Guidance

Names: aligning names on foreign documents: caseworker guidance

Tells HM Passport Office staff how to deal with passport applications where the name a customer applies in does not match the name on their foreign documents.

• From: HM Passport Office
• Published: 4 March 2021
• Last updated: 22 October 2025 — See all updates

Documents

Names: aligning names on foreign documents

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Details

This guidance tells HM Passport Office staff:

• what the customer must do (before we issue them with a passport)
• when we will consider issuing a passport using the name on a passport application (even if it does not match the name on the customer’s foreign document)

Published 4 March 2021

Last updated 22 October 2025 + show all updates

1. 22 October 2025

   Guidance updated as detailed in section 1.3.

2. 3 July 2025

   For a full list of changes, see 'changes from last version of this guidance'.

3. 5 March 2024

   Updated the Names: aligning names on foreign documents guidance to make minor formatting changes.

4. 14 December 2022

   This guidance has been updated to reflect the change in our sovereign from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to His Majesty King Charles III.

5. 28 September 2022

   Accessible version added.

6. 4 March 2021

   First published.