Name spelt incorrectly on new passport - legal implications

r3nu4l

I finally got my baby daughter's new passport having applied for it twelve weeks ago.

However, her name is technically spelt incorrectly in that there is a fada missing over one letter and instead present on another letter where there should not be a fada.

What bearing does this have legally? Do I need to get it changed? Her birth is registered in England and the name is spelt correctly on her UK birth cert but the embassy in London managed to mess it up.

What are the legal implications of this?

johnfás

You could send it back to them and tell them that they produced it incorrectly and request that they send you a corrected version. That is probably the easiest thing to do because the longer you leave problems the harder it is to rectify them. Failing that, just make sure you always book flights in the name as appears on the passport.

I have a mate (male) whose passport says he is a female. He had it for 10 years because he wasn't bothered sending it back and then there was a huge hassle when he wanted to!

r3nu4l

Yeah I want to go on holidays to Ireland to see our family and friends in the next couple of weeks so was thinking of booking flights using the name as it appears on the passport. However, I was also worried about the legal implications and do think that correcting it is necessary but wanted to travel first if possible.

Likewise I don't want to have a huge rigmarole when we we get a new passport for her in 3 years time...

Given how long it took them to produce the (incorrect) passport in the first place, I'm reluctant to send it back for rectification because then we might end up waiting the whole summer for a new one...

I might just travel Aer Arann into Waterford as they don't require a passport for her

However, I would like someone to tell me the legal implications of NOT changing it.

Mr. Presentable

I wouldn't worry - the name is not spelt incorrectly. A fada is not in the spelling, it is in the pronunciation. I would ask to have it fixed, if you are sure the passport office made the error, but for booking flights etc I can't believe there'd be an issue.

And, yes, I know it is not legal advice, but if you want that you should probably retain someone you can action later for giving bad advice, rather than take the word of who knows what on t'internet

r3nu4l

nipplenuts wrote: »

I wouldn't worry - the name is not spelt incorrectly. A fada is not in the spelling, it is in the pronunciation. I would ask to have it fixed, if you are sure the passport office made the error, but for booking flights etc I can't believe there'd be an issue.

Oh they definitely made the error, it's a transposition of a fada which is not there on the form we filled out (we have copies) and not on her Birth cert. Somebody obviously hadn't had their morning coffee when doing their checks

I've contacted the Irish passport office in Dublin* who have said that as the pronunciation is different it probably makes the name different and therefore we should have it corrected.

However, all that aside, I'm genuinely curious as to the legal ramifications of something like this.

And, yes, I know it is not legal advice, but if you want that you should probably retain someone you can action later for giving bad advice, rather than take the word of who knows what on t'internet

Indeed but pointers are always useful and the discussion is an interesting one.





* (Irish embassy in London have a voice message to say that the volume of calls are too high and then they drop the call :mad:)

Our man in Havana

The usual legal problems happen when you go looking for visas. The odd embassy may ask for a birth cert. Cue the "Why is there a difference between the two?" conversation. With some of the more awkward countries it is best not to go down that road.