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How to Name change/Split after Oath ceremony

Feb 22, 2019
15
1
Hello Friends,

I have a typical case of Indian name change scenario,
where my complete name for eg. "Abcd Singh" is under Given name in Indian passport and Last name field is empty. I want to have my first name and last name both separated now.

So my name on my Canadian immigration papers( PR card, landing paper as well as USA tourist visa ) is
Last name: Abcd Singh
First name : __________ or FNU( first name unknown)

1. I have Oath ceremony in a week, and i read that once i get my citizenship certificate i can apply for name change in service canada and wait for name change doc and then send it to IRCC with citizenship cert. and wait for new citizenship certificate, is that right ? ( am i missing anything?).

2.
How consulate general India will work when I will apply for OCI card? Since my indian passport still has my whole name in given name field, would they give me OCI card on basis of what my Indian passport name suggest?

and if i go for name change process with service canada and then apply that cert to IRCC to get new citizenship cert, then apply for Canadian passport with OCI card having the same name what i have right now in Indian passport, will that be a problem while travelling to India?

Interesting fact* My health card and Driving license already has my name ( Last name First name ) format.

any suggestion/ experience ? please share

Thank you.
 

abuliman

Member
Feb 16, 2019
11
10
Hello Friends,

I have a typical case of Indian name change scenario,
where my complete name for eg. "Abcd Singh" is under Given name in Indian passport and Last name field is empty. I want to have my first name and last name both separated now.

So my name on my Canadian immigration papers( PR card, landing paper as well as USA tourist visa ) is
Last name: Abcd Singh
First name : __________ or FNU( first name unknown)

1. I have Oath ceremony in a week, and i read that once i get my citizenship certificate i can apply for name change in service canada and wait for name change doc and then send it to IRCC with citizenship cert. and wait for new citizenship certificate, is that right ? ( am i missing anything?).

2.
How consulate general India will work when I will apply for OCI card? Since my indian passport still has my whole name in given name field, would they give me OCI card on basis of what my Indian passport name suggest?

and if i go for name change process with service canada and then apply that cert to IRCC to get new citizenship cert, then apply for Canadian passport with OCI card having the same name what i have right now in Indian passport, will that be a problem while travelling to India?

Interesting fact* My health card and Driving license already has my name ( Last name First name ) format.

any suggestion/ experience ? please share

Thank you.
Hello,

I had the same scenario as you currently do except that I got my name change situation resolved before applying for Citizenship.

I don't know which province you reside in but if you're in ON, then Service Canada cannot change your name. You have to fill out an application form and send it to the Office of the Registrar General. Please view the link below for ON applicants.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/change-name#section-0

Once you receive your Citizenship Certificate apply for a Legal Name change right away as the whole process takes 4-6 months. I also recommend getting your name properly displayed on your Indian PP as well as that could create issues when you apply for your OCI. I'm not entirely sure about this but better be safe than sorry. We all know how the Indian PP office works, they literally look for an excuse to reject your application.

Hope this helps.
 
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ganapathi

Hero Member
Jan 30, 2014
646
15
Category........
NOC Code......
2171
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
22-04-2014
AOR Received.
29-05-2014
Med's Request
10-02-2015
Med's Done....
04-03-2015
Passport Req..
29-04-2015
VISA ISSUED...
11-05-2015
LANDED..........
16-05-2015
well i was also in dilemma to change name after or before citizenship. Then i decided to go before citizenship because that way even in India it will be on record.
these are the steps i did

In India--
1.Applied for central Gazette Notification-- prepared document and cost me around 10000rs and submitted in Delhi.The processing time is 3 months.
A notary attested by Indian consulate in canada is required and it took me 1 week.
2.Meanwhile i also did a legal name change in canada while i am on PR.
In canada the process is so easy and it tool less than 1 month for me to change name I live in saskatchewan so i applied for legal name change from ehealth and they issued name change certificate with in 3 weeks and using this i changed name on all the Canadian IDS.
3. In 4 months they published my name change in central gazette which can be downloaded online.
4. After central gazette then i changed 2 governments ids in india like voterid and birth ceritificate as it is required for applying new passport from indian consulate in canada.
5. then i prepared all the documents for passport renewal with change of name. This is the worst part. I appiled with all the necessary documents to indian consulate in vancouver. They did there part with in 2 weeks. But they said they requested a police verification from india and they are waiting for clearances from india. To receive clearance from india it took 7 months . After 7 months it got my indian passport with change of name.

