New Passport Application

[Mossfinn]

In this section, you have to sign your name, couldn't be easier surely!

Well, obviously not so surely!!

My wife as some will know has attained all the requirements of citizenship, passed the LITUK exam and attended the Naturalization ceremony and received the certificate.

Now to fill in the passport forms!!

Pretty straight forward, until S 9, please sign within the box.

Now do you sign in English or Thai script?, you would think it would be how you would normally sign your name, well my wife signs in both, depending on the circumstances and locale.

So I read the notes, no help there.

I decide to tell her to sign in English, as she has nationality now and it is a Brit passport, but wait, I again check the notes and you have to hand in your your current un-expired passport, which of course she has signed in Thai! How to compare signatures?

So would this complicate things?

It still seems quite clear to me, but be on the safe side, I ring the 24 hour help desk.

" Blimey I have never been asked that before, just sign it in your normal way" was the response.

" But she signs it normally and each way depending on circumstance", I reply Laughter in my voice.

"Well just send in a covering letter with why you have decided to sign it in which ever way you chose then" A smiling reply came back.

" Have you really never had this question before with all the varying and diverse nationalities requesting passports each week".

" No"

"OK Then, thanks for your help"

Not really asking for advice as I can sort it out tomorrow, but am I being a bit dense or do you think as I, that there should be a standard operating procedure for a help desk to sort out.

Good Luck

Moss

[Mahout Angrit]

If it further clouds the clarity of the situation my wife signs both passports and bank cheques in Thai script. She does still use her Thai name, transliterated of course, but definitely no one can read it but then can you read your doctors signature either? so I guess what is important is that it's always the same.

[Mossfinn]

If it further clouds the clarity of the situation my wife signs both passports and bank cheques in Thai script. She does still use her Thai name, transliterated of course, but definitely no one can read it but then can you read your doctors signature either? so I guess what is important is that it's always the same.

Hi Mahout,

Thanks for the response.

As for the Doc's signature, I don't really care if I can read it, but I surely check the Tabs I receive

Why transliterate it if she still writes in Thai script?

Good Luck

Moss

[Mahout Angrit]

Why transliterate it if she still writes in Thai script?

Her name is printed on cheque books and in her passport (Thai & British) in the transliterated characters (as the UK alphabet) but she signs using Thai characters so it doesn't even match what is printed even if it could be read.

Surely it's the same with your wifes Thai passport, her name is printed transliterated but I bet she signed using Thai characters.

Life gets so complicated eh

[vinny]

Her signature could be anything she likes, as long as it's within the confines of the signature box. However, it may be more useful for her if it's also reproducible and consistent with her signatures on other documents that may require her passport for identity verification.

See also Passport blues.

Edited April 14, 2007 by vinny

[Mossfinn]

Why transliterate it if she still writes in Thai script?

Her name is printed on cheque books and in her passport (Thai & British) in the transliterated characters (as the UK alphabet) but she signs using Thai characters so it doesn't even match what is printed even if it could be read.

Surely it's the same with your wifes Thai passport, her name is printed transliterated but I bet she signed using Thai characters.

Life gets so complicated eh

Yes her passport is signed in Thai characters, but that is her Thai passport.

But her Cheque books and Credit Cards are all signed in the Uk alphabet.

So I guess it is best to sign this application in the script best suited to the country of the passports origin, but my confusion lay with the Thai passport having to be included which shows a Thai script signature, so there is nothing to compare signatures with?

Like you say, Life gets so complicated.

Good Luck

Moss

[Mossfinn]

Her signature could be anything she likes, as long as it's within the confines of the signature box. However, it may be more useful for her if it's also reproducible and consistent with her signatures on other documents that may require her passport for identity verification.

See also Passport blues.

Hey Vinny where you been?

I have come to the same conclusion, but if the advisory service can't give you a definitive answer, perhaps they should review their service

Good Luck

Moss