Name Split in Passport, COPR and PR Card

[keypad]

Hello all,

I have already become a PR and started receiving my other official documents. Until now, everything was going smooth but recently got a trouble with my given name and family name recorded in different documents. The current arrangement of name is as below:

In my passports:
Family Name: BLANK
Given Name: AAA BBB SINGH
--------

In my spouse's passport:
Family Name: BLANK
Given Name: CCC KAUR
--------

As our family names were blank in passports therefore CIC has switched the order and put our given name into the family name and given name fields were left blank. So our COPR and PR cards look like this:

In my COPR/ PR Card:
Family Name: AAA BBB SINGH
Given Name: BLANK
--------

In my spouse's COPR/ PR Card:
Family Name: CCC KAUR
Given Name: BLANK
--------

Now, health card issuing authority has refused to issue health cards with photo. They are saying that we will be issued our health cards without photo. Most importantly, they can not leave given name fields blank so our family name in PR card (which is full name) will be repeated in our given name fields. They said that, if we can provide amended immigration documents then they can issue us photo health cards.

I came to know that we can split our names in passports at BLS ( www. blsindia-canada. com ). They have some information on splitting names. If we can get our passports amended or get new passports with proper given name and family name, can we request CIC to amend our COPR and PR cards? Can this be done in our COPR and PR cards? Our new passports will be like this:

For me:
Family Name: SINGH
Given Name: AAA BBB
--------

For my spouse:
Family Name: KAUR
Given Name: CCC
--------

It would be great if anyone gone through this process can share their experiences.

Thank you.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hello all,

I have already become a PR and started receiving my other official documents. Until now, everything was going smooth but recently got a trouble with my given name and family name recorded in different documents. The current arrangement of name is as below:

In my passports:
Family Name: BLANK
Given Name: AAA BBB SINGH
--------

In my spouse's passport:
Family Name: BLANK
Given Name: CCC KAUR
--------

As our family names were blank in passports therefore CIC has switched the order and put our given name into the family name and given name fields were left blank. So our COPR and PR cards look like this:

In my COPR/ PR Card:
Family Name: AAA BBB SINGH
Given Name: BLANK
--------

In my spouse's COPR/ PR Card:
Family Name: CCC KAUR
Given Name: BLANK
--------

Now, health card issuing authority has refused to issue health cards with photo. They are saying that we will be issued our health cards without photo. Most importantly, they can not leave given name fields blank so our family name in PR card (which is full name) will be repeated in our given name fields. They said that, if we can provide amended immigration documents then they can issue us photo health cards.

I came to know that we can split our names in passports at BLS ( www. blsindia-canada. com ). They have some information on splitting names. If we can get our passports amended or get new passports with proper given name and family name, can we request CIC to amend our COPR and PR cards? Can this be done in our COPR and PR cards? Our new passports will be like this:

For me:
Family Name: SINGH
Given Name: AAA BBB
--------

For my spouse:
Family Name: KAUR
Given Name: CCC
--------

It would be great if anyone gone through this process can share their experiences.

Thank you.

1. With the name change, the PR can be amended, but the COPR won't be.
2. Whichever Gov't agency tried to tell you that you required given names, is wrong. For example most Indonesians have only 1 name and that is in the Surname block and the Given name is blank.

 

[keypad]

Hi

1. With the name change, the PR can be amended, but the COPR won't be.
2. Whichever Gov't agency tried to tell you that you required given names, is wrong. For example most Indonesians have only 1 name and that is in the Surname block and the Given name is blank.

Thanks for the reply PMM.

HIBC told me that their system don't allow to leave given name as blank and they will repeat my full name in that place. So, my health card will have my full name repeated in given as well as family name. On top of that, for the very same reason they can't issue photo BC services card. Our BC services card will be without photo and we won't be able to use that as our primary ID. They will issue us proper photo health card after we provide them the modified immigration documents.

So, we are thinking to get our name split in our passports. Can you please suggest us the process of PR card changes? Do we need to follow the name change process? If yes, how can we get our name changed in BC? Actually, this will not be the name change instead it will be name split only. What other things that we need to consider?

Thank you.