6. then i applied for new PR card as it required indian passport copy. I got it in 3 months.

7. then i applied for canadian citizenship.

Total process took me 14 months to change my name.


This is my experience.

let me know if u need any help.

thanks
 
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Feb 22, 2019
15
1
Thank you for suggestions.
I live in Saskatoon Saskatchewan, my name on health card and drivers license already in the the way I want my name.

I am just curious how consulate general India in Vancouver will process my application for OCI card in terms of name, if I will get my name change here in Canada and then apply Canadian passport. That process will work great for Canadian documents but then if cousulate general India will issue OCI card in same name as my Indian passport( Given name : Abcd, Surname : ____) then it won’t match my new correctional name ( Given name : Abcd, last name: Singh ) on Canadian passport.

It’s confusing.
 

ganapathi

Hero Member
Jan 30, 2014
646
15
Category........
NOC Code......
2171
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
22-04-2014
AOR Received.
29-05-2014
Med's Request
10-02-2015
Med's Done....
04-03-2015
Passport Req..
29-04-2015
VISA ISSUED...
11-05-2015
LANDED..........
16-05-2015
Thank you for suggestions.
I live in Saskatoon Saskatchewan, my name on health card and drivers license already in the the way I want my name.

I am just curious how consulate general India in Vancouver will process my application for OCI card in terms of name, if I will get my name change here in Canada and then apply Canadian passport. That process will work great for Canadian documents but then if cousulate general India will issue OCI card in same name as my Indian passport( Given name : Abcd, Surname : ____) then it won’t match my new correctional name ( Given name : Abcd, last name: Singh ) on Canadian passport.

It’s confusing.
that's what i was worried and i changed in India first than i changed in Canada.

Its better to call BLS or email consulate regarding your question. They will answer you.
 
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Feb 22, 2019
15
1
I called BLS today and they said whatever the name will be showing on your new passport i.e. Canadian passport, same name will be shown on oci card as well.
 

abdul538

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2015
203
9
Hello Friends,

I have a typical case of Indian name change scenario,
where my complete name for eg. "Abcd Singh" is under Given name in Indian passport and Last name field is empty. I want to have my first name and last name both separated now.

So my name on my Canadian immigration papers( PR card, landing paper as well as USA tourist visa ) is
Last name: Abcd Singh
First name : __________ or FNU( first name unknown)

1. I have Oath ceremony in a week, and i read that once i get my citizenship certificate i can apply for name change in service canada and wait for name change doc and then send it to IRCC with citizenship cert. and wait for new citizenship certificate, is that right ? ( am i missing anything?).

2.
How consulate general India will work when I will apply for OCI card? Since my indian passport still has my whole name in given name field, would they give me OCI card on basis of what my Indian passport name suggest?

and if i go for name change process with service canada and then apply that cert to IRCC to get new citizenship cert, then apply for Canadian passport with OCI card having the same name what i have right now in Indian passport, will that be a problem while travelling to India?

Interesting fact* My health card and Driving license already has my name ( Last name First name ) format.

any suggestion/ experience ? please share

Thank you.
How much time it took for you to get citizenship? it was straight forward?
 

shail2054

Star Member
Jan 6, 2010
130
11
Category........
NOC Code......
6311
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
04-07-15
AOR Received.
04-07-15
Med's Done....
xxxx
Interview........
xxxx
Passport Req..
xxxx
VISA ISSUED...
xxxxx
LANDED..........
xxxxx
Hello Friends,

I have a typical case of Indian name change scenario,
where my complete name for eg. "Abcd Singh" is under Given name in Indian passport and Last name field is empty. I want to have my first name and last name both separated now.

