Quick name change Q- maiden name to middle name

To start, I'm unqualified in every respect possible.  This is not intended as advice.

When I got married in the US in 1994 I changed my name to Firstname, Maidenname (instead of middle name), Marriedname.  I've never even heard of deed polls or statutory declarations.  I just wrote my new name on the marriage license, changed name at Social Security, changed name on driver's license, got passport in new name. 

It would be different if you married in the UK. The UK marriage certificate does not have a space for a "new name". You sign with your maiden name; your husband signs with his surname. From then on, you have the choice of using either your maiden name or your husband's surname. Any other combination - hyphenating, changing maiden to middle, etc., requires a deed poll or statuatory declaration.

Question - would a UK marriage certificate be an acceptable proof of name change in the US, if you just changed from maiden surname to husband's surname?

My UK marriage certificate just says:
Marcia Maidenname
Jonathan Jonathan'ssurname

It doesn't say Marcia Jonathan'ssurname anywhere, even though in the UK I can use this as my name.

Particulary when showing it to someone in the US who may never have seen a UK marriage certificate before.

Question - would a UK marriage certificate be an acceptable proof of name change in the US, if you just changed from maiden surname to husband's surname?

I don't know, sorry.

Personal experience is the best qualification you can have. I say that as a qualified person. 

 

It would be different if you married in the UK. The UK marriage certificate does not have a space for a "new name". You sign with your maiden name; your husband signs with his surname. From then on, you have the choice of using either your maiden name or your husband's surname. Any other combination - hyphenating, changing maiden to middle, etc., requires a deed poll or statuatory declaration.

Question - would a UK marriage certificate be an acceptable proof of name change in the US, if you just changed from maiden surname to husband's surname?

My UK marriage certificate just says:
Marcia Maidenname
Jonathan Jonathan'ssurname

It doesn't say Marcia Jonathan'ssurname anywhere, even though in the UK I can use this as my name.

Particulary when showing it to someone in the US who may never have seen a UK marriage certificate before.

I used my UK marriage certificate to change my name at my US bank on a visit there.  And it's what I plan on using when I finally get round to changing it on my US driver's licence, as well as my passport as it was amended years ago when it was still possible (and free!).

Okay, I've done some thinking.

I have 4 US things that I'm worried about changing my full name on- passport, social security card, bank accounts and drivers license.

Passport is easy- statutory declaration.

Social security card- pretty sure I can do that through the embassy with the statutory declaration, but will double check.

Bank accounts- Not sure whether they will take the statutory declaration or not but I can get it legalised by the US Embassy which may do the trick. Also presenting a social security card & passport in my new name may help. Worst case scenario, I should be able to open a new bank account with my new name as long as my social security card has been changed.

TX drivers license- the one I was most worried about, but apparently, I can change my name on my TX drivers license by mail, and the form to do so implies that I may be able to just use my marriage certificate for the kind of name change I want. Will also enclose the legalised UK statutory declaration and hope for the best. Worst case scenario- they won't renew my drivers license in the new name when it expires in 7 years. I'm not planning on moving back to the US so not a huge deal if that actually happens (which I don't think it will.)

I also have my US naturalisation certificate, but I don't think it's compulsory to change my name on that so I'm not going to worry. Anything else in the US I can just use my marriage certificate to change my last name as they likely won't have a record of my middle name anyway.

So yes, not quite as straightforward as I had hoped, but I think this is important enough to me to do it anyway.  Out of all the name change options, Andrea Maiden Married is the only thing that feels right so better to endure some headaches than go through life with a name that I'm not 100% comfortable with.

agree 110% with your last sentence- hope it's not as cumbersome as it appears.

Also, they apparently have an "affiliate program" which people can join and then get paid for promoting the compnay on forums such as this.

That's very interesting...especially as she has posted on no other topics on this forum or introduced herself in any way.

Vicky