Name issues - please reply

[toronto2222]

Hi..just wondering if someone has faced this kind of a situation ..
Suppose in the applicant's passport the name is as below:
Given Name: abc def
Surname :

Basically the given name has the first name any the last name and the surname field is left blank

During the PR application process they changed it since their systems don't allow blank last names . The name on the PR card is -
Given Name-
Surname - abc def

doed this affect the citizenship application in any way? Has anyone had inconsistencies in the name on different documents n still got their citizenship approved?

Would appreciate a reply. Thanks!

 

[thecoolguysam]

Hi..just wondering if someone has faced this kind of a situation ..
Suppose in the applicant's passport the name is as below:
Given Name: abc def
Surname :

Basically the given name has the first name any the last name and the surname field is left blank

During the PR application process they changed it since their systems don't allow blank last names . The name on the PR card is -
Given Name-
Surname - abc def

doed this affect the citizenship application in any way? Has anyone had inconsistencies in the name on different documents n still got their citizenship approved?

Would appreciate a reply. Thanks!

Same happened with me. I suppose you are from india, correct? I had to get a legal name change done in canada and got my pr card, sin card, drivers license and Indian passport(indian name change was done with indian rules) changed with new name . I have applied for citizenship with my updated new legal name.

Now once your citizenship application is approved or completed then apply for proper name change to add your surname.
You can change your name during citizenship application too and once name is changed, inform cic about your new name.

 

[toronto2222]

Yes! thank you!...yes i am from india..i have seen that this a pretty common issue...could you help me out with how you changed your name on the indian passport and also how to did the change here in canada? if you could give an example of how you did it..or some links that you might have..would be great! I read about some things online but sure how to go about it...

 

[thecoolguysam]

Yes! thank you!...yes i am from india..i have seen that this a pretty common issue...could you help me out with how you changed your name on the indian passport and also how to did the change here in canada? if you could give an example of how you did it..or some links that you might have..would be great! I read about some things online but sure how to go about it...

I think you are from toronto, right?

I live in BC and the rules for toronto might be different.

I went to vital statistics agency and submitted my application to get legal name change in Canada.
fingerprints were done.
then i got my legal name change certificate.
Then i went to service canada to get my name changed on sin card, then drivers license office to get drivers license changed and then i sent letter to health insurance british columbia to change my name on health card and then went to banks to change my name.
They all required to see my new name change certificate.
Then i filled in request to change PR card and got my new pr card to change my name.

Then applied with indian consulate to change my indian passport's name (it was all according to indian rules) like getting newspaper advertisement etc in two newspapers and waiting for atleast one month before i apply and indian consulate people wanted to have me change my pr card name before i change my name on indian passport.

Now it was in early 2012. now the rules might be different.

The whole process took almost 6 months (i dont remember exactly)

good luck.


You can legally change your name right now and send details to CIC once your name is changed while your application is in process.
This is what the link says:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/CIT0002ETOC.asp

Important information: Once processing of your application has begun a name change can only be made due to an administrative error made by the Department, a truncated (shortened) name on the immigration document or a legal change of name.

I don't see any issues with your old name affecting your citizenship application. however, cic may request more information in future if they feel necessary, may be fingerprint request just to be sure.

 

[toronto2222]

Thanks a ton for taking time out and giving me all this information! Gives me a better idea of the time frame and the process, though I know the process might be different here in Ontario. I'll look it up and proceed. Thanks again.

I think you are from toronto, right?

I live in BC and the rules for toronto might be different.

I went to vital statistics agency and submitted my application to get legal name change in Canada.
fingerprints were done.
then i got my legal name change certificate.
Then i went to service canada to get my name changed on sin card, then drivers license office to get drivers license changed and then i sent letter to health insurance british columbia to change my name on health card and then went to banks to change my name.
They all required to see my new name change certificate.
Then i filled in request to change PR card and got my new pr card to change my name.

Then applied with indian consulate to change my indian passport's name (it was all according to indian rules) like getting newspaper advertisement etc in two newspapers and waiting for atleast one month before i apply and indian consulate people wanted to have me change my pr card name before i change my name on indian passport.

Now it was in early 2012. now the rules might be different.

The whole process took almost 6 months (i dont remember exactly)

good luck.


You can legally change your name right now and send details to CIC once your name is changed while your application is in process.
This is what the link says:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/CIT0002ETOC.asp

Important information: Once processing of your application has begun a name change can only be made due to an administrative error made by the Department, a truncated (shortened) name on the immigration document or a legal change of name.