So my name on my Canadian immigration papers( PR card, landing paper as well as USA tourist visa ) is
Last name: Abcd Singh
First name : __________ or FNU( first name unknown)

1. I have Oath ceremony in a week, and i read that once i get my citizenship certificate i can apply for name change in service canada and wait for name change doc and then send it to IRCC with citizenship cert. and wait for new citizenship certificate, is that right ? ( am i missing anything?).

2.
How consulate general India will work when I will apply for OCI card? Since my indian passport still has my whole name in given name field, would they give me OCI card on basis of what my Indian passport name suggest?

and if i go for name change process with service canada and then apply that cert to IRCC to get new citizenship cert, then apply for Canadian passport with OCI card having the same name what i have right now in Indian passport, will that be a problem while travelling to India?

Interesting fact* My health card and Driving license already has my name ( Last name First name ) format.

any suggestion/ experience ? please share

Thank you.
CiC doesn’t accept name change document from abroad . Change name or split name can be done on your local registry by paying some fee . Your need to get rcmp clearance before your name change .
 
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ganapathi

Hero Member
Jan 30, 2014
646
15
Category........
NOC Code......
2171
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
22-04-2014
AOR Received.
29-05-2014
Med's Request
10-02-2015
Med's Done....
04-03-2015
Passport Req..
29-04-2015
VISA ISSUED...
11-05-2015
LANDED..........
16-05-2015
It takes around 10-12 months after applying citizenship application
Hi
I am just waiting for my oath letter.
How long it took for you to get citizenship. Is it done in 10-12 months or did it took more because of name change.
 

abdul538

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2015
203
9
Hi
I am just waiting for my oath letter.
How long it took for you to get citizenship. Is it done in 10-12 months or did it took more because of name change.
Hi Ganapathi,

Did you have name change as well and did your file sent to PSU ? how long did you process took from IP to Test Invite?
 
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Feb 22, 2019
15
1
No I did not get my name change done yet. That is why I am asking my question here if anybody has experience or suggestions.

I applied in March 2018 and they sent me a email in August 2018 for FP request which I didn’t see unfortunately until their second email in October 2018. So that’s why I get my file little delayed. My friend applied same time march 2018 and he got his oath ceremony done in January 2019. ( so it took 10 months for him)

Abdul: what does your application status showing on CIC website ?
 

abdul538

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2015
203
9
No I did not get my name change done yet. That is why I am asking my question here if anybody has experience or suggestions.

I applied in March 2018 and they sent me a email in August 2018 for FP request which I didn’t see unfortunately until their second email in October 2018. So that’s why I get my file little delayed. My friend applied same time march 2018 and he got his oath ceremony done in January 2019. ( so it took 10 months for him)

Abdul: what does your application status showing on CIC website ?
its showing "In Process". i applied in Sep 2018 and got my AOR in November but in January 2019 i received an email from CIC saying my application will be delayed and its being sent to PSU(Program Support Unit) for further review and upon research i found out that the people who had no last name only first name in their passport is normally sent to PSU and since then nothing and now i am trying to connect to people who have name change in their profile to get an idea how long its going to take for me.
 
Feb 22, 2019
15
1
its showing "In Process". i applied in Sep 2018 and got my AOR in November but in January 2019 i received an email from CIC saying my application will be delayed and its being sent to PSU(Program Support Unit) for further review and upon research i found out that the people who had no last name only first name in their passport is normally sent to PSU and since then nothing and now i am trying to connect to people who have name change in their profile to get an idea how long its going to take for me.

I do not think that that is the only reason to send file to PSU. I know other people who have first name blank and whole name on last name field and they got requested fingerprints and then rest of processing was normal.
I don’t do know anything about PSU so I can’t comment.

Since you applied in September 2018, I would not worry about file processing speed yet, just have patience and if you don’t hear anything from IRCC until mid summer then you can call them and check what’s going on, Unless you are overly worrisome.

Good luck.