I know I'm getting ahead of myself but...

Okay, I'm putting stuff on my digital forever calendar so I'm trying to set a reminder for myself for my BIG events in the future.

I entered the UK on my spousal visa on 30 July 2017.

So the earliest I can apply to switch to the FLR(M) is 30 months minus 28 days, which would put me at 2 Jan 2020- correct???

I'm honestly bad with dates so someone looking it over for me is dead useful.

Also, slight conundrum, my passport (which is my first one EVER) expires in June 2020... Should I apply for a new passport before I do my FLR(M) in January (theoretically, see above) or just wait?

You have your dates right.

It won't matter about the passport.  Your visa will be another BRP card.  The only thing could be if you wanted to change your name on your passport, do that right before you renew.

You have your dates right.

It won't matter about the passport.  Your visa will be another BRP card.  The only thing could be if you wanted to change your name on your passport, do that right before you renew.

YES!!! I can do dates right!

And nahh... We decided that I'd keep my name as is lol

I'm getting ahead of myself too! I panic about getting my name on stuff every day and have asked my husband 50 times if everything is switched to paper statements. I entered the UK on 21 July 2017 so we can be FLR(M) buddies in a few years.

I'm getting ahead of myself too! I panic about getting my name on stuff every day and have asked my husband 50 times if everything is switched to paper statements. I entered the UK on 21 July 2017 so we can be FLR(M) buddies in a few years.

HECK YEAH FLR(M) BUDDY!

And yeah, that's one of the reasons we decided not to change my name. One: neither of us really cared about me taking his name. Two: I'm kind of too lazy to change all my stuff to a new last name lol. Three: His last name and my first name sound horrible together. Just awful.

HECK YEAH FLR(M) BUDDY!

And yeah, that's one of the reasons we decided not to change my name. One: neither of us really cared about me taking his name. Two: I'm kind of too lazy to change all my stuff to a new last name lol. Three: His last name and my first name sound horrible together. Just awful.

Lucky!  I didn't have an FLR(M) buddy. 

I didn't change my name, either.  The added costs of getting all the new IDs, the hassle of changing it, and the fact that I have never been able to pronounce my husband's last name without making him laugh were all factors.

Lucky!  I didn't have an FLR(M) buddy. 

I didn't change my name, either.  The added costs of getting all the new IDs, the hassle of changing it, and the fact that I have never been able to pronounce my husband's last name without making him laugh were all factors.

Oh goodness. I can't imagine that. 

But I'm glad someone else had the same thought process as me lol

But I'm glad someone else had the same thought process as me lol

I would say about 90-95% of expats don't change it - at least not on their passports!