Does anyone work at the passport office and know about this scenario?

[blueberrymojito]

So, I’ve recently for my son’s passport renewal. DH did the first one when he was a baby and put my name down as “Mrs Married”. Passport was issued no problems. However my passport is actually “Ms Maiden” and I have used this name when I’ve done his passport renewal. Obviously they have noticed a discrepancy with the two names and are questioning it. I use both names and have documents in each. I provided my marriage certificate at their request to link the names and thought that would be sufficient.

I have now had another email from them, requesting a signed letter from myself to state “I use my maiden name for all purposes”. I can’t do this because I’d be lying, I use both names in different contexts. I contacted their helpline and they were helpful, and suggested I write a letter explaining the situation but I’m worried this isn’t going to suffice?

I’ve searched and searched and can’t see I’ve done anything wrong here so why is it my marriage certificate isn’t enough to confirm both names refer to the same person?

I contacted their helpline and they were helpful, and suggested I write a letter explaining the situation

This is what they're recommending, so do that. IME they are used to people having different situations. I have a DC who has a complicated name situation and when I've explained it it's never been an issue. They are just trying to establish your identity.

Thanks, I’ve done the letter and hoping it will satisfy them. However I’m just a bit anxious that having my passport in my maiden name and using my married name on my drivers license and banking is not going to be acceptable for them. The person I spoke to on the phone didn’t seem to fully understand the situation as she just kept saying my marriage certificate is “proof I’ve changed my name” and kept asking what name is on my marriage certificate, which of course is my maiden name!

Oddly enough I am in exactly the same situation - although it's for an Australian passport for my DCs. My married name is on their birth certificates but my ID docs are in my maiden name.

In my case I have to go up to the High Commission with my documents to meet them in person, which I don't mind all that much, but it's expensive to travel from where I live.

I'd be pleased to just write a letter though.

ETA- I also find sometimes people just don't 'get' that you might have your ID docs in a maiden name. Particularly banks for some reason. I have no idea why- loads of women don't change their names. Some years ago I was using my debit card (married name) to take Euros out at the post office and the post office worker asked me for my drivers licence as ID (maiden name) and she got really agitated and angry when she saw the names were different. As it happened I was used to this so had my marriage certificate on me too and she started shouting that it was 'illegal' to not change your name and she would be reporting me to the police. I'm not sure me laughing in her face and telling her to go right ahead helped matters, but I was STUNNED.

(Sorry- pointless anecdote).

That’s really frustrating for you! Hope you manage to get it sorted.

I have documents in both names and so I would think a marriage certificate would be enough to confirm I’m the same person! My maiden name is important to me so I don’t want to have to choose one or the other. And from what I’ve read, I’m entitled to use both names. I think the passport office are implying I’ve changed my name from Mrs Married to Mrs Maiden, due to DS first passport having my married name down on mothers details. But I’ve always and still am Mrs Maiden to HM Passport Office!

I agree. I use both names also. There are only women in my family so I wanted to use my maiden name also- and also my visa to remain in the UK is in my maiden name. I'm known professionally by my maiden name also. We are entitled to do so. In fact, legally you can use any name you wish (even one you make up out of nowhere) as long as it is not used in order to defraud.

It's always surprising to me how many people who in theory come across it often (Banks for example) don't realise that. I'm used to taking my marriage cert with me everywhere which actually is a total pain at times.

Incidentally- I recently had to prove my identity for Companies House and that whole system kept failing because it seems the Gov Uk site hasn't got to grips with people having ID docs in married and maiden names..... that REALLY annoyed me. I had to go and get it certified in person.

It’s reassuring that there’s generally a way to resolve this stuff, albeit we seem to have to jump through hoops to do so! I was shocked that the person on the customer helpline for the HM Passport Office genuinely believed that my married certificate was proof my name had now changed, as if it was something beyond my control! She was trying to get me to say which name I use more, and that really everything should align with this name. Yes it might life easier for verification purposes, but it’s incorrect to imply I need to be one or the other! Which is why I don’t understand why they want me to confirm I use my maiden name for “all purposes”!

