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!

LevantineHummus

True, I could always plaster it into the wall with some cash in case of emergency!

As a US citizen since birth-I would love to also have citizenship status in another country (especially now that we have Voldemort as our president.)

Definitely keep your UK citizenship!

My other one, trying to not out myself, I have also entered using either of my other passports. Haven't got problems.

Also..
It's 'dual' citizenship.
A duel means pistols at dawn!

I don't wish to be rude, but two minutes of googling found this

You and similar smartarses are starting with the knowlege that their are rules to be found. You are starting from a completely different place to the OP.

I see no reason why it shouldn't be possible to have passports from two different countries in different names, so it would never have occurred to me to look for rules forbidding it.

there

I think it is fair enough to expect people to keep to one name.

Google only works if you know the difference between duel and dual.

I also didn't need anything to renew mine- I'm British in Germany.

My DOB was also wrong-husband's birth year instead of mine on the application.

I had an email asking which was correct-fortunalely the old passport was correct, so they altered the application & reissued.
Couldn't have been more helpful.

YANBU OP, we are not talking about changing your name to something new, we are talking about maiden/married name, which is a change a good number of women will make.
I have dual citizenship as well (not UK) and one of my passport has my maiden name on, whereas the other one has my married name. It is still the same "identity" though, I can't believe the UK wants to control your other citizenship...
Anyway, you can just not renew your passport, you don't have to give up citizenship, right?

It's not 'duel' citizenship.

I don't see why the passport office are useless?!? They said you need both passports in the same name - seems v sensible and reasonable! Is the US passport office useless or just the British one? Of course yabu

Which name do you want to be long term?

US passports are also 10 year validity, so if still in your maiden name, must need a renewal soon. Might ge worth checking now when it expires and how that fits with your travel plans.

Interesting link here
www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/requirement_to_submit_foreign_pa
The UK passport application form asks you to submit all your foreign passports with your UK application
Has anyone ever done this?

Wouldn't it look incredibly dodgy to have 2 passports in 2 different names??!

I renewed my passport online last month - took less than a week. I think YABU.

I've just renewed DD's passport online. The new document arrived in about 3 days. I must say I'm very impressed with the passport office's efficiency.
I also think YABU.

But there are loads of people who are known by more than one name, particularly when they move between countries. Although the passport is meant to be in your official name that's a bit of a false concept.

Your passport and your citizenship are separate. You don't lose your citizenship by not renewing your passport. You can get a British passport another time if you want to, you don't have to do it now. But if the UK stop letting in US citizens without a visa, you may find it awkward to travel to the UK on visits without a valid UK passport. And with the way things are going, you may find a UK passport gives you more freedom for travel elsewhere too.

So I would suggest, if you're traveling to the UK soon, don't bother renewing now. But when you know you won't be traveling for a while, sort it all out.

I think the need for passports to have the same name could be quite a problem for some people. Especially people from countries with very different languages where your Anglicised name and your other-country name may be quite different. The demand to have the other passport in the same name is also, logistically, very problematic if other countries do the same thing.