Failed by arrogant British passport officials

June 8, 2026 • UK news

Letter: Gerald Harrison on being trapped in the middle of bureaucracy with his British and Irish passports

Regarding the “colonial attitude” of the British Passport Office, which asked your letter writer’s sister to change her Greek surname (1 June), I am in a similar situation, but prefer to call it arrogance. I had an English dad and an Irish mum. For nearly 40 years, I used two passports. Last November, when I needed to renew my British passport, I enclosed my Irish one. My renewal was refused because my Irish passport has my first name and one middle name, whereas my British one has my first name and two middle names. Although the British officials had both passports in front of them, each with the same home address and a similar photograph, it was suggested that I could be two different people. This office has arrogantly told me to add the second middle name to my Irish passport. The Irish office says it cannot, citing EU regulations. I have asked the British office to subtract my second middle name, but it refuses. I am now, eight months later, at an impasse. Another good reason to join the EU? Gerald Harrison Laughton, East Sussex • Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.

Source: The Guardian