Passport office is useless! Warning to all

[Greatwhiteworld]

I have been left fuming with the British Passport Office. I want to let people know before they end up in the same situation.

I am British living in the US, with duel UK-US citizenship. I tried to renew my British passport a few weeks ago. Paid my money and mailed the form.

I wanted my new passport to be in my married name, (we got married 9 years ago) but haven't done it until now due to cost.

The passport office says as I am a duel US/UK Citizen both passports must be in the same name. So this means I have to renew my US passport (still in maiden name) and then my British one (double costs)

I told them rather than do that could they please issue me a passport in my maiden name. To which I was told I must supply documents in my maiden name that I don't have.

I have a holiday booked later in the year so I am not risking updating my US passport and then sending it to the UK as they probably wouldn't send it back in time.

That also means that as the Passport office does not issue refunds I have lost my money!

The civil service always gets a bad press but they are simply following their rules and guidelines. And yes, I was a civil servant (not at the passport office) for 17 years, proud of it, and always followed the rules despite some people being unreasonable.

YABU

YABU. It's very clear, took me 2 minutes to find this:
If you have a non-British passport
If you have dual citizenship (‘dual nationality’) and have a non-British passport, the name on your non-British passport must match the name and gender you want on your British passport.
If it doesn’t, change the details on your non-British passport before you apply for a new British passport.
www.gov.uk/changing-passport-information

DH has now posed a interesting question, is it worth me keeping my British citizenship?

He is British, and will become a US citizen later this year. We have no intention of moving back to the UK, do I need it?

For those saying its obvious/a good rule, it would make life pretty difficult if the other country involved insisted on the same thing though, wouldn't it. So presumably most countries don't require this rule.

I do not have dual nationality but my passport indicates that i am also known by ... husbands surname, which is different from mine

If you now want to renew in your maiden name, what would you need that you no longer have?

Hmm, interesting as I've just done the same application online as a Brit in Canada.

FWIW the exchange rate is in our favour : £100 fee was only $168

Yes you need it!

You never know.

Plus, we have the best jokes.

I just got my non British passport renewed and left it in my maiden name to save any hassle. I didnt realise this rule existed!

diddl

I would need to show 3 documents either a driving license, utility bill, tax letter, bank statement or mortgage statement with my maiden name. But the documents can't be more that a year old

They were brilliant with my DD's first passport. Posted it off on the Monday, it was back in Friday's post!

You have decided to change your name

And also decided to leave 9 YEARS between changing the name and deciding to renew a passport. It is not the passport office's fault in the UK, or the US passport office's fault that you have delayed so long and no longer have proof of your previous name.

OP: Besides I am not saying it's there [sic] fault I am highlighting a problem so others do not fall victim

Thread title: Passport office is useless! Warning to all

Um.

You waited 9yrs and now you're blaming the passport office ?

I didn't need documentation to renew my passport - is it because you are not in the UK that you need the proof of ID?
Where are you travelling to? I'd just use the American one.

You have to pay to renounce your British Citizenship.

You don't have to pay to keep it.

My understanding was that the US won't let you hold dual citizenship? My parents both became US citizens (Brits having lived there fir 35 years) because it was advantageous as far as inheritance tax was concerned so it might be worth getting financial and legal advice as to the pros and cons of both taking up citizenship.

Durham passport office were effin' marvellous when I lost my passport and needed a new one in a hurry. No messing, job done, new passport! I hugged the courier when he appeared through the mist on the morning of our holiday with a new passport in hand. They turned it round in minimum time promised. Total legends

I had a similar situation where I updated my British passport to married name before my cdn passport (living in UK but born in Canada). I left changing my cdn passport to my married name for 4 years (same reason, money) so it was well expired. I didn't have any hassle changing either of them. YANBU.

Allthebestnamesareused

The US does not recognize duel citizenship so it has no benefit to me living in the US. The UK does however.

I have to travel back to the U.K. To see family later in the year so no reason why I can't enter the UK with my US passport

Warning to all.... hmmm

I would keep the UK nationality (you don't give it up by not renewing your passport anyway). It costs nothing to keep but can be invaluable to have a second passport - and having the UK passport as a second one is what many people could only dream of.

But what if the US insists that you change your UK one first, and then they'll do the US one? That wouldn't work.

And for those asking, the US doesn't recognize dual (or multiple) citizenship, but it does recognize that other countries do, and doesn't insist on someone denouncing citizenship from another state when they are granted American (or denouncing American when they get another citizenship). They just only recognize the US element, and insist that within the US that passport is used.

I don't think you need both passports as dual citizens. DH went to NZ with a UK passport and all they said was you will be entering as a tourist. I have three nationality and only a UK passport. I live here so I'm not renewing the others. Neither has DH. Why pay another fee for another passport?

I understand the US might be different. They are quite strict aren't they?