Citizenship + name change

Hi all - I used to lurk and occasionally post in here YEARS ago, so I know this is the first place to turn to with immigration questions. 

I'm currently on ILR, and have been eligible for citizenship for a number of years. The only reason I didn't apply for it after I met the requirements was that after the work permit -> unmarried partner -> ILR process, I was pretty tired of dealing with the Home Office. However, I think the time has finally come to get it sorted.

In the interim, I've gotten married. So far I've retained my own surname, but I would like to change it to match my partner's. Can someone verify that my thinking on how to go about this alongside getting my UK citizenship/passport is correct?

First step is to change my name in the UK by deed poll. As I understand it, I have to apply for citizenship with evidence of the name that the application is being made in, so the deed poll would have to come before the citizenship application. Are there any issues with a deed poll name change before being a citizen?

Once I'd changed my name by deed poll, I would go through naturalisation with the new name, including evidence of the deed poll name change in my application. UK citizenship would be issued in the new name, and I would apply for a passport using that name.

None of this would have any impact in the US, and when I file taxes, renew US passport, etc, it would all be in my original name. If I ever move back to the US I would change my name there, but for the foreseeable future there's no beneficial reason to do so that I can see.

Does all this make sense? Is there a better approach I should take?

Thanks for any advice!

The naturalisation application can only be made in the name of your current passport and ILR, so the name on your US passport.

Here are your two options:

You can update the name on your US passport and then apply for a new BRP in your married name, then apply for naturalisation in your married name and have the UK documents in your married name.

Or you can apply for naturalisation in your maiden name and get your first passport, THEN change your name on your UK passport and keep your US one in your maiden name.  This is the easier/cheaper option. 

Got it, thanks for the info! I was hoping to get around the extra step of changing the UK passport to a new name, but I guess I'll go ahead and apply for citizenship straight away. How I've missed filling in these forms.

Got it, thanks for the info! I was hoping to get around the extra step of changing the UK passport to a new name, but I guess I'll go ahead and apply for citizenship straight away. How I've missed filling in these forms.

Keep us posted!   

Up until a couple of years ago you could apply for naturalisation in the name of your choice, but they eliminated that.  Everything is getting harder, not easier so best to knock it out now. 

Or you can apply for naturalisation in your maiden name and get your first passport, THEN change your name on your UK passport and keep your US one in your maiden name.  This is the easier/cheaper option. 

I thought that a British passort would only be isued in the same name as the foreign passport/s, unless the applicant can prove that their own country will not allow their name to be changed etc?  And that all passports have to be sent when applying? What happens when the British passport is renewed if this is done to try to get around that law,  as the passport office seems to check a lot of things on renewal now.

I thought that a British passort would only be isued in the same name as the foreign passport/s, unless the applicant can prove that their own country will not allow their name to be changed etc?  And that all passports have to be sent when applying? What happens when the British passport is renewed if this is done to try to get around that law,  as the passport office seems to check a lot of things on renewal now.

The FIRST British passport will be issued in the name of the existing passport, which is what I said.  But you can change your name after that.  Yes, you send any other passports you have but there is no requirement about the names.  If you want to change your name, one of the passports will be the "first" to be changed.

The big thing is that you WILL have to change the name on both to successfully travel between the two.  As your passport has to match your ticket - and you can't have two names on your ticket. 

The FIRST British passport will be issued in the name of the existing passport, which is what I said.  But you can change your name after that.  Yes, you send any other passports you have but there is no requirement about the names.  If you want to change your name, one of the passports will be the "first" to be changed.

The big thing is that you WILL have to change the name on both to successfully travel between the two.  As your passport has to match your ticket - and you can't have two names on your ticket. 

What i was taking about was all the changes that are happening with checking renewals of British passports and all the people they are catching out.  I was wondering if that trick of, having to apply with both passports in the same name for a Britisih passport  but then name change one passport only later, will be shut down? Frausters, sex offenders and other criminals, have been finding it too easy to hide who they are and travel the world  by having passports with different names. e.g. Convicted in one country under one name,  that information then shared with other countries, but they then travel on the other passport that has their different name.

This sort of thing.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bankrupt-property-tycoon-simon-halabi-hid-french-rape-conviction-0w7c5phlm

What i was taking about was all the changes that are happening with checking renewals of British passports and all the people they are catching out.  I was wondering if that trick of, having to apply with both passports in the same name for a Britisih passport  but then name change one passport only later, will be shut down? Frausters, sex offenders and other criminals, have been finding it too easy to hide who they are and travel the world  by having passports with different names. e.g. Convicted in one country under one name,  that information then shared with other countries, but they then travel on the other passport that has their different name.

This sort of thing.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bankrupt-property-tycoon-simon-halabi-hid-french-rape-conviction-0w7c5phlm

I don't see how they would ever be able to police that.  And I hate to take dboone's thread down into the weeds of sex offenders.  Pretty sure she's just a contributing member of society who married and would like to use her husband's name.