Hey, did you apply for the VISA? Also, how did you write your Given name in the Visa application XXX or blank or broke you name in 2 parts?
thanks
Canadian passport with given name "XXX", will OCI have "XXX" too ?
- Thread starter Toro_123
- Start date
thanks
Hi All, I had the same issue with my name on Indian Passport with blank Surname. I will use John Smith as an example name.
Indian Passport: Given Name : John Smith Surname : Blank
Canada Passport: Given Name : XXX Surname : John Smith
Canada Citizenship Certificate: Given Name : XXX Surname : John Smith
OCI : Given Name : XXX Surname: John Smith
After receiving OCI with Surname as XXX, I got a legal name change done through Service Ontario and got a LEGAL NAME CHANGE DOCUMENT. This document reflected both Old Name and New Name as follows:
Old Name : John Smith
New Name: Smith, John
I took this LEGAL NAME CHANGE DOCUMENT and as first step, I got a new Canadian Passport issued with new name. So my new Canadian passport has name as follows:
Given Name: John
Surname : Smith
(Note:- Canada Citizenship certificate still has my old name. They don't need Citizenship certificate with new name at this point. They will only see the citizenship certificate with Old Name to validate you are a Canadian citizen).
After receiving new Passport, I applied for OCI Miscellaneous Service to get new OCI with my new name. This process requires
Canada Passport (new name)
Legal Name Change Document
** This application for OCI Miscellaneous Service does NOT require Canadian Citizenship Certificate with new name**
After 6 weeks I received OCI with correct name.
Given Name : John
Surname: Smith
As last step, apply for "Replacement of Citizenship Certificate" after Legal Name Change. This is a time taking process and as per CIC website it takes
17 months to get a new Citizenship Certificate. But the good thing is you don't need this certificate for any day to day process. So you can sit back and wait to get new certificate with new name.
After going through this process, I will say its not super complex and is totally worth it.
NOTE:- It is important to get OCI issued first with old name where your Surname is XXX. The reason is when you apply for fresh OCI you need to submit Citizenship Certificate as one of the mandatory document. But when you apply for OCI Miscellaneous service after Name change you do not have to submit Citizenship Certificate.
So if you change your name first without getting an OCI, and get new Canada Passport with new name, you have to wait until you get new Citizenship Certificate before you can apply for OCI.
Happy to answer any questions if anyone might have.
Indian Passport: Given Name : John Smith Surname : Blank
Canada Passport: Given Name : XXX Surname : John Smith
Canada Citizenship Certificate: Given Name : XXX Surname : John Smith
OCI : Given Name : XXX Surname: John Smith
After receiving OCI with Surname as XXX, I got a legal name change done through Service Ontario and got a LEGAL NAME CHANGE DOCUMENT. This document reflected both Old Name and New Name as follows:
Old Name : John Smith
New Name: Smith, John
I took this LEGAL NAME CHANGE DOCUMENT and as first step, I got a new Canadian Passport issued with new name. So my new Canadian passport has name as follows:
Given Name: John
Surname : Smith
(Note:- Canada Citizenship certificate still has my old name. They don't need Citizenship certificate with new name at this point. They will only see the citizenship certificate with Old Name to validate you are a Canadian citizen).
After receiving new Passport, I applied for OCI Miscellaneous Service to get new OCI with my new name. This process requires
Canada Passport (new name)
Legal Name Change Document
** This application for OCI Miscellaneous Service does NOT require Canadian Citizenship Certificate with new name**
After 6 weeks I received OCI with correct name.
Given Name : John
Surname: Smith
As last step, apply for "Replacement of Citizenship Certificate" after Legal Name Change. This is a time taking process and as per CIC website it takes
17 months to get a new Citizenship Certificate. But the good thing is you don't need this certificate for any day to day process. So you can sit back and wait to get new certificate with new name.
After going through this process, I will say its not super complex and is totally worth it.
NOTE:- It is important to get OCI issued first with old name where your Surname is XXX. The reason is when you apply for fresh OCI you need to submit Citizenship Certificate as one of the mandatory document. But when you apply for OCI Miscellaneous service after Name change you do not have to submit Citizenship Certificate.
So if you change your name first without getting an OCI, and get new Canada Passport with new name, you have to wait until you get new Citizenship Certificate before you can apply for OCI.
Happy to answer any questions if anyone might have.
Hi,
Thanks for sharing information in detail!
