Guidance

Names: how to show uncommon names in passports

Published 23 June 2023

Version 7.0

About: Names: how to show uncommon names in passports

This guidance tells His Majesty’s Passport Office operational how to show uncommon names in passports, including:

• when there is a naming convention (for example, cultural traditions that say how a name must be shown)

• Welsh names that have ‘ap surname’ (son of)

• Irish and Gaelic names that customers have translated into English

• names that include ‘Junior’ prefixes or suffixes

• stage, professional and religious names

• when the customer only has 1 name

• names that include titles as part of the actual name (for example, ‘Sir David Jones’ where ‘Sir’ is the customer’s forename’)

Contacts

If you have any questions about the guidance and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the guidance has factual errors then email Guidance & Quality, Operating Standards.

If you notice any formatting errors in this guidance (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the guidance then you can email Guidance & Quality, Operating Standards.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the guidance was published:

• version 7.0

• published for Home Office staff on 5 December 2022

Changes from last version of this guidance

This guidance has been updated to tell DAP examiners how to deal with the Blank first and middle names task.

How to show uncommon names in a passport

This section tells His Majesty’s Passport Office operational staff how to deal with uncommon names and how they must be shown in the passport.

You, the examiner must use this guidance if the customer has an uncommon name.

Cultural naming conventions

HM Passport Office understands that some countries have cultural traditions that state how someone’s name must be shown. For example:

• married women who are not allowed to use their husband’s name

• married women who must use their maiden name and husband’s name

• someone who must use both their parents’ surnames

• the order someone’s name must be shown in

You, the examiner, must check if there are cultural naming conventions, when the name on the passport application does not match the name on the supporting documents or other passports provided.

How to check if there are cultural naming conventions

To check if there is a cultural naming convention, you must check the:

• Knowledge Base for the country where the name is from, to find out it:

  • the country does not allow the customer to align their name due to conventions

  • the name change will fall outside of the naming convention

  • there are no naming conventions in the country, but the customer provides official evidence that explains the difference in their name is due to a naming convention

• Knowledge Base, for naming conventions for:

  • Hindu names

  • Hindu titles

  • Sikh names

  • Muslim names

  • Middle Eastern names

  • African names

  • Latin American names

• previously answered Operational Network Guidance (ONG) queries that makes reference to a similar naming convention

When there is a cultural naming convention

If Knowledge Base shows there is a naming convention that explains the difference between the name on the passport application and the name on the supporting documents, and the country will not allow the customer to align their name as it will fall outside of their naming convention, you must:

1. Not ask the customer to align their name on their foreign passports or documents, with the name used on their passport application.

2. Add an observation to say ‘The HOLDER HAS A [country] [passport, travel document or identity document number] IN THE FORENAMES OF [forename] AND THE SURNAME OF [surname], ISSUED ON [date]. THIS [passport, travel document or identity document] IS DUE TO EXPIRE ON/EXPIRED ON [date].’ The observation must not give the reason why the name is different.

3. Add a case note to explain why you added the observation (see Names: name related system checks and fraud indicators for what must be included in the case note).

4. Continue to deal with the application, in line with current guidance.

If the customer has 2 or more citizenships and their name is different because of a naming convention, you must:

• add separate observations for each name

• include the name of the document that the name is different in

When there are no cultural naming conventions

If Knowledge Base and previously answered ONG queries do not explain the difference between the name on the passport application and supporting documents, but the customer tells you there is a naming convention, you must:

• ask the customer to align their names on the foreign document or provide official evidence (for example, from a foreign authority) that shows a naming convention exists and that country does not allow a change to their name

If a customer provides official evidence that explains the difference in the spelling of their name is because of a naming convention and the country where the foreign document is from will not allow them to change their name, you must:

1. Not ask the customer to align their name on their foreign passports or documents, with the name used on their passport application.

2. Add a case note to explain why you added the observation (see Names: name related system checks and fraud indicators for what must be included in the case note).

3. Issue a passport with an observation to say ‘The HOLDER HAS A [country] {passport, travel document or identity document number] IN THE FORENAMES OF [forename] AND THE SURNAME OF [surname], ISSUED ON [date]. THIS [passport, travel document or identity document] IS DUE TO EXPIRE ON/EXPIRED ON [date].’ The observation must not give the reason why the name is different.

4. Raise a query with Guidance & Quality, Operating Standards using the Quality and Examination Support team (QuESt) referral process, to tell them:

• about the naming convention you found

• to update Knowledge Base with details of the naming convention

If you have doubts about a naming convention, you must raise a query with the Guidance & Quality, Operating Standards using the QuESt referral process.

If a customer cannot provide official evidence that shows a naming convention exists, you must deal with the difference in their name using the Names: aligning names on foreign document guidance.

Welsh names on passport applications

Welsh names that have ‘ap surname’

Some customers’ names include ‘ap surname’ (son of) and can be used in both English or Welsh names (see the Welsh Language guidance).

