Help needed with passport.....all sorted now :)

teabag29

Update: Just to say our passpoerts arrived today after dealing with the issues, thankyou to everyone who advised me, much appreciated xx

I would like to apply for my first passport but my circumstances are not straightforward.
Basically my birth parents were alcoholics and it was decided before I was born that they wouldnt be allowed to keep me. At age 3 months I went to live with my maternal aunt and her husband full time (I was made a ward of court until age 18).
However, and here lies the problem, my natural parents named me but I have never used or been known by this name as my aunt and uncle (who i always knew as mum and dad until i found out at age 12) changed my name. They never changed my name legally and so the name on my birth certificate is totally different to the name ive always used.
Also I know very little about my natural parents who are both now dead and so have no information to fill in the passport details.... or would I use the details of my aunt who has been a mother to me? Also how do I get round the name thing? I'd really like to get this sorted so that I can take the children abroad next year so any advice on how I tackle this will be really appreciated. Thanks

pukkamum

My dh was given a new last name by his mother, when he applied for a passport he simply filled in the part that asked have you been known by any other name.
I am assuming bank accounts driving licence etc are in your known name, how were they applied for?
I know dh has a solicitors letter with the declaration of his new name but we have never had to use it.

southcoastrgi

the CAB may be able to help or a free first meeting with your solicitor, below is a link to the local passport offices, i would either go down there or make an appointment & discuss your case with them, (you can google your nearest one to find the address & contact details)

link

teabag29

Thankyou, its not just my last name thats changed its the whole name. I have a bank account and provisional driving licence, I got them by explaining the situation and providing my original birth certificate aswell as bills and a dwp letter with my national insurance number on it

southcoastrgi

oh btw this is the official web site

this & this & this is a con, they only help you fill out the form for a fee you will still have to pay for a passport

geminilady

The passport office have a help line. I would phone and ask them for advise.Off topic but it must have been a shock finding out at 12 they were not your natural parents.I think children should be told very young if they are adopted.

Alleycat

I would second phoning the passport office helpline. When I had some queries regarding details on my passport application a few years ago, I called them and they were really helpful.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Fill it in as best as you can with your current details, explain what happened. You'll get called to a first passport interview and can expand as necessary.

I only found out I had been registered under a different name at that time. And had to leave the bit about my father blank. I still got a passport issued under the details I had grown up believing were correct. Oh, and my mother's birth records had been destroyed during WWII, combined with some *interesting* innaccuraccies regarding her parents' names.

teabag29

what about parents details,do i put my birth parents names who are on my birth certificate or my aunt and uncle who raised me as their daughter?

Ms_Chocaholic

You would put your birth parents on the application form as it appears from your post that you were not formally adopted by your aunt and uncle

Ms_Chocaholic

Do your birth parents have unusual/uncommon names, ie you're birth dad was not called "John Smith". It's just you will need their details to put on the application form, do your aunt/uncle know what year they were born (approx) and where they were born to help you get birth certificates for the info.

Also what year were you born, you may only need your mum's details if it's after 1983 (I think)