Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 March 2023
236. Deputy John Brady asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps applicants are required to take if they wish to change their name on their passport; the legal basis for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14547/23]
View answerAll passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008, as amended (“the Act“). The Act provides a legal basis for the various policies and procedures that are applied by the Passport Service in the issuing of passports.
Section 10 of the Act provides that a passport will issue in the name of a citizen as it appears on their birth certificate or naturalisation certificate. However, a name change for a passport from that which appears on a person’s birth certificate is permitted under the Act in certain situations such as marriage or civil partnership, where civil or legal documents are available to verify this change.
Applicants who wish to change their name on their passport arising from marriage or civil partnership must submit their original civil marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate. These applications are complex due to the change of name and have a turnaround time of 15 working days.
The Passport Service does not accept deed polls as documentary evidence to change the name on a passport.
In cases where name change arises other than by marriage or civil partnership, the Act requires evidence of the use of this new name over a two-year period.
The question of what a person’s name is, at any given moment in time, depends upon its usage and the evidence to support the constant and sustained use of this new identity. Evidence of this for at least two years through documentation such as bills, bank statements or official correspondence, is required as a deed poll is not adequate evidence of the constant use of a new name. This policy seeks to protect the integrity and security of Irish passports against passport and identity fraud while allowing for genuine cases where name changes have occurred.
The Passport Service takes its responsibility to protect the integrity of the Irish passport very seriously. The Irish passport has a strong international reputation due to the strength of the security features within the passport book and the robust processes involved in its issuance. The Irish passport currently ranks sixth in the Henley Global Passport Index as it provides our citizens with visa-free access to 188 countries.
