UK Passport Question

sammie383

Hi All!

I have a passport question for you.

When I was 16 I got an adult passport (2005) and so my new one was valid until early 2016.

I got married last year in March and called up the passport office at the time, and asked if I needed to change my passport. I was told no, because I had so long to go on my other one that I could just go ahead and book tickets in my maiden name if the need arose.

So anyway, come to now, and I am applying for a passport for my daughter who is 2 next month. I called them up again to ask some questions, and mentioned that my passport is in my maiden name still. The person I was speaking to said that I should have changed it as soon as I got married as I am using my married name all the time.

So my question is, do I really have to pay £72, for a whole new passport when I have 7 and a half years left on the one I have got?

I am using my married name all the time, and have changed my name on bank account and my drivers licence.

The reason I ask now is because we may be being posted to Germany in the next 4 months ( hubby in army ) and I need to get these sorted now before its too late.

Oh the other jiyp I have is that I have to write a huge covering letter for both myself and my daughter, becuase I must include all her grandparents details on her form ( as both hubby and I were born after 1982! ) and my mum is deceased 6 years ago and I have no contact with my dad and never have! But thats just me moaning! lol

Thanks for any advice !

delwynshd

i would just change your passport to save the hassle, i would of said just keep it in your maiden name if your just using it for hols but with you being posted abroad i would change it

luci

No need to change it until it expires. You can call yourself Minnie Mouse as long as it's not for fraudulent reasons.

As long as your flight ticket matches your passport then you're fine. I certainly wouldn't change it with so much validity on it at the price of passports these days.

greenface

luci wrote: »

No need to change it until it expires. You can call yourself Minnie Mouse as long as it's not for fraudulent reasons.

As long as your flight ticket matches your passport then you're fine. I certainly wouldn't change it with so much validity on it at the price of passports these days.

agreed but keep you other bits Drivers licence and possibly even a copy of you marriage certificate with you when going abroard or moving around other countries

omelette451

The short answer is that you don't need to change it, but it may make life easier if you did. It's up to you, but if you decide to change it you'll have to pay.

One more thing: if you're ever travelling with just you and your daughter, make sure you have some sort of document explaining who you are and why your passport shows a different name. For obvious reasons there may be concern at border crossings if an adult is travelling alone with a child with a different surname.

Colliefrog

The process must have changed, I'm pretty sure I didn't have to pay to change it when I got married. That's a rip off.... £72 just to change your name!!

My friend didn't want to change her name on her passport beacuse she'd not long since been issued it, so she just takes her marriage cert everywhere she goes just in case.

One more thing: if you're ever travelling with just you and your daughter, make sure you have some sort of document explaining who you are and why your passport shows a different name. For obvious reasons there may be concern at border crossings if an adult is travelling alone with a child with a different surname.

My son has my maiden name and we've never had any problems when travelling, must have come across all the nice customs officials lol

omelette451

Colliefrog wrote: »

My son has my maiden name and we've never had any problems when travelling, must have come across all the nice customs officials lol

Well it would be immigration officers rather than customs, but I take your point. I've always wondered how much fuss they do actually make, but every time you read about someone abducting a teenager and fleeing overseas (recently there was a guy from Cleethorpes who took a girl he met on the internet to France) they threaten to clamp down on it, if only to please the tabloids, so it would always pay to be cautious. Some countries have it as official entry rules, but I've never been in a situation where I've had to test it.

Colliefrog

Ahhh, I see your point!

I remember a travel agent saying something about taking my sons birth cert with me when we went to the Dominican Republic but they never asked for it.

sparklypenguin

Hi

I am travelling to France by ferry in 2 weeks time, the problem is that after my wedding last year i didn't bother to change my name in my passport (don't like flying, really didn't intend to use it again) and now i'm runing really short on time plus it is expensive to fast track it. I'm being told not to worry and just to carry my marriage cert. to be on the safe side.

What would anyone else advise?

luci

Best to book everything in your maiden name until your passport needs renewed.

I am guessing from your post that you have the ferry booked in your married name? They should accept you marriage certificate, but best to call the ferry company to make sure.

sparklypenguin

Thanks very much. I have booked in my married name so will take cert. and other ID with me.

Thanks again