ILR - Quick question

Getting to the point where I need to start gathering everything I've got to get my ILR sorted out. We won't apply until January (BRP will expire Feb 1, 2019) due to all the travelling we're doing so I need my passport. I'll more likely than not post my evidence and what I'm going to submit in one post just for a 2nd set of eyes to check over it but had a very quick preliminary question:

Obviously I've had the issue before with my name being my maiden name on my visa but using my married name in this country. Will I have issue with 99% of mail addressed to to my married name if it also includes my marriage certificate? I'm assuming so and that my option might be that I have to factor in extra time to change my name in the US on my passport, etc., but I REAAAALLLYYY don't want to have to do that if the marriage certificate proving the difference in names is enough. I've got some stuff in my maiden name but I'm not sure if it will be stuff I can use for the application and if the stuff I DO have is historical enough.


Also - second quick question, what happens if I don't have letters from my doctor's surgery confirming I'm registered?? I never thought to keep any letter I may have gotten YEARS ago and I didn't receive one yearly that I'm aware of (though perhaps it's because we've moved house?). Can I go to a surgery to get proof of this? (Although it's bizarre to me that they want proof you've registered every year at a surgery to me but I'm sure it has a reason..)

Thanks in advance lovely people. Almost at the end of this road and just trying to stay sane until I am! lol

Getting to the point where I need to start gathering everything I've got to get my ILR sorted out. We won't apply until January (BRP will expire Feb 1, 2019) due to all the travelling we're doing so I need my passport. I'll more likely than not post my evidence and what I'm going to submit in one post just for a 2nd set of eyes to check over it but had a very quick preliminary question:

Obviously I've had the issue before with my name being my maiden name on my visa but using my married name in this country. Will I have issue with 99% of mail addressed to to my married name if it also includes my marriage certificate? I'm assuming so and that my option might be that I have to factor in extra time to change my name in the US on my passport, etc., but I REAAAALLLYYY don't want to have to do that if the marriage certificate proving the difference in names is enough. I've got some stuff in my maiden name but I'm not sure if it will be stuff I can use for the application and if the stuff I DO have is historical enough.


Also - second quick question, what happens if I don't have letters from my doctor's surgery confirming I'm registered?? I never thought to keep any letter I may have gotten YEARS ago and I didn't receive one yearly that I'm aware of (though perhaps it's because we've moved house?). Can I go to a surgery to get proof of this? (Although it's bizarre to me that they want proof you've registered every year at a surgery to me but I'm sure it has a reason..)

Thanks in advance lovely people. Almost at the end of this road and just trying to stay sane until I am! lol

1.) Not a problem. I would probably include a note in my cover letter that you use your married name but passport is in maiden... not a big deal at all (at least, not for FLR(M) or another other FLR applications).

2.) That sounds crazy to me. Surely the doctor's letter is ONE option to prove residence?? But then again, I'm not familiar with SET (M).

1.) Not a problem. I would probably include a note in my cover letter that you use your married name but passport is in maiden... not a big deal at all (at least, not for FLR(M) or another other FLR applications).

2.) That sounds crazy to me. Surely the doctor's letter is ONE option to prove residence?? But then again, I'm not familiar with SET (M).

Thanks - I didn't remember having any issues with FLR(M) but it was long enough ago now that I can't remember if I needed to do something specific or if things had maybe changed and I might have some trouble. I planned on digging up my FLR visa application that I saved just in case but there's so much going on at the moment that it's just slipped to the back of my brain

Perhaps I misread because I read it quickly, but I swear it said a note from doctor's surgery for each year to show you've registered with a surgery. I found that a bit bizarre as I didn't think it was mandatory to register with a surgery (even though you should - and I would never advocate for not registering by any means) but if a person hadn't registered with a surgery in their first year, I would imagine this would be hard to rectify 4 years later... Hoping I just misread/misunderstood.

Thanks for the reply!

There's nothing about having to show you are registered at your doctor's surgery - unless that's been updated with the latest form?  I am (hoping) you've misinterpreted something.

There's nothing about having to show you are registered at your doctor's surgery - unless that's been updated with the latest form?  I am (hoping) you've misinterpreted something.

Very well may have happened (maybe I looked at the wrong form?). I usually look at this stuff while multi-tasking on con-calls at work so I didn't have my full-attention on it and could've easily misread. Will try to find it now (while I'm on a con-call LOL)

So RE the registering at the Doctor's surgery, I found it here:

https://www.gov.uk/long-residence/documents-you-must-provide --> clicked into the "List of Full Documents" and then the PDF of the actual form (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/570042/SET_LR__guidance_notes_11-16.pdf).