 

[snitin11]

1) In my Indian Passport :

Surname:
Given name: XXXX YYYY

2) I recd all my Canadian documents (PR, Driving Licenxe, COPR, SIN) in the following name (since surname is mandatory in Canada)

Surname: XXXX YYYY
Given name:

3) So went to BLS office in Brampton, Canada and corrected my Indian Passport. Now my Indian Passport says:

Surname: YYYY
Given name: XXXX

4) Applied for renewal of Canada PR Card and asked for a name change

Immigration officered replied saying that they would need a legal change name document or court order to make name change in Canada PR card. Indian Passport in not enough. So trying to connect with some lawyers to get a court order.

This is the latest info I have currently on this matter ..Hope this helps..Will keep you all posted...Let me also know if you guys have some info to fix this problem.

 

[avinashkm01]

Hi Nitin,

I am in same boat, my indian Passport has complete name in "Given Name", applied to split the name in BLS, canada. Got new passport with correct name "LAST NAME" and "GIVEN NAME".

Now, I have to update the name in PR, please suggest how to go from here.

Thanks
Avinash

 

[snitin11]

Hi,

First of all sorry for replying so late...I have taken the route for lawyer to do this...Mostly he will get a legal change name document from Service Ontario. Once received - will forward this document to immigration guys and hopefully they will send me a new PR card with updated name..

Let me know what route you are taking on this?

Thx.

 

[gsriharsh]

Hi Guys,

I am in the same boat with the exact same situation as you guys. I landed in June 2014, still trying to sort this out, of course I was not very actively doing it in between.

Indian passport has all my name in the given name with surname blank, so got the COPR, PR card, SIN issued with entire name in last name and first name blank. But, banks some how wanted to split my name due to their requirements and unfortunately they have used my actual first name as last name in bank records and my actual last name as first name in bank records. All my bank accounts, credit cards followed the same suit and even my IT returns were done the same way in spite of my SIN being the other way around, but everything worked out some how. But, frankly speaking my name thing has become a big MESS.

Luckily, an Indian lady processed by health card and she split my name correctly.

I contacted BLS,Vancouver and got my name split correctly and got passport reissued which took 2-3 months.

I approached a lawyer in Edmonton in 2015 with the old /new passports and explained the situation. He then asked me to send a letter to CIC asking to correct the name on my COPR first. But, CIC replied back saying that COPR cant be changed as it is not their mistake and so asked me follow the name change process to get my name corrected on PR card. But, it is not very clear any where what is exact legal name change process for PR holders/non-citizens like us? I got an affidavit made by a lawyer with judicial stamp showing the correct name. But, Is that affidavit along with the updated passport enough or should we follow the entire name change process like how the citizens do here?

I read some where that you need to advertise in Newspapers in the home country along with here in the local city in Canada where you are residing that your name has changed with details. Is that necessary too?

Nitin or anyone who is making progress on this, please let us know. I really appreciate any advise on this topic.

Thanks,
Harsha

 

[HS211]

Hi Harsha

In which province you are now, as all provinces have slightly different process for name change

 

[snitin11]

1) In my Indian Passport :
Surname:
Given name: XXXX YYYY

2) I recd all my Canadian documents (PR, Driving Licenxe, COPR, SIN) in the following name (since surname is mandatory in Canada)
Surname: XXXX YYYY
Given name:

3) So went to BLS office in Brampton, Canada and corrected my Indian Passport. Now my Indian Passport says:
Surname: YYYY
Given name: XXXX

4) Applied for renewal of Canada PR Card and asked for a name change

Immigration officered replied saying that they would need a legal change name document or court order to make name change in Canada PR card. Indian Passport in not enough. (I live in Ontario)

5) So have applied for a name change last week in Service Ontario..Once Service Ontario provides me name change certificate (processing time is 6-8 weeks).. I will forward the same document to immigration team and hopefully they will issue me a new PR with updated name...

 

[Tuskers]

Hi All,

Am having the same issue, have you guys able to correct the PR card and CORP with the updated first and last names.
Please share the experience and how to do it.

My daughter's (she is minor) Indian passport doesn't have the last name (only the Given name "ABC XYZ") so the Corp and PR Card is messed up.
Please help where and how to fix the Indian passport, we live in Vancouver. Is the BLS, Vancouver will be able to do the split name (Given name "ABC" and Last name "XYZ") and issue her a new passport.
She has to change the passport in Jan 2018 anyways but am concerned if she go to Kinder Garden next year Sept 2017, the name will be an issue or not?
Also how to correct the PR card and CORP after I correct the Indian passport.

