Surname dilemma....advice please

teabag29

Ok this is a little complicted. I was sent to live with my aunt and uncle at 3 mths old as my birth mother was an alcoholic. My aunt and uncle changed my name to what I am called now but not officially (i.e. not by deed poll or anything) so there is a different name on my birth certificate.

Anyway I managed to get all my I.D and things as an adult with the name I was changed to (bank account,provisional licence,utility bills etc) all except a passport which i've never applied for.

3 years ago I married and like an idiot I signed the marriage certificate with my maiden name....i totally didnt think about it and only realised the day after. So now I have a birth certificate in 1 name, bills etc in another name and married but a different surname to my husband....oh dear!

I would like to share the same surname as my hubby so how do i do this, will i have to now change it by deed poll even though we are married? Also I would like to get a passport as we are hoping to go abroad next year but i'm not sure how it will work with my birth cert being a different name. Also my birth parents are dead and i knew little about them so I dont have anyone to verify the situation... how would I go about getting a passport. Should I just write a letter explaining the situation with my application? Also there is a section on passport form about parent details but I know nothing about them so cant answer those questions.... could anyone advise me pls.

And if you've got to the end of this post and aren't confused well done hehe

JodyBPM

Sorry, but I'm a bit confused.

I think you do sign the marriage certificate with your maiden name? Or do you mean your birth name rather than your adopted name? As this would mean that the names on your birth and wedding cert won't match up - I can see that might be a problem.

You can assume your married name without having to go through deed poll etc, you just need to show your marriage cert. So everywhere that you were previously known as whichever name you put as your maiden name on your marriage cert could be changed simply by showing the marriage cert.

Am not sure about applying for a passport though?

colli

I think you're supposed to sign you marriage cert in your maiden name, I did! I can't remember now but isn't your maiden name written out for you first then you sign afterwards? All the banks etc will want to see if the certificate itself to show the marriage took place and the should be fine to change your surname to your husbands.

I'm not sure how you go about the passport but maybe your birth cert and your marriage cert to show that you were teabag XXX but are now married so teabag YYYY along with the countersigned photo would be enough? Good luck!

teabag29

Thanks. So I was meant to sign it in my maiden name anyway? my sister said i was meant to sign it as my married name which is why i thought i'd done it wrong. So if ive done it right and i can officially share my husbands surname then will this make my passport application a little easier?

Gloomendoom

teabag29 wrote: »

Thanks. So I was meant to sign it in my maiden name anyway? my sister said i was meant to sign it as my married name which is why i thought i'd done it wrong. So if ive done it right and i can officially share my husbands surname then will this make my passport application a little easier?

You sign it in your maiden name. You did it right.

You will need the certificate when you make your passport application.

Kate78

1) Yes you sign your marriage certificate in your maiden name.

2) Your marriage cert is the only proof of name change that you need if you want to use your husband's surname. You just take it to the bank and ask them to change your account. Might take a couple of weeks for them to do all the change, send out new bank cards etc.

Once you've got a couple of ID documents in your married name, you can use them instead of having to dig out your marriage cert every time.

This reminds me - I still have a couple of things to change

ETA - you can start calling yourself Mrs Hisname whenever you like, you don't have to wait for all your ID to come through

rachbc

you do sign in your maiden name - BUT your birth cert and marriage cert won't match up so it will still be tricky getting a passport in either your maiden name or your married name....I imagine they would only issue in the name on your birth cert - if you had signed your marriage cert in your birth name you could get it in your married name as the birth cert then marriage cert show teabag a became teabag c. but as it is your marriage cert shows teabag b becomes teabag c with no evidence of who teabag b is!

Kate78

Might this be of use?

If your name has changed or is about to change - first adult passport

bargainbetty

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/Applyingforyourfirstadultpassport/DG_174100

Maybe reading the full details will help - you send off proof of ID (not always birth certificate, please note) and the proof of the recent change of name (marriage certificate) and Bob's your Uncle.

Good luck

Solstice_Twilight

My birth certificate is in my father's surname. I spent my life pre-marriage known by my mother's maiden name, as they divorced when I was two.
I signed my marriage certificate with my "known as" name, not the name on my BC, but had no problems changing to my ex-husband's name - the only proof I had to provide was my marriage certificate for most places, and for my passport, there wasn't even a query about my non-matching names on my BC and marriage certificate, as they made a note on the certificate that I was legally known by my dad's surname but was "known as" my mum's.

When my ex and I divorced, I changed my name back to my "known as" name formally, through a company on the internet (cost me £9), as I didn't want to take up my dad's surname, but I had no proof of ID anymore in my mother's name, due to changing it all when I got married. When I marry my fiance next year, I will enclose my deed of change of name with my passport application (assuming I decide to change to his name) to explain the discrepancy between BC and MC.

pigpen

For a first adult passport they often do an interview now anyway so you can explain stuff there if you need to.. chances are they wont want your birth certificate anyway as you can get anyones birth certificate at any time... so the birth cert. is often not accepted as Id.

Just apply for the passport they will contact you if there is anything else they need.