u/ceebeesy

UPDATE: THEY APPROVED IT FINALLY. I spoke to someone this morning to make a complaint about everything and I just got an email saying they've approved my application. It's finally over!!

6 weeks ago on 31st March I sent off my passport application to change my name and gender on my passport. It has been an absolute nightmare.

14th April they rejected my doctors letter that said "likely to be permanent" and said I needed to get a new one stating my gender marker. Annoying but okay. I did that and thought it was over.

28th April they asked me for my old deedpoll from 2017 to prove that name change, as I've changed my name twice, even though the passport is already in that name. I was frustrated and tried to fight it but ended up sending it off. Again I thought it was over.

Now today I got a call from the examiner explaining that my original deedpoll from 2025 is a photocopy when it's not. I spent 20 minutes on the phone arguing with him and he told me it's been checked twice and they will not check it again. He also could not override the decision. I was in tears at this point and my only option is to write a new deedpoll or make a complaint otherwise they'll close my application. I am making a complaint and waiting for someone to call me back.

This has been 6 weeks of absolute hell and I'm at my breaking point now. They even have a statutory declaration signed by a solicitor but they are rejecting that too. I have nothing else to send them and I really don't want to make a whole new document unless I have to.

This is mostly just a rant but might be helpful for some of you if you've changed your name more than once. A few weeks ago I made a post here about how my GP letter to change my gender on my passport was rejected. I got a new one and sent this off thinking everything would now be fine with my application but HMPO have now requested today my deedpoll from 2017 because I have changed my name again in 2025.

I changed from name1 to name2 in 2017. My passport is already in name2 which I sent off with my renewal form and they must have this change already in their records. In 2025 I changed from name2 to name3. I put down my previous names in the passport application form because I thought I was supposed to but now they're asking for my old deedpoll from 2017 to prove this change of name when I've already proven that in the past.

I'm just frustrated at this point because I tried to get it all right when sending all my documents off the first time but I keep having issues. I didn't see anything about needing to send *both* deedpolls when I did my application and I can't understand why they need this old deedpoll from 2017 to prove the change from my birth certificate to my 2nd name but don't need my birth certificate because they have my current passport. Surely the same should apply with my 1st name change and my old passport in name2 should be enough to prove that name change! But apparently not.

I tried to fight it all day on the phone today with no luck and just admitted defeat and posted it off this afternoon. Hopefully this is the last thing I need and I can get my new passport soon...