Okay, name change, residency, et al.

Okay, I am soooo confused!! My passport has my old married name in it. I want to keep it in that name because when my daughter comes over her name and my name will be the same (makes life easier that way). I have my visa in it, and soon (hopefully) my ILR (residency). I have had my passport two years now.

Can I legally just leave my passport as is? I have been under the understanding that I don't have to change  my passport to my new married name. And now since they want you to get a whole new passport for that name change it makes life much more complicated.

So far, I have had no problems going in and out of the UK with passport with old name. Is it all right to just leave things as they are.

As long as the reservation is in the name that is in your passport, you don't have anything to worry about.  You don't *have* to change it.

As Peedal says, you won't have a problem as long as your tickets match the name in your passport.  I haven't changed my name, so we just book all of my tickets in my maiden name -- haven't ever had any problems.

Thanks Peedal and Lola. Figured as much. Just wanted to check though.

I always carry my marriage certificate with me when I travel.  My passport is in my old-married name, but - unlike so many others here - the consulate did put my spousal visa in my NEW married name.  Getting your name changed on your passport isn't that big of a deal, but they don't change it on the photo page, they just put a stamp in the back reflecting you have changed your name to such-and-such.  The only way to change it on the photo page is to get a new passport...and then, if you do that, you've still got to carry two passports around with you because your old one has your visa in it!  So, yeah, just keep doing what you're doing...

Getting your name changed on your passport isn't that big of a deal, but they don't change it on the photo page, they just put a stamp in the back reflecting you have changed your name to such-and-such.  The only way to change it on the photo page is to get a new passport...and then, if you do that, you've still got to carry two passports around with you because your old one has your visa in it!  So, yeah, just keep doing what you're doing...

They're not doing ammendments anymore. If you go here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/correcting/correcting_2654.html and scroll down to the FAQs it will explain how to go about applying for a new passport in your married name.

You should check that out when you're ready to change your name on your passport, Georgia.

Actually, I'm not going to change my name on my passport. Figured since I'm still legal in NOT doing so, it is easier for me to leave as is.

My visa (Entry Clearance) just says WIFE (Spouse of) and doesn't have any name after that. It has my old last name and my first name(s) under it. Because I was married before and my child obviously has my ex's last name, it is far easier for me to travel with my child with my ex's name as my last name on my passport.

Like my English husband says, many women never take their husband's last name, so it doesn't really matter. I have carried our marriage license before, but have never had the need for it. I guess in this day in age when so many people are living together and not married, their last names would be different.

Anyway, it's one less thing I have to worry about. Now, I'm just concentrating on my ILR (residency)...glad when that is taken care of.

among the stars I just looked at that site for name change on your passport. They said if your name changes within a year of the date your passport was issued, they will change it for free. I got my passport 6mos before I got married and after I was married I called them and they said I would have to pay, then $80. to get a new passport with my new married name, so I just sent it off and had them put an ammendment in the back saying my changed from what is on the pic page and the date it changed cause that was free. do you think that is what they are refering to? If its not it upsets me that I could have a new one in my married name for free and no one told me. I always have trouble with it when I travel. I have to tell US customs to ck out the ammendment page. The UK always knows to look. go figure.

I got my passport 6mos before I got married and after I was married I called them and they said I would have to pay, then $80. to get a new passport with my new married name, so I just sent it off and had them put an ammendment in the back saying my changed from what is on the pic page and the date it changed cause that was free.

I'm not among_the_stars but I hope she won't mind if I jump in!  As far as I can tell the whole thing about having to get a new passport to change your name and the "it's free if it's less than one year from the date of issue" thing  is a very very recent development- these rules came into effect probably no more than a couple of weeks ago.  I don't know whether you could have gotten a new passport for free for a name change under the old amendment system- it's very possible that they used to make everyone pay for new passports and if you didn't want to pay you could do the amendment, but now that they've gotten rid of the amendment page they've added the new rule that you can get a passport with your new name in it for free if it's less than 1 year old.  A little bit of speculation, but I bet that's how it happened.

I'm not among_the_stars but I hope she won't mind if I jump in!  As far as I can tell the whole thing about having to get a new passport to change your name and the "it's free if it's less than one year from the date of issue" thing  is a very very recent development- these rules came into effect probably no more than a couple of weeks ago.  I don't know whether you could have gotten a new passport for free for a name change under the old amendment system- it's very possible that they used to make everyone pay for new passports and if you didn't want to pay you could do the amendment, but now that they've gotten rid of the amendment page they've added the new rule that you can get a passport with your new name in it for free if it's less than 1 year old.  A little bit of speculation, but I bet that's how it happened.

That's right.

OK, so I'm in the same situation.  I'll be getting married in the US, getting spousal visa, my passport will be in my maiden name.  It sounds to me from the site that among_the_starts provided, that you MUST LEGALLY change your passport if you plan to take your husband's name.  It says "all citizen's must travel in their legal names."  Otherwise I would have no problem just booking travel in my maiden name and using my legal, married name for everything else.  From the sounds of that site, US citizens must have a new passport issued if their legal name has changed.

So, when the new passport is issued, what happens to the visa because the old passport will be void.  It doesn't make sense to me.  I'll have a valid, new passport in my married name.  Then I'll have a spousal visa in another passport in my maiden or married name, depending on what the consulate does.  This spousal visa will then be in a void passport, how does that work?  The US will not transfer the spousal visa if the visa is from Great Britain.  So then do I have to apply and pay for another FLR?  That's a lot of money!  Somebody help!???

No, Luxie.  If you have a new passport in your new name and your visa is in your old passport, you'll just have to carry both of them when you travel.

No, Luxie.  If you have a new passport in your new name and your visa is in your old passport, you'll just have to carry both of them when you travel.

Right, I've read that I'll have to carry both, which I don't mind.  So the British visa, even though it is in a void US passport, is not void?  I guess that sort of makes sense, I just always thought that if the passport was void, the visas inside it were too.  I guess it'll be two passports for me then!  Three when I apply for citizenship, LOL  I'm going to feel like a real life Jason Bourne from Bourne Identity.