme Guidance" highlighting paragraphs of interests
• Deed poll post-dating naturalisation certificate
• Proof that I used my new name for the last 6 years (driving licences, employers letter, voting card... I even voted yesterday for the GE in my new name

I feel like half of my application was not even read. What do you advise I do now? I feel completely lost and also that my time was greatly wasted

[phill74]

HMPO have a complaints procedure here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisat ... -procedure

I have only had telephone contact with them so far but am dreading this whole process as I have similar problems to you. Unfortunately much appears to depend on the individual who is reviewing your application. That is a sad fact so maybe you will have to go through their complaints procedure first before going to the United Nations!

[jjm07]

In the end, and after like 10 calls to HMPO, an interview appointment letter was sent. However, I received two conflicting information from HMPO:

• First one told me that my passport might be issued in my previous name and I might be asked during the interview to fill a new form in my old name (really??)
• Second one told that my passport will be issued in my new name

Very confusing My interview is very soon so I will find out then. I might still raise a complaint as:

• HMPO examiner didn't bother reading all my supporting docs and had to follow-up a lot over the phone (multiple calls and callbacks)
• Confusing and contradictory info for HMPO advisors

[phill74]

conflicting information from HMPO

This doesn't surprise me... I can't believe that HMPO will issue your passport in your old name. Definitely make a complaint if you don't get what you want.

As well as showing HMPO the 'Change of Name Guidance' document have you also looked at 'Annex A: Use of names in passports' here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... e-guidance

The clauses that may be of interest are 6.5-6.7 and 6.13-6.14 in Annex A.

What concerns me is that by placing details of other passports in the observations section HMPO are creating a group of second class British nationals. I wonder if the Equality Act 2010 may be used here to claim that what HMPO is doing is a discriminative action. I don't have the money to consult a good lawyer but if I did I would do just that.

Good luck with your appointment and let us know how you get along.

[jmahmoud]

This is in relation to the previous thread of comments with regards to the amendments that are being implemented on the observation page of the passport. My question is that this would be OK if it was requested by the passport holder specifically to be mentioned. Other than that is it not a breach of the Human Rights act and the Equality Rights Act 2010 to advertise personal details (Data Protection) and is it not a form of discrimination.

[jmahmoud]

This is in relation to the previous thread of comments with regards to the amendments that are being implemented on the observation page of the passport. My question is that this would be OK if it was requested by the passport holder specifically to be mentioned. Other than that is it not a breach of the Human Rights act and the Equality Rights Act 2010 to advertise personal details (Data Protection) and is it not a form of discrimination.

Why should there be a reference to a persons previous nationality on his British Passport. I do not believe the HO has this right to enter this observation in his passport when it is against his request. The matter is different if requested by the individual. I strongly believe they are in breach a a persons Human Rights by doing this since this is going beyond the issue of simply clarifying a name change and releasing information about a persons other nationality which should be protected in accordance with data protection laws and will undoubtedly lead to discrimination. Alternatively, and if requested by the individual, the HO or passport agency may easily issue a letter explaining that the person on the British Passport is also the same person on the other nationality passport for clarification and not entered in his British Passport. I personally do not believe that the HO has looked into the long term seriousness of these implications and should be legally challenged.

[phill74]

If the UK has accepted dual nationality then there are consequences. Those of us of non Anglo Saxon origin are second class British citizens. By adding an observation that we are also nationals of another (Islamic, Asian, African etc.) country we are further demoted to being third class British citizens.

When or if we want to travel to the US, apply for a job in a Western country or go about our business in general, the observation page may very possibly open us up to further discrimination.

I think this is all part of the cult of Western nationalism and supremacy. By the way even someone from another UK friendly country may also face discrimination because let's face it if you aren't a WASP Brit you'll be treated differently and have doors closed in your face.

In addition an observation in the passport relating to another nationality won't stop terrorism or fraud. If the government knows of a potential terrorist and doesn't even stop them, what's an observation going to do?

[Nasheen]

Hi there,

Your kind advise and help will be appreciated please.

Very stressed out, My Naturalisation certificate was issued on my Maiden name as my foreign passport. Before I submitted my passport application to HMPO I did ring them to ask the possibilities of having my British passport produced under married name and they advise yes it is possible so long as I produce my marriage certificate.

Posted the application and few days later at a surprise received a letter stating my foreign passport has to be changed to married name . I rang them back and they said to get a letter stating I cannot apply for a new passport under new name. The Embassy have refused to produce me a letter and so I rang HMPO again and spoke to someone giving them my ref no and very kingly stated that I should write letter that Embassy have refused to produce a letter and explain that I can not change my name of foreign r, so hope this will help and produce my passport shortly. I am highly stressed out .

please share your experience
Thank you

[maximb74]