I don't see any issues with your old name affecting your citizenship application. however, cic may request more information in future if they feel necessary, may be fingerprint request just to be sure.

 

[sunshine1212]

Dear Toronto2222, Were you able to resolve this issue? I am eligible to apply for citizenship this month and am facing the same issue. My last name on Indian passport is blank and given name has my full name. Any guidance you can provide to help me would be appreciated. I don't want to delay my citizenship application because of this.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ROSEASHISH]

So I have the same issue with my name . There is no surname on my indian passport and there is no given name on my Immrigration documents including my COPR and now I am eligible for citizenship.
Should I go ahead apply my citizenship with my same name as it is on PR.
Will it mpact on my application in process.

And I will do name change once I get my all application done in process.

 

[thecoolguysam]

@sunshine1212

@ROSEASHISH

Please explain your situation and did you guys do a name change yet or not?

 

[ROSEASHISH]

Nope I have not done that yet.I have been following my name everywhere since I got my COPR and it's been like this forever on everything ( Driving License, Health Card and other documents) since I got in Canada. But thinking to apply for Citizenship in December and follow the same on application and hope everything will go well then once in future I will Change it..

 

[sunshine1212]

So I went to registry (i am in Alberta) and the lady said I need to do a legal name change. I got the application package (fees is over $200-that's insane).. And she said it is a lengthy process and may take upto 6 months. She recommended that i apply for name change and also citizenship now. Update CIC once the name change certificate has been received. I checked immigration website and they ay that they do accept legal name changes only. So maybe this is what I am going to do. I have been in Canada forever and I don't want to delay citizenship any further.

 

[ROSEASHISH]

@sunshine

So are you going ahead with your old name as it is right now and apply for citizenship ?

 

[thecoolguysam]

You guys have two options:

1. Get your name changed legally which will take few weeks to few months depending upon the province you live in and get all your IDs changed with new name and then apply for citizenship. That way your citizenship certificate will have a new name.
2. Apply for citizenship with your current name as per PR card/COPR and once you get your citizenship, get a legal name change done which will take few weeks to few months depending upon the province you live in and get all your IDs changed with new name and then apply for citizenship certificate with new name which will also take 5-6 months


The way how it works with CIC is that when the the person's passport does not have a surname then CIC puts the whole given name in the surname field of COPR/PR card etc.

 

[dudegujrat]

So I have the same issue with my name . There is no surname on my indian passport and there is no given name on my Immrigration documents including my COPR and now I am eligible for citizenship.
Should I go ahead apply my citizenship with my same name as it is on PR.
Will it mpact on my application in process.

And I will do name change once I get my all application done in process.

Hi all,

I also applied my application with same name as appears on pr card.

 

[ROSEASHISH]

@Thecoolguysam

Thanks for your helpful info!!

So should I go ahead and apply for my citizenship with my current name?
Should I leave blank my given name in application and only write down surname ( my first name and last name ) ?
Won’t be any problem processing my application for citizenship?
As I have to submit the photocopy of my current passport and name on passport is only given name ( first name and last name ), there is no surname so won’t they get confuse about my name ? because on my PR my full name is as my surname.


@dudegujrat
So you don’t have to enter your given name in your citizenship application?
When you applied with the same on as it was on your PR card, did they process your application for citizenship ?
What’s outcome after your applied for your citizenship?

 

[thecoolguysam]

@Thecoolguysam

Thanks for your helpful info!!

So should I go ahead and apply for my citizenship with my current name?
Should I leave blank my given name in application and only write down surname ( my first name and last name ) ?
Won’t be any problem processing my application for citizenship?
As I have to submit the photocopy of my current passport and name on passport is only given name ( first name and last name ), there is no surname so won’t they get confuse about my name ? because on my PR my full name is as my surname.


@dudegujrat
So you don’t have to enter your given name in your citizenship application?
When you applied with the same on as it was on your PR card, did they process your application for citizenship ?
What’s outcome after your applied for your citizenship?

I don't see any issues. In the surname field of application enter your complete Given name and leave the given name in the application blank.

My friends got their citizenship with the old name and then applied for name change and then got the citizenship certificate changed to new name.
One of them got a fingerprint request but anyone can get a fingerprint request. CIC has a criteria and accordingly they can issue fingerprint request to anyone.

Also, CIC is pretty well aware about the name situation. I had a same situation like you however after landing in Canada, I got my legal name change and got a proper given and surname then i renewed all my IDs with new name and then applied for citizenship with new name and explained the name situation in the cover letter when I applied for citizenship.