As long as it is shown on the birth certificate, you must:

• accept it

• update the surname field on the system

Welsh names that include diacritical characters (symbols or accent marks)

The system cannot accept diacritical characters or accent marks. If a Welsh name has one, you must refer to Names: names that cannot be used in passports guidance.

Irish and Gaelic names

Irish and Gaelic names can be different when translated into English. We will issue a customer’s passport using the name on their birth certificate, unless they provide evidence they have changed their name (see Names: change of name passport applications guidance).

If the customer’s birth certificate is in an Irish or Gaelic name but they apply for a passport in a translated English name, you must:

• contact them by phone, letter or email (use email if the customer is overseas)

• tell them:

  • you will issue the passport in the name on their birth certificate

  • you will add an observation to show they are also known by the name they put on the passport application form

  • they must send you evidence they have changed their name, if they want to use the name they put on the passport application form (see Names: change of name passport applications guidance)

If the customer confirms you can use the name on their birth certificate with an observation, you must:

1. Update their name on the system to match the name on their birth certificate.

2. Add an observation to say ‘The applicant is also known by [the English translation]’ (see observations in passports).

3. Add a case note to show all actions and decisions you have taken, along with your reasons (see Names: change of name passport applications for what must be included in the case note).

4. Continue to examine the application, in line with current guidance.

‘Junior’ prefixes and suffixes

The General Register Office (GRO) has told us that ‘Junior’ is usually shown after the customer’s surname on their birth certificate.

If the customer wants to use ‘Junior’ on their passport, you must check if it is shown on their birth certificate. If it is:

• you must update it in the surname field on the system

• not, you must treat it as a change of name and ask the customer to provide evidence of a change of name

Roman numerals

As Roman numerals are made up of letters, we can include them on passports, as long as:

• the customer provides evidence to show the Roman numeral is part of their name (for example, birth certificate or statutory declaration)

• it meets our policy on names (for example, it does not breach trademark or copyright laws and it’s not offensive)

Stage, professional and religious names

Some customers find it easier to travel in their stage, professional or religious names, for example:

• entertainers travelling in their stage name

• customers who have religious orders and are known by their title

As long as the customer provides evidence of the stage, professional or religious name, you must:

• issue the passport in their real name

• add an observation that shows their stage, professional or religious name

For example, if the customer’s real name is ‘Michael Jones’ but their stage name is ‘Signature’, you must:

• issue the passport using the name ‘Michael Jones’

• add an observation to show ‘The holder is also known as Signature’

When the customer only has 1 name

If a customer only has 1 name on their birth certificate or change of name document, how you deal with the application depends on if you are processing the application on AMS (Application Management System) or DAP (Digital Application Processing).

If you are processing the application on AMS, you must:

1. Update the surname field on the system with the customer’s name.

2. Update the forename field with ‘XXX’.

3. Add the observation: ‘The holder is [name] (the holder has one name and reference to XXX does not form part of their name)’.

If you are processing the application on DAP, the system will automatically add ‘XXX’ in the forename field when we print the passport, when both of the following apply:

• you did not make any changes to the customers name (for example, because the customer only has one name)

• you clear the Blank first and middle names task

This means you:

• do not need to add ‘XXX’ in the forename field, because DAP will add this automatically when we print the passport

• must still add the observation ‘The holder is [name] (the holder has one name and reference to XXX does not form part of their name)’

DAP: how to deal with a Blank first and middle names task

When a customer completes their paper application form, they may not complete the forename section and leave it blank.

If the customer does not complete the forename section on their paper application form, the Digital Application Processing (DAP) system will create a Blank first and middle names task.

To deal with the Blank first and middle names task, you must:

1. Check the customer’s documents to see if:

• there is any reason why the forename is blank (for example, a letter)

• the customer has a forename

• the customer only has one name

2. Check the customer’s old passport on Main Index (if they have one) to see if the customer’s forename is recorded.

3. Decide if you must:

• enter the customer’s forename in the Personal details tab (if there is no reason why the forename section is blank)

• refer to When the customer only has 1 name (if the customer only has one name)

4. In the task, decide if you must:

• Clear this task

• Ask for documents

• Ask for a digital referee

• Withdraw application

• Delay decision on this task

• Refer for investigation

5. Add a case note in the Leave a note section.

6. Select Save.

Names that include titles, honours and decorations

Although there is no legal basis to do so, customers can change their name by deed poll so it includes a title as part of their name. For example, the customer’s name is ‘Sir John Smith’ and ‘Sir’ is the forename.

To stop the customer using the name fraudulently, you must add an observation to say: ‘The reference to [title] is the holder’s name and not the holder’s title’.

You must refer to the:

• titles guidance when dealing with any application, that:

  • includes a title before their name

  • includes a title that forms part of their actual name

  • includes a change of name deed that includes honours or decorations

  • has a name on their birth certificate that could be misleading as a title (for example, Princess, Prince, Earl, Duke)

• observations in passports guidance (when adding observations about titles)