On page 24 where you tick off what you're sending to show continuous residence it says "Doctor’s letter(s) showing registration for each year of your stay and lettes from hospital(s) or other local health service(s)" but re-reading it now, it appears that you need to show these documents for if you can't provide a passport for this time (?)....I'm on a team con-call at the moment so just skimming again but I think I just misunderstood when doing a quick skim the last time.

So RE the registering at the Doctor's surgery, I found it here:

https://www.gov.uk/long-residence/documents-you-must-provide --> clicked into the "List of Full Documents" and then the PDF of the actual form (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/570042/SET_LR__guidance_notes_11-16.pdf).

On page 24 where you tick off what you're sending to show continuous residence it says "Doctor’s letter(s) showing registration for each year of your stay and lettes from hospital(s) or other local health service(s)" but re-reading it now, it appears that you need to show these documents for if you can't provide a passport for this time (?)....I'm on a team con-call at the moment so just skimming again but I think I just misunderstood when doing a quick skim the last time.

That is for long residence, not SET(M), it does not apply to you. 

This is what you need.  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-settle-in-the-uk-form-setm

That is for long residence, not SET(M), it does not apply to you. 

WHEW! Just me failing at multi-tasking and only doing skim reads. Planned on reading it more detailed over the weekend but was thinking it would be SUCHHH a ballache if I understood correctly! lol

Take on the name thing? Should I still be okay to just show my marriage certificate as why the names may not match and just list "Powell" as another name I'm known by?

WHEW! Just me failing at multi-tasking and only doing skim reads. Planned on reading it more detailed over the weekend but was thinking it would be SUCHHH a ballache if I understood correctly! lol

Take on the name thing? Should I still be okay to just show my marriage certificate as why the names may not match and just list "Powell" as another name I'm known by?

You have to provide your marriage certificate in any case. And yes, just list the other name and explain the situation in a sentence in the any other information section or in a cover letter.

You have to provide your marriage certificate in any case. And yes, just list the maiden name and explain the situation in a sentence in the any other information section or in a cover letter.

COOOOOOOOOOOOL thanks!

Much more relaxed about this now! That was the only thing I was concerned about (because I'm just too lazy to go through the process of changing things over like I should have done ages ago lol figured I'd sort it when I couldn't avoid it or once I've *hopefully* naturalised and the pressure was off).

Yeah, the name won't be an issue.

One thought though.  If you want to change everything over to your married name, send your passport in for renewal/name change before you send your application if (if time allows).  Then your BRP will be in your married name and you can naturalise in your married name. 

Yeah, the name won't be an issue.

One thought though.  If you want to change everything over to your married name, send your passport in for renewal/name change before you send your application if (if time allows).  Then your BRP will be in your married name and you can naturalise in your married name.

Not too fussed about naturalising in married name vs maiden name as I don't typically have an issue using my married name here beyond when I have to do visa renewals/passport renewals. I don't know if I have the time to do all the name changes and stuff between holidays (think I'll be cutting it close so don't want to risk it unless i absolutely have to).

Not too fussed about naturalising in married name vs maiden name as I don't typically have an issue using my married name here beyond when I have to do visa renewals/passport renewals. I don't know if I have the time to do all the name changes and stuff between holidays (think I'll be cutting it close so don't want to risk it unless i absolutely have to).

Oooo, I saw that you renewed your passport earlier this year.  That would mean you can change your name for "free" if it's within a year.  So you might want to consider it.  You'd have ONE NAME then. 

Oooo, I saw that you renewed your passport earlier this year.  That would mean you can change your name for "free" if it's within a year.  So you might want to consider it.  You'd have ONE NAME then. 

I could potentially do it RIGHT when I get back from Japan. Just need to make sure it's done between October 17 & December 18 :p Will check lead times for October and see how long they reckon it'll take (was 8 weeks but I don't know if that will have gone up).

Don't mind multiple names though as I have student loans and a bank account in the US that is in my maiden name and not sure if that would be an issue once I change over (I literally want to do the least amount of stressful name changing as possible until I hit a point where I have to). Didn't know I could get the name change for free! Thought it was only within a year of getting married/changing your name so that's good to know!

Currently 3 weeks!  But is your ticket at Christmas in your maiden name?  Must be....  <sigh>  Nothing is ever easy, is it?