Guidance

Names: change of name passport applications

Tells HM Passport Office staff how to deal with passport applications when the customer has a change of name.

From:

HM Passport Office

Published:

4 March 2021

Last updated:

3 September 2026

Show all updates

3 September 2026
Updated to version 36.0 of the guidance with changes throughout.
8 June 2026
Updated the sections 'Change of name following a marriage or civil partnership', to clarify how a customer can take part of their partner’s surname; and 'Customer reverts to birth name: no other name changes', to remove the requirement for customers to tell us why they are reverting to their birth name.
18 December 2025
Updated guidance with multiple changes. Changes can be found in the 'Changes from last version of this guidance' within the document.
20 February 2025
This guidance has been updated to reflect updates in handling of names which may be subject to trademark or copyright.
1 December 2022
This guidance has been updated to reflect the change of name of the Queen’s Messenger Service to the King’s Messenger Service.
28 September 2022
Accessible version added.
4 March 2021
First published.

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This guidance tells HM Passport Office staff how to deal with passport applications that have a change of name, including:

how customers apply to change their name
how to deal with:
- adult and child name changes
- name changes for someone who you suspect is an offender
- name changes and name differences after the customer has registered or naturalised
- a change of name as the customer has changed gender
- a change of name after a passport was lost or stolen
- name changes for British overseas citizens and British overseas territory citizens
- name changes on joint citizenship applications
- name changes for diplomats and officials
- name changes and differences when the customer needs an interview
when you must complete additional checks when the customer has changed their name
name changes that may be an indication of fraud