Thank you.

 

[drajay]

Hello Harsha,

I need to split my name on my Indian passport as well and I have a question that you may know the answer to. Could you please help me out?

At BLS Vancouver, when applying for passport renewal with "name split", do we require two newspaper advertisements notifying the change of name? Did you submit this with your application?

Thank you,
Ajay

Hi Guys,

I am in the same boat with the exact same situation as you guys. I landed in June 2014, still trying to sort this out, of course I was not very actively doing it in between.

Indian passport has all my name in the given name with surname blank, so got the COPR, PR card, SIN issued with entire name in last name and first name blank. But, banks some how wanted to split my name due to their requirements and unfortunately they have used my actual first name as last name in bank records and my actual last name as first name in bank records. All my bank accounts, credit cards followed the same suit and even my IT returns were done the same way in spite of my SIN being the other way around, but everything worked out some how. But, frankly speaking my name thing has become a big MESS.

Luckily, an Indian lady processed by health card and she split my name correctly.

I contacted BLS,Vancouver and got my name split correctly and got passport reissued which took 2-3 months.

I approached a lawyer in Edmonton in 2015 with the old /new passports and explained the situation. He then asked me to send a letter to CIC asking to correct the name on my COPR first. But, CIC replied back saying that COPR cant be changed as it is not their mistake and so asked me follow the name change process to get my name corrected on PR card. But, it is not very clear any where what is exact legal name change process for PR holders/non-citizens like us? I got an affidavit made by a lawyer with judicial stamp showing the correct name. But, Is that affidavit along with the updated passport enough or should we follow the entire name change process like how the citizens do here?

I read some where that you need to advertise in Newspapers in the home country along with here in the local city in Canada where you are residing that your name has changed with details. Is that necessary too?

Nitin or anyone who is making progress on this, please let us know. I really appreciate any advise on this topic.

Thanks,
Harsha

 

[sunshine1212]

Dear All,

I am facing a similar issue so hoping maybe one of you can help/guide me.

I don't have a last name on my Indian passport and that is how all my canadian documents are -PR card, health card,driving licence etc. Now I am in the process of applying for canadian citizenship and don't know how to resolve this issue. I don't want to delay my application for citizenship and i have no clue how to prove that my given name in passport is actually my first name + last name.

Thanks in advance

 

[gsriharsh]

Hi,

I live in Edmonton, Alberta.
I've applied without any paper advertisements. Just included a letter indicating what happened and mentioned it seems to be a common error made by Indian Passport issuing authorities. The BLS Vancouver guy called me a couple of times to discuss about the issue tried to push me to submit paper advertisements, but I told him again and again that I'm not changing the name and it is just a manual error that I am correcting. They finally went ahead and reissued my passport with the correct name which I got it two months from applying.

But this didnt work out when I tried to get it changed on COPR. CIC replied back after 5 months wait that COPR cant be revised, any revisions will have to be on PR card directly. There seems to be a lengthy process for that. Got to go see a lawyer.

Thanks,
Harsha

 

[snitin11]

@ drajay: You don't need two newspaper advertisements. Just tell to BLS that u want to split name . only thing u need is name split affidavit which is on their website.

@sunshine1212: Unfortunately, this is a lengthy process. I am in the process of doing that -
1) Split your name in India passport by contacting BLS office.
2) Apply for a name Change (i.e. split) in Canada - I did it by applying in Service Ontario - it takes anywhere between 2 -3 months. (Depends upon which province you live)
3) Contact immigration with the new passport and name change document to change name on PR Card. (COPR document will never change) & hopefully they will change the name. (Thats what my lawyer told me)

Total process would take around 4-6 months.


@ gsriharsh: I totally agree with you.

 

[keypad]

I have one more question..

Just so you know, I also have the case of name split not the name change.

Can we just go for legal name change in BC through Vital Stats and then apply for citizenship by enclosing the name change certificate? That way, I won't need to get my PR card and my Indian passport updated. Till the time of citizenship, I will be using my docs as is.

Thanks in advance.