stephaniehw

Hello fellow Expats - I need help as I am in passport renewal hell.
Completed the online application as now required and sent color copies of all pages of my US passport which has been received. So far so good or so I thought. Now I find out that HMPO over the years have dropped my middle name (appeared on the old blue ones since 1973 but after they turned red no middle name) so I didn't ask for it on my application but my US passport included it (per my naturalization document). First renewal since becoming a US citizen about 5 years ago. Have renewed at lease 5 times prior with the last 3 done at a local consulates in various continents. Now the HMPO will not renew my UK passport until I send them a copy of my US passport with the name "corrected". Apparently there is a "one name policy rule" and the names need to match. Guess I should have read the notes.

I don't seem to be able to get a definitive answer from the first level Advice Line people I have spoken to (x 4). They have said an Examiner will call me but twice I have received emails that I can't respond to saying they can't call me citing the time difference (I'm in AZ) or that they tried and I missed their call (no missed calls or voicemails). I've also been sent an email saying send us a letter requesting your supporting documents back (not sure how this helps) and another that just says "send us your documents" but they don't say what they want. I tried the enquiry email but they don't directly answer my question they just cite the rules and tell me to send them the corrected US passport. I feel like I am in a parallel universe right now.

My only glimmer of hope is the last young man I spoke to on the advice line at 4am this morning. He is supposed to be asking the Examiner if I can send them an original birth certificate and clear up the "discrepancy" and hopefully add the middle name to my UK passport application.

Anyone had the same or similar issue? Any advice is welcome. If nothing else let this be a reminder that your foreign passport must match your application.
Thanks for reading.

BritInParis

If your middle name appears on your birth certificate (and therefore is your correct ‘legal’ name) then it’s your British passport that should be corrected. A copy of your full birth certificate (assuming you haven’t changed your surname) will do this. Not sure why it’s taken four or five phone calls for such a simple answer but there you go.

If you do not have such a copy or would prefer not to part with the original then you can order a fresh certified copy from the General Register Office assuming you were born in England or Wales.

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/c...ates/login.asp

stephaniehw

Thank you for your response BritInParis - your answer does seem to be the obvious one and I am really hoping they agree to it. I'm somewhat reluctant to part with my Birth Certificate and trust its fate to Fedex or UPS so I may set the ball rolling and request a copy. I'm hoping that won't be an issue as sadly I wasn't born in England or Wales but in Germany while my father was in the RAF. The birth was subsequently registered at Somerset House on our return and I have various bits of paper to support that. I hope getting a copy will not my next obstacle LOL

Nutmegger

You say that your passport previously cited your full name, but at some point it was dropped. Have you pointed that out to the person you have been in communication with and provided a copy?

stephaniehw

Thanks Nutmegger - I pointed that out to the person on phone call #4 (it took me a day to track down where I had filed all those old passports) and he has apparently included it in my notes. I also told him that last time I applied for a renewal - 10 years ago and before I received my US passport - I included the middle name in my application but the passport came back without it. I still have the paper copy from 2013 when the Consulate in Washington DC issued my renewal. Apparently HMPO do not keep records but rely on the expiring passport that you return, your application and any supporting docs they request. If they need my first two passports with the middle name included I am happy to send them - I only keep them for sentimental reasons - I was a "stewardess" with BA for 10 years back in the day and they are full of stamps from the many countries I visited.

Glasgow Girl

I got a copy of my birth certificate in about 3 weeks, from the Scottish records and this at the height of Covid, so it might not take too long.

BritInParis

You can also order certificates for events that occurred outside the UK but were registered with a consulate or HM Forces. I’m sure your birth would be included in this category.

It may be useful to have a fresh copy on file regardless of anything else.

tht

For anyone else reading the thread, when you do the foreign birth registration in the UK you can pay extra and get more than 1 “original” copy. I think I did 3 (pair and a spare) for any future issues like this. I can give my sons 2 each and retain 1. Ordered extra US birth certificates as well after the original came. Germany went less well, submitted the paper work to register their citizenships, was told 2-3 years to process, checked back after 3 and was told something was wrong and they had stoped processing and not let me know…

lansbury

Another reason why only traveling with a US passport avoids problems.

Derrygal

I guess I shall have problems later on this year. I lived here in the US for many years with just a green card. I only became a citizen a few years ago. My British passport has just one name. My American one has two names. I was actually given three names by my parents (something to do with not offending relatives) but just decided to use only one name on my British passport. I guess I should have done that with my American one too. I dropped the third name and applied for my American passport with two names (as my green card had). To complicate matters, I got married and then divorced so my last name has changed a few times. Not sure how this will affect me getting my British passport renewed later this year - now I am dreading it.

Nutmegger

There is a section to cite all the names you have been known by (I have about three to enter there) and if you ensure every variation is accounted for, you may be OK. Plus, I am always known by my middle name. I haven’t had any rejections.

Derrygal

That's good to know. I wish my parents hadn't given me three names! It's ridiculous!

stephaniehw

So this morning's missive from HMPO asked for proof that I had legally changed my name. Also send proof that I am now using my new name and have used it in the last 12 months. You can't make this stuff up.
Call # 5 was a bit frustrating but I did manage to convey that I had not changed my name legally or otherwise and will be more than happy to include my middle name on my UK passport so it matches the US passport. Within a couple of hours I received another e-mail asking for just my birth certificate. Hallelujah!
I am ordering a certified copy of my Birth Certificate - hopefully it will be as quick as Glasgow Girl's. I will send it on to HMPO and hope they don't lose my file in the interim.
It did cross my mind that I should have simply answered no to the question "do you have another passport?" Just sayin'.

Derrygal - forewarned is forearmed - It seems the big deal is the two (or more) passports must match. You might as well order that duplicate birth certificate now and include it with your application. Best $15 you will spend this year.

Thanks for everyone's advice. I'll let y'all know if it works out.

Derrygal

Yes - I will although I wasn't born in England (Northern Ireland) I guess I need a copy of my marriage certificate and divorce decree as well. It's going to be a bloody nightmare. My daughters were both born in England and are naturalized Americans. One of them has just let her British passport expire but the other one renews it.

BritInParis

Northern Ireland: https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk