OCI - name in Canadian passport different from all other documents
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Posted on: 10-09-12 13:40:33
Please excuse me if this question has been answered before. The website search did not really yield an answer.
I am trying to determine what exactly is needed when applying for OCI with name change involved. As usual, no one at the Indian consulate picks up the phone and VFS customer service simply repeats what was on their website.
My spouse took on my last name after getting Canadian citizenship and her Canadian passport is in the new name. This was very easy because we simply had to show our marriage certificate (which is many years prior by the way!). There was no need for a legal name change.
We changed my stepchild's legal name by following the appropriate provincial government procedure. The child took on my last name and the middle name was removed as well. We have the legal name certificate and the Canadian passport is in the new name.
Both have their previous last name (plus a middle name in the case of the child) in all other documents (Indian passports, Canadian citizenship certificate, Record of Landing, etc.)
Can anyone who has applied for OCI and dealt with the vagaries of our consulate/government/VFS please let me know what documents they had to submit as proof of name change. There is something about an affidavit mentioned in the OCI checklist but it's not at all clear if it is always required or only if there's no legal name changed certificate. The checklist also states that for spousal last name changes, only the marriage certificate is required.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Quote:
Originally posted by nakubo.1974
Please excuse me if this question has been answered before. The website search did not really yield an answer.
I am trying to determine what exactly is needed when applying for OCI with name change involved. As usual, no one at the Indian consulate picks up the phone and VFS customer service simply repeats what was on their website.
My spouse took on my last name after getting Canadian citizenship and her Canadian passport is in the new name. This was very easy because we simply had to show our marriage certificate (which is many years prior by the way!). There was no need for a legal name change.
We changed my stepchild's legal name by following the appropriate provincial government procedure. The child took on my last name and the middle name was removed as well. We have the legal name certificate and the Canadian passport is in the new name.
Both have their previous last name (plus a middle name in the case of the child) in all other documents (Indian passports, Canadian citizenship certificate, Record of Landing, etc.)
Can anyone who has applied for OCI and dealt with the vagaries of our consulate/government/VFS please let me know what documents they had to submit as proof of name change. There is something about an affidavit mentioned in the OCI checklist but it's not at all clear if it is always required or only if there's no legal name changed certificate. The checklist also states that for spousal last name changes, only the marriage certificate is required.
Thanks in advance for your help!
______________________________________________________
Lot of us want a clear cut procedure and an answer to each and every situation that arises. Yours seems to be procedural one in applying for an OCI Card.
You have described your case and you also have the proper answers for the situation that you are describing here.
So, Give them your Name first in the covering letter, in a colour that it will stand out. Also provide underneath your name your Passport detail, date of landing etc., etc.,
Then, provide them with your wife's name and next to it the name as it appears previously and the details of the marriage certificate, landing here in Canada and all of the required details. Link all of the documents with photocopies and the order in which they are attached to the covering letter.
In a similar manner provide your step son's New name and how he proceeded in obtaining the same, which is a name change etc., and the old Passport details and the New passport details with the copies of the documentation for the name change etc., attached to the covering letter.
Please see if any of these need attestation or notarizing. If so, do it diligently. Also get all of the surrendering documents for the Indian Passports or pages in which it it appears. Make proper photocopies for their use and attach them to the application.
NOW you have documented and followed it up with a covering letter. Besides all of the above, go over the application process and provide them a COMPLETED application duly filled and double checked, for their approval and with the appropriate fees, appear at their offices and see if it all falls in place. If it does, then please get back to us and enlighten us too. (You might have gone through this process already, because we are 10 weeks behind in posting this procedure to you.)
Will you please....
FH
For the legal name change, you need to include copy of the same with the original at the time of application. For marriage name change, VFS has a form which you need to fill and sign. You get it at the counter when you submit the docs. The online OCI application is to be filled using the new/current names.
This is based on my experience last year - things might have changed now, as they often change.
The document may still get messed up. In that case, there is another form for correction you need to fill up at the OCI collection time.
Hello
Have you finished the procedure for OCI, if not I can help you in clearing all doubts, pm me.
Thanks
Thank you everyone for responding. I did apply for the OCI and the online status shows it's been approved.
For legal name change for my stepchild, we had to provide the name change certificate issued by the Ontario government along with the birth certificate. Divorce/custody certificate is required regardless of the name change in case child is from previous marriage that ended in divorce. If child is from previous marriage where the other parent died, I am guessing a death certificate would be required.
For spouse, we had to get a notarized affidavit from a lawyer and provide it along with the marriage certificate. This I thought was a useless requirement but I guess we have to live with whatever rules each consulate comes up with! I saw on the US website that they have a form to fill out but in Toronto, you have to get the notarized affidavit from a lawyer. Of course, this can change at any time 