How long is the process to get Ontario legal name change document and what documents required to apply? I have XXX in Canadian passport but in OCI they put my full name in Given name section without XXX.
Thanks
Legal Name Change took around 5-6 weeks.
Refer to this link below for the process. Its a very simple process, if you have any questions, let me know
http://www.ontario.ca/page/change-name
Going this way is a waste of money (you have to apply for Canadian passport twice, OCI Miscellaneous Service apart from the OCI fees, also other charges like additional postal charges), time and effort.
You can apply for OCI without the citizenship certificate in new name as long as you provide the photocopy of the ontario (provincial) name change certificate and an affidavit. I received my OCI card recently, and I know some of the members in this thread also went that easy route and got OCI card. This is the steps I followed.
Got my citizenship certificate with given name blank. I changed it legally (took almost 6 weeks). changed my name in driving license and other docs. Applied for Canadian passport with the new name. Applied for the OCI card with the new name (submitted passport copy, citizenship certificate in old name, name change certificate copy and an affidavit + other docs). OCI took only the regular processing time.
Good for you!!
I was told by BLS that for OCI application, name on Citizenship certifiate and Canadian passport should match and hence I went the route of getting everything done twice. It did involve extra money but if ur process worked , then its definitely better. The only extra hassle is getting an affidavit which should not a big deal as long as you know what that affidavit needs to reflect.
Yes, BLS is inconsistent in what documents they ask for. In some cases they demanded for notarised affidavit but in my case I just did a self declaration and it worked.
Hi! I have the same issue, I want to self-declare as well, instead of getting the affidavit. What did you write in the self-declaration, do you mind sharing? Thanks a lot!
Hi, Please find the format below, I have used an example name
"
To,
The Consulate General of India,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
From,
SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR
Address
Canada, Postalcode
RE: Self Declaration regarding Legal Name Change.
Respected Sir/Madam,
I, SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR, of legal age, a resident of Address, in the City of cityname, in the province of Ontario, Postal Code , do solemnly affirm and declare that:
1. That in Indian passport ( Passport # ; surrendered after acquiring Canadian citizenship), my name is written as SACHIN R TENDULKAR as Given Name(s).
2. That in my Canadian Passport (Passport # ), my name is written as SACHIN RAMESH as Given Name(s) and TENDULKAR as Surname.
3. That I have legally changed my Name from SACHIN R TENDULKAR to SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR as per the Ontario legal name change certificate Registration number (###) through the Office of the Registrar General Ontario.
4. That both as Given Name SACHIN R TENDULKAR or as SACHIN RAMESH as Given Name and TENDULKAR as Surname is one and the same person.
5. I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing it to be true, and knowing that it is of the same force and effect as if made under oath.
I affirm that all the information given in this letter is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I have attached legal change of name certificate issued by the Ontario Office of the Registrar General with this application.
Very truly yours.
SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR
"
Hi there
What documents did you include for name change application ? Did you write xxx as first name and asked to change to real name ?
Did you include birth certificate ?
Name change with the province or Name change when updating a Passport with new name?
for those got passport with given name as XXX.
"IRCC spokesperson, Peter Liang, said passport holders with XXX as their first name can return their valid passport and have it replaced with a blank in their given-name field at no extra charge."
Read this article:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/western-students-passport-xxx-name-1.6502666
"IRCC spokesperson, Peter Liang, said passport holders with XXX as their first name can return their valid passport and have it replaced with a blank in their given-name field at no extra charge."
Read this article:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/western-students-passport-xxx-name-1.6502666
Hi There,
You have mentioned that to apply for a Canadian passport, we can use the old Citizenship certificate with old name. But you apply for the new passport, it asks for what document you will be submitting with new passport application(birth certificate, if you are born in Canada, or Citizenship certificate if you are born outside of Canada). What did you use at that time?
Hi Navid,
I am in the same boat. One question to you: did you apply for surrender certificate before (or in parallel to) the name change application?
I am thinking of following the below timeline. Could you please review and provide your feedback
1a) Apply for surrender certificate with old name (Indian PP - First Name: John Wick, Last Name: Blank; Canadian PP - Last Name: John Wick, First Name: xxx).
1b) Apply for provincial name change
1a) and 1b) are in parallel
2) Once name change received, apply for provincial documents and new Canadian PP.
3) Apply for OCI with the new name.
The only thing that I am concerned about is that the surrender cert and OCI applications will be with different name which I guess is fine as confirmed with multiple people here.
Thanks in advance.