Can you not just state that the passport application is incorrect and ask to have it correcting with the supporting information being your actual passport with your maiden name?

I submitted ds’s passport with dh’s incorrect birthdate. They contacted me and I just had to confirm his correct DOB and send his birth certificate. It was no big deal and I got the new passport like 2 days after the received the birth certificate. This stuff surely must happen all the time.

That said, you must have a name that is ‘your name’ like the one you use on your passport and driving license and for banking. I can see using your maiden name socially or professionally, but if you really are chopping and changing on your IDs and official documents, I can see why they are perplexed. Most people have a name and then are also known as something else in certain situations.

You will not be able to hire a car if driving license and passports are in different names. I changed mine for this reason. Before I changed passport I also had issues travelling with my dc with different surnames

You will not be able to hire a car if driving license and passports are in different names. I changed mine for this reason. Before I changed passport I also had issues travelling with my dc with different surnames

I’ve hired cars in many countries and never had to provide my passport, it’s usually just driving licence and credit card (which admittedly need to be in the same name for the main driver).

Luckily my DH is designated driver on holiday, however we do take our marriage certificate when we travel just incase anything crops up. My DD is 16 and has a different surname to me and DH and I’ve never had an issue travelling with her. She’s been asked a few times at immigration who we are to her, but that’s it!

I’ve never chopped and changed. I just continued to keep my passport in my maiden name, however when I renewed my drivers licence last year I renewed it in my married name.

My DCs have a different surname to me and we travel on different passports - until they get their Aussie passports I mean.

It's been fine to date, luckily. I often travel with them alone and always have a letter from DH giving his permission and all his contact details. I have heard from friends how tricky it can be so think I have just been fortunate. I always take their birth certificates as well though.

Just to clarify, the current application was submitted in my maiden name and correlates with the details on my passport. The issue is, 5 years ago when we applied for his first passport, DH did the application and put my details down as my married name.. so if anything it’s odd they never questioned it then? As my passport was in my maiden name at that point too!

He probably submitted your marriage certificate as proof that you had changed your name, but not yet changed your passport. No reason for them to question it. But by now maintaining that you still officially use your maiden name too, you haven't "changed" it, but use both officially on government ID's.

Google AI supports what PP was saying and put it this way. "Yes, you can use your maiden and married names interchangeably in many scenarios, often keeping your maiden name for professional purposes and using your married name socially. However, you must maintain a consistent legal name on official documents like passports, driving licences, and bank accounts to avoid issues."

This is where I see the problem being. Understandably you didn't want to change a perfectly good passport in your maiden name. However, choosing to assert that you are still your maiden name too and have (possibly?) renewed your passport in maiden name while choosing to have other official ID in married name is proving to be difficult or a grey area, if not actually illegal.

Do you plan to change your passport at the next renewal?

I definitely have not done anything illegal. I don’t intend to change my passport, no. I have since renewed it in my maiden name and it’s been no issue. I renewed my driving license in my married name after this and used my passport and marriage certificate as evidence. It was never questioned. It is legal to use both names.

That's interesting that you can have two names! Are you in the UK?
So a person can legally be both "Linda Smith" and "Linda Jones" at the same time?

In my home country you have to have the same last name on your passport and on your driving license, etc. And the name has to be your legal name.

I did not see your update in time, @blueberrymojito .
I understand now that your name situation is not unusual. I did not know this.
I hope it works out with your son's passport!

I think you are misreading my post as I didn't say it was illegal. But it is clearly minimally a grey area, as the expectation is to actually change your name OR maintain your maiden name, not choose to maintain different official ID's in different names.

I understand there are certain circumstances to legitimately use both names, as I also continued to use my maiden name on certain legal documents after marriage despite changing my name on all legal ID. It was with the consent of the lawyers and the court, as there was no intent to defraud. (I'm also not suggesting that you are trying to defraud anyone!)

Hopefully it works out and you can provide the PO with what they find acceptable.

Years ago I filled a passport in with the wrong place of birth. My first one had correct place, then somewhere along the way I put in the town I used to live in - which is wrong.
Ive never corrected it as I’m worried they’ll pick up on it and it’ll become a thing.