UK Problem with Different Names in Different Passports

[Richard W]

My researches took me to an interesting forum on another site (so unmentionable by forum rules). It appears that, starting this year (2015), there've been problems with people having different names in different countries. The typical relevant examples would be a Thai lady having her maiden name in her Thai passport but her married name in her British passport. (This may actually be fraudulent - she may be trying to hide the existence of a foreign husband to deny Thai officials their prey.) Another example would be a dual national lady with British and Thai passports trying to change the surname in the passports when she marries.

A key document is Names Policy Volume 2, and especially Section 3.1:

HMPO will normally use the name contained in the applicant’s other passport when issuing a UK passport. This is to ensure the name being used is for all official purposes.

The Passport Office rule has been causing grief, though there are some recent signs of occasional common sense when foreign and British customs and laws on women's surnames conflict. There is currently no such conflict between Britain and Thailand.

As far as I am aware, Thailand is still flexible. Therefore, if a Thai lady on the 5-year path to UK citizenship intends to use her married name in the UK, she would be well advised to change the surname in her passport to her married name when she renews it, as she will have to. Otherwise, she may face problems when naturalising, and will when applying for a British passport. If her naturalisation is in her married name, but her Thai passport is in her maiden name, she may be refused a British passport in her married name, and if she applies for a passport in her maiden name, she may be required to demonstrate that she actually uses her maiden name, and not the name on the naturalisation certificate.

I haven't read of similar problems with BRPs; this may be because the UKVI used to be less protected from the courts than the Passport Office.

It seems that a dual national who has both a Thai and a British passport will not be allowed to change the name in her British passport because it will not match her Thai passport. If Thailand applied the same rule, she wouldn't be able to change her name at all! (Well, getting a passport cancelled might be a solution, but it is not an easy one.) At present, it seems that the solution is to change the name in her Thai passport first.

[wooloomooloo]

At present, it seems that the solution is to change the name in her Thai passport first.

Good advice.

My wife and I married at Amphur and immediately went to ID card office with marriage certificate and house registration to have my wife's surname changed within twenty minutes. Subsequently applied for Thai passport in my wife's married name and a few days later applied for settlement.

Far easier to get it done and dusted at the outset.

[Richard W]

(Answering a post that is really in the wrong thread.)

Apparently there has been some confusion for a small number of individuals. If a maiden name becomes a problem then the passport can have additional information under observations including:

For a married woman who maintains she uses both her husband's name and her maiden name, the passport should be recorded with the observation:

THE HOLDER IS ALSO KNOWN AS ............................. (FULL FORENAMES AND SURNAME)

Other things such as titles, stage names etc can be added to the observations page. Only a problem if the person processing the application makes it one.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/118562/observations-passports.pdf

Unfortunately, they've been loath to so this. The pernicketiness has also spread to BRPs. From the staff instructions for 'no time limit' BRPs:

Before you grant any case, you must ensure that the holders of non-British passports and national identity cards, provide evidence that they have amended the details in other passport(s) and any national identity cards they hold, unless there are exceptional circumstances that would seriously adversely affect their life in the UK.

I stumbled over this; I haven't checked the instructions for other BRPs.

Edited December 1, 2015 by Richard W

[RAZZELL]

I think the OP is thinking too much.

You are legally allowed to call yourself what you like in the UK.

My wife had a Thai passport in her maiden name when she applied for citizenship etc and now has a UK passport in her married name. No problems as long as you show the "link" between the two eg marriage certificate.

Still uses her maiden name for work, and in her Thai passport. One day she might get around to changing to her married name in Thailand.

RAZZ

[Richard W]

Dates? Note that this problem only arose this year. If she has only recently obtained for her passport, then this would suggest that the Home Office has come to it senses. I trust she submitted her Thai passport in her maiden name when she obtained her latest British passport.