Changing to married name

How would one go about changing to their new married name amongst all the visas etc?  I don't want to have my old name all the way to citizenship and be stuck with it  

Any suggestions or ways to do this?

Kat

Your visas can only be issued in the name in your passport, so the only way to have your visa issued in your married name is for you to apply for a new passport with the name changed before you apply for your FLR(M). But as I'm assuming your fiance visa expires very soon (looking at your timeline), you probably won't have time to get a new passport first before you apply for FLR(M).

However, most people don't usually bother to change the name in their passport (unless it is about to expire) and so just have all their visas issued in their maiden name, while using their married name for everything else.

Even if your visa is in your maiden name, you can have everything else in your married name (you can show your passport and your marriage certificate for proof of ID if you need to).

You just need to make sure that you book any travel in the name on your passport as the name on the plane ticket must match your passport and visa.

OH that makes sense.  Can I change my name for citizenship (once I get that far) I'd rather my British passport not have my previous name (was married once before)?  Sorry for all the questions, though Ksand, you are an endless supply of knowledge!!

Kat

You should be able to change your name on your passport and then on your BRP, as far as I've read. I won't have the time either to have my passport changed before I need to apply for FLR(M), so what I've decided to do is get the new visa in my maiden name. Then, once I'm able to have my passport changed, I can then submit it, along with the marriage certificate, to have the name changed on my BRP.

Here's the link to the UKBA website where it tells you how you can change your name on your BRP:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/while-in-uk/do-i-need-brp/responsibilities/

You'll find the information under the section 'How can you change your personal details on your biometric residence permit'.

Someone please correct me if I have misunderstood this, but if not, I hope that helps!

Do you have to pay for the new BRP when you change your name? 

I know you do if you have the visa transferred to a new passport after changing your name, but I'll just carry my old passport (with visa), new passport and marriage certificate.  I guess you can't do that with the BRP......

Wow, thanks!  Thing is...is the FLR-M a sticker in the passport like the Fiance' visa?  If so how do we get a new one in the new passport?

Kat

I think you have to submit the old passport (with the visa), the new passport and name change proof (marriage certificate, divorce decree... whatever).  But you have to pay a fee (£220 by post, £661 in person) to have it transferred to the new passport..... 

I think I'd rather just carry around the two passports and marriage certificate....   

But.... I haven't do that yet (going for my FLR(M) next month), so maybe someone else can tell you differently.... ksand? 

I got everything done with my maiden name as I didn't want to waste any time. Now that I am here, I have realized that I will just wait till I have to renew my visa and passport and do it then, unless I want to pay a 200 pound charge to change it. I'm taking everyone's advice and will carry a copy of my marriage certificate with me when I renew my passport

Btw - where in FL were you from. I was born in Miami, last place I lived was Orlando

Wait....what do you mean having the visa transferred to the new passport? It says on the form BRP(RC) (link is on the page I've provided a link to above) that, if you've changed your name, you need to change your passport before you apply for a new BRP with your new name.

Doesn't having a new BRP mean that your visa is already linked to your new passport, as it and the BRP will now have the same name on them?

Or, regardless, is your visa linked to the name you initially made the application with?

I'm very confused now. I thought this seemed straight-forward. Urgh!

Here's what I THINK the process is (at least for my situation- FLR(M) and changing my name):

Get a visa (sticker in passport) in maiden name passport
Get BRP (card) in maiden name
Get passport in married name
Get BRP in married name (not sure if we have to pay or how much or exactly how to do it, but it sounds like you have to notify them whenever you officially change your name)

Two options next:
1. Carry maiden passport (with visa), married passport and marriage certificate when travelling
2. Get visa transferred from maiden passport to married passport (£220 by post or £661 in person)

The visa sticker always matches the passport it's in.  So if it's in your maiden passport, it will be in your maiden name.  You can choose to have it transferred, but carrying proof it's you (see option 1) is good enough. 

When it comes time to apply for ILR, it will go in my married passport.  I will have to submit my maiden passport as that will have my FLR(M) in it.

Do I have that right?

Wow, thanks!  Thing is...is the FLR-M a sticker in the passport like the Fiance' visa?  If so how do we get a new one in the new passport?

No, the FLR(M) is issued as a Biometrics Residence Card, separate to your passport (the cards are only issued inside the UK).

You can change your name on the BRP... see here, in the section about changing personal details: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/while-in-uk/do-i-need-brp/responsibilities/

It actually looks like you might only need to pay £37 for a new permit with your new name - it says on Form BRP(RC) that it costs £37 and if you are changing your name on it, you must change your name in your passport first.

I think the £220 fee is for people who have changed their name but don't have a BRP yet (their visa was issued as a sticker in their passport outside the UK, or issued before BRPs were introduced), so they have to apply for a BRP for the first time (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/while-in-uk/transfer-visa-to-passport/).

_________________________________________________ __

TravelingFrog - it depends whether your FLR(M) is issued as a BRP or as a visa sticker in your passport. As they issue all FLR(M) visa as BRPs now, I don't think the info about paying £220 to transfer your visa will apply to you, because there is nothing to transfer (no sticker).

I believe your process would be:

- Apply for your FLR(M)
- FLR(M) is issued as BRP in maiden name (no sticker in your passport)
- Get passport in married name
- Pay £37 to change your name on your BRP.
- Carry only your new passport and new BRP when you travel.

Ok!  Cool!  Thanks, ksand!

That's a lot easier than I thought!   

I've got a priority appointment for my FLR(M) next month, so I can ask them then to double check.    It seems confusing with rules changing, but websites not being updated or catering to two different groups of people (before and after rule changes)...... 

Seems like it's the same thing going on with the Fiance/Spouse Visa.... guess I'm out on sharing my Fiance Visa experience since I applied under the old rules. 

Yes, thank you so much ksand24! I thought I was on the right track before Thank you for clearing that up.

I'm doing the name change right now and they confirmed the process when I got my FLR(M) in October.

My passport is currently being (renewed) in my new married name ($110).  As soon as I receive it back, I can send my BRP to be updated (with my passport in my name with my marriage certificate) to be redone with my new married name (£37).

And yes, with the FLR(M) you no longer have a sticker in your passport, you need your passport and BRP (looks like a driving license) to travel.

I'm doing the name change right now and they confirmed the process when I got my FLR(M) in October.

My passport is currently being (renewed) in my new married name ($110).  As soon as I receive it back, I can send my BRP to be updated (with my passport in my name with my marriage certificate) to be redone with my new married name (£37).

And yes, with the FLR(M) you no longer have a sticker in your passport, you need your passport and BRP (looks like a driving license) to travel.

Great!  Thanks, KFdancer!