Add Last name in Canadian Passport

[jan1992]

Hi,

I only have my first name in my country's passport.

In my Canada PR application, I had added that to my family and given name as instructed in docs and PR card, I got only the family name

so in my province driver's license as well, I got only family name and '.' as my given name

same for SIN and bank details

At the end of this year, I will be eligible for Canadian citizenship and I finally want to fix this issue with my missing last name.

If anybody has gone through the process, please share how you went about it.

I am okay with adding my family name and taking my husband's family name whichever will be the easiest route. Please share your experience if you can help.

Thank you so much in advance.

 

[armoured]

Hi,

I only have my first name in my country's passport.

In my Canada PR application, I had added that to my family and given name as instructed in docs and PR card, I got only the family name

so in my province driver's license as well, I got only family name and '.' as my given name

same for SIN and bank details

At the end of this year, I will be eligible for Canadian citizenship and I finally want to fix this issue with my missing last name.

If anybody has gone through the process, please share how you went about it.

I am okay with adding my family name and taking my husband's family name whichever will be the easiest route. Please share your experience if you can help.

Thank you so much in advance.

It will be more simple to take your spouse's name, if that's what you want to do: go to the province and ask to change your driver's license on basis of marriage certificate. The wrinkle here being I am not 100% that will work, as would involve moving your current 'family name' to the given name field.

On basis of that, you should be able to change everything else. You'll need some ID with new name to apply for citizenship under that.

If this does not work at the provincial level: you would likely have to do a formal change of name (provincial rules), then get driver's license, then everything else.

Note, in some respects - given moving the single name now to given name field - it may be more simple to just do a legal change of name, in which case you could use whichever name you prefer. (Personally I'd do that, but it's your choice).

While this will take a bit longer, plenty of time to get it done before your citizenship app.

Side note: this should largely be true for all provinces except Quebec.

 

[jan1992]

Last year, I visited the local registry regarding this issue. They informed me that it would be possible to make changes if my first name was included in the given name field on my PR card. They can add my last name to the family name section, which means that my first/given name will still be left blank.

Looks like the only option is to go via the legal name change route

 

[armoured]

Looks like the only option is to go via the legal name change route

Yep. In most provinces, not that onerous, although some waiting involved.

 

[jan1992]

So If i get a legal name change certificate, do I need to apply for new PR card and indian passport before applying for Canadian citizenship or just the certificate will work?

 

[armoured]

So If i get a legal name change certificate, do I need to apply for new PR card and indian passport before applying for Canadian citizenship or just the certificate will work?

You should check the instructions. I believe I looked at this before and I recall at least one piece of identification with new name is needed, possibly two. I don't think an updated PR card is needed, nor foreign passport.

But again: instructions.

(Long term I don't know implications of not having foreign passport with same name - could be a hassle at airports if names on tickets don't match)

 

[davenportdiamond]

So If i get a legal name change certificate, do I need to apply for new PR card and indian passport before applying for Canadian citizenship or just the certificate will work?

Just the certificate.

 

[jan1992]

You should check the instructions. I believe I looked at this before and I recall at least one piece of identification with new name is needed, possibly two. I don't think an updated PR card is needed, nor foreign passport.

But again: instructions.

(Long term I don't know implications of not having foreign passport with same name - could be a hassle at airports if names on tickets don't match)

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.

 

[jan1992]

Just the certificate.

Thank you!!

 

[MS201812]

Does anyone know what the process is to add a middle name to the passport? I don't currently have a middle name on my passport. About to take the oath and want to add a middle name when I apply for my Canadian passport.

 

[davenportdiamond]

Does anyone know what the process is to add a middle name to the passport? I don't currently have a middle name on my passport. About to take the oath and want to add a middle name when I apply for my Canadian passport.

Do you have the middle name listed on your Certificate of Permanent Residence or Record of Landing? If not, you'll need to undergo a provincial legal change of name.