Visa help--maiden name

Hi all, I frequently read trip advisor whilst planning holidays, and have found it to be a very useful resource! I%26#39;m now having a little problem and hoping to get some advice...

I will be travelling to India for a couple of weeks in April and today I went to the High Commission in London to get my tourist visa. I am not a UK citizen, but I am married to one and have lived in London for a few years. I hold a US passport which was issued in my maiden name years before I got married. To avoid confusion let%26#39;s say my maiden name was Jane Smith. The inside front cover of my passport which shows my photo and everything says Jane Smith. When I got married (years ago now) I went to the US Embassy to have my name changed in my passport. Turns out they don%26#39;t change the front cover, though, they put an amendment in at the back which reads: ';This passport was amended [date] to change the bearer%26#39;s name to read Jane Jones.';

I applied for my visa to India today in the name Jane Jones, and was surprised to find they had issued it to Jane Smith. I queried this with the girl at the counter and explained that my name changed when I got married and my passport had been amended to reflect the name change, but all she was interested in was the fact that the front cover said Jane Smith. She said that Jane Smith was the name on the passport so that is the name they put on the visa. I explained to her several times that Jane Smith is no longer the name on the passport, but I got nowhere.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Is it still acceptable to travel to India on this visa even though it is not my correct, legal name (I asked the girl at the High Commission this question as well, but all she said in response was that they%26#39;d issued the visa in the name on the passport)? My flights are already booked in my married name (flying with BA, into and out of Bangalore). I thought I%26#39;d take my marriage certificate with me just in case there%26#39;s some difficulty. I%26#39;ve been listening to the phone ring at the high commission for the last 45 minutes (hoping to get to speak to someone more sensible than the girl I spoke to earlier), but it doesn%26#39;t look like they%26#39;re going to answer their phone. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Visa help--maiden name

Dear Jane

Welcome to the world of Indian bureaucracy!!

First, forget about getting any bureaucrat to admit he/she made a mistake. Just go ahead with your trip and stop bothering about calling the Lord High Commissioner or his lackeys. You gave them your passport, they issued a visa. If they have made a mistake, its not your fault. This is the INMF defence (Its Not My Fault)

Now heres how to deal with any problem you might face when you go through immigration -

First if they dont raise the issue, you shouldnt. Keep a straight face and your mouth shut.

If they do, be helpless not aggressive.

Give them the longest possible winded story of the girl at the Indian High Commission et al have made mistakes and you are the aggrieved one. If the story above could be expanded two-folds to properly wear down the listener, the better.

If possible, cry.

Youll just sail through!!

Visa help--maiden name

Wow, should I be even MORE long-winded than I was here? :P

Thanks so much for your reply! I%26#39;ve spoken to a few people who have been out to India before who also said not to worry about it. I think I can manage to act helpless and cry if needs be, but hopefully it won%26#39;t come to that. Thanks again for the reassurance.

Carry a copy of your Marriage Certificate with you. And try to get the name of the person at the High Commission you spoke to. If you have to blame someone later, always great to have a name you can point to.