Hi,
Another frustrated customer of HMPO here, just wanted to share our story.
My wife got her first British passport 10 years ago. She applied for a renewal in March, and still has no passport 5 months on. She is also a national of Belarus, and her name in her Belarusian passport is spelt differently. With her application she provided proofs that the only name she uses here in the UK is the name in her British passport. She also provided a letter from the Consulate of Belarus confirming that her Belarusian passport cannot be changed in the UK. After initial two months of silence PO requested another confirmation that Belarusian passport cannot be changed in the UK. When they received that, their response after 6 weeks of thinking was that my wife had to travel to Belarus and change her passport there. I have to stress here that at no point did we receive any formal written response from PO, all information from them was passed on the phone by a clerk reading the case officer’s notes. Nor did they return either of my wife’s passports (her British passport had expired by then). So my wife is expected to go to Belarus and return back to the UK on her Belarusian passport. Belarus is not a EU country and a passport holder needs a visa to travel almost anywhere, including the UK. How on earth is my wife supposed to get back to the UK? Obviously, PO have no idea whether it is even possible to change a name in Belarusian passport, nor do they care if it is possible to travel with such passport. To our request to give more details as to how they imagined this to work they said they cannot give advice on that because it’s not their job, but they have to follow single name policy. We sent them a letter with references to Home Office immigration guidelines arguing that what they are suggesting my wife should do is impossible without breaking HO’s own rules. They went into silent mode again for 7 weeks, the last thing we heard was that my wife’s application is being reviewed by the policy department and no final decision has been made yet… As a result of this red-tape my wife had to miss our family holiday… In the meantime, we wrote multiple complaints to PO’s complaints department – waste of time, to our local MP – wasn’t helpful (conservative first-timer), we even wrote to one of the Lords who worked on the amendments to this policy. We talked to a human rights charity and were told that indeed we have a human right issue here but until we get a formal decision from PO not much can be done. This treatment by PO is absolutely disgraceful. My wife is not allowed to contact her case officer by any means of communication. All she can do is send a letter to a PO Box and hope for a letter back asking her to give a call to the call centre so a clerk can read the case notes. The most annoying thing is that we have no traces of communication from PO, no evidence we could use to put legal pressure on them... The only thing we've not tried is going to a national newspaper, otherwise we've run out of options. I guess our situation is not much different from many others on this forum, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[towards]

Hi Maximb, are you still having problems? I'm in discussions with HMPO for something very similar - maiden vs married name, 5 months waiting ...

[maximb74]

Hi,
Situation is unchanged, unfortunately, 6+ months. Some progress on our local MP front, though - a reply from HO (took 2 months), 3 page letter confirming their stance and no exceptions in our case. MP is not happy about it, meeting with him next week. This is our first piece of hard evidence, we can take it to the lawyers, newspapers maybe... This policy can't be shifted unless enough noise is made in the media, I guess.

[phill74]

I wasn't clear about how exactly your wife's two names are different (I guess she has your surname in her UK passport) but here's my 2c below.

So what this means is that HMPO are basically ignoring their own written guidelines as in 'Annex A' and 'Use of Change of Names' in terms of exceptions or otherwise. Is there an unofficial policy within HMPO to enforce the single name policy, because I am getting the impression this is the case?

Many of us changed our names not because we want to become terrorists or fraudsters but because we were discriminated against in the UK as we had foreign sounding names. HMPO through May's one dimensional view on issues is therefore enforcing this policy except in 'exceptional circumstances' of their own choosing but it is a discrimination issue because you will be treated differently in the UK and the west if you have a western sounding name and employment opportunities will open and close depending on your name.

If there are any relevant discrimination laws they should apply no matter what anyone says because at the end of the day it is our lives not HMPOs. I am getting to the stage where I couldn't care less if HMPO put the two names as an observation on the front page of my passport but your story and others is beginning to worry me that further action needs to be taken in terms of explaining why people change their names and linking laws to the reasons why they do this (i.e. discrimination laws). It is completely ridiculous politicians going on about anti-discrimination when they cannot enforce it. The easiest thing an individual can do is to change their name to a western sounding name and doors will open to them.

I haven't looked into this but am wondering if it is worth looking at relevant cases at The European Court of Human Rights as the UK is still in the EU. Even if what I have written doesn't apply in your case maybe EU laws and case precedents could apply?

[ghgi]

Hi,
I'm having big issues with HMPO at the moment. I am a dual national French and British, and got married last year. I applied for my first British passport a couple of months ago, and naively told them about my French passport. This was issued 10 years ago, and due to expire in a couple of weeks, but obviously issued in my maiden name. Since doing this I have had no end of problems, as I have no intention of renewing my French passport due to the high cost involved.
I have also just sent off documents to the French consulate to register my marriage, which will be completed in February!!
I have told HMPO about how even once my marriage is registered with the French gov't, I will always be known as my maiden name on all official documents, they don't care.
I have gone to my MP and they have just been sent a letter from HMPO about the one name policy, and the MP's office don't seem to want to go any further unless I can come up with more evidence of exceptions.
I have seen on here that people have been successful in getting HMPO to put in observations in British passports along the line of:
The bearer of this passport holds a ***** passport in ******* name due to expire ****** with ******** passport number.
Would anyone be able to help providing me with letters (obviously remove personal details) they received from HMPO detailing this so that my MP can go back to them?

Thanks