Passport dilemma

[Tjsmum]

Hi all I’m hoping someone maybe able to answer my question

I have recently gotten married in Aus (Aus citizen), will I need to change my UK passport to my Married name even though my marriage is in Aus (currently not registered as married).

My cousin who lives and was born in UK has been using her maiden name on her UK passport for the past 5 years even though her marriage is registered and border has never stopped her
 

I don’t want to risk getting to London (next year) and getting stopped at the border over last names.

I may not change my maiden name on my Aus passport if I don’t need to change it on my UK one. 
 

[Quoll]

You dont have to use your married name at all, ever, if you dont want to.  Just as long as you are consistent - if you book a ticket you should book it in the name on the passport.  It's been a long time since married women were required to take the name of their husband.  

[Parley]

17 minutes ago, Quoll said:

You dont have to use your married name at all, ever, if you dont want to.  Just as long as you are consistent - if you book a ticket you should book it in the name on the passport.  It's been a long time since married women were required to take the name of their husband.  

But if you have legally changed your name as a result of getting married that is the issue about then getting id's changed.

Most people would wait i think until the passport expires as otherwise you would need to pay for a new one.

[Quoll]

Just now, Parley said:

But if you have legally changed your name as a result of getting married that is the issue about then getting id's changed.

Most people would wait i think until the passport expires as otherwise you would need to pay for a new one.

But these days you can be known by either name if you choose. You can be married for some things and use your maiden name for other things.  You can still have your drivers licence in your maiden name if you want.  I tend to agree though, if you are going to change it, wait until it needs renewing. 

[rammygirl]

I don’t think you can have different names on UK and Aus passports. So change both or neither. 

[Nemesis]

6 minutes ago, Quoll said:

But these days you can be known by either name if you choose. You can be married for some things and use your maiden name for other things.  You can still have your drivers licence in your maiden name if you want.  I tend to agree though, if you are going to change it, wait until it needs renewing. 

Keeping the passports in the maiden name makes life much easier when one gets divorced!

 

OP- your post is a bit confused though,you say you are married but not registered as married? That doesn't make sense 

[Nemesis]

Just now, rammygirl said:

I don’t think you can have different names on UK and Aus passports. So change both or neither. 

strangely enough you can have the passports in different names - I had to ask about it a few years back,and apparently it is legal, although not recommended - especially as tickets must match the passport name. 

[Tjsmum]

3 hours ago, Nemesis said:

Keeping the passports in the maiden name makes life much easier when one gets divorced!

 

OP- your post is a bit confused though,you say you are married but not registered as married? That doesn't make sense 

We are married we just haven’t registered our marriage, we don’t have the offical govt document that says we are married we just have our certificate our pastor gave us, to change my name on my Aus passport I need to have the offical govt document.

[Tjsmum]

Just now, Tjsmum said:

We are married we just haven’t registered our marriage, we don’t have the offical govt document that says we are married we just have our certificate our pastor gave us, to change my name on my Aus passport I need to have the offical govt document.

I have just read online that my pastor would have registered my marriage on my behalf My apologies. 
 

So my marriage is registered I just don’t have the offical govt document yet

[Tjsmum]

3 hours ago, Parley said:

But if you have legally changed your name as a result of getting married that is the issue about then getting id's changed.

Most people would wait i think until the passport expires as otherwise you would need to pay for a new one.

My Uk passport expired this January my Aus one has 9 years to go  

However I have read that you can change your name on your Aus passport for free if you’ve been married 

[Marisawright]

4 hours ago, Parley said:

 

Most people would wait i think until the passport expires as otherwise you would need to pay for a new one.

No they don’t, because if you apply to change within a year of getting married, they do it for nothing 

[Parley]

26 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

No they don’t, because if you apply to change within a year of getting married, they do it for nothing 

Do the UK ? I didn't know that.

[Nemesis]

2 hours ago, Tjsmum said:

I have just read online that my pastor would have registered my marriage on my behalf My apologies. 
 

So my marriage is registered I just don’t have the offical govt document yet

Then you need to apply to the registrar for a  copy of it. Most countries (including the UK and Australia)  do not send a copy unless you request it and pay the relevant fee

[rammygirl]

20 hours ago, Tjsmum said:

My Uk passport expired this January my Aus one has 9 years to go  

However I have read that you can change your name on your Aus passport for free if you’ve been married 

Then change the name on the Aus one now then when you wish to renew the UK one do it in the new name.  

[Tulip1]

On 27/07/2020 at 07:19, Nemesis said:

Keeping the passports in the maiden name makes life much easier when one gets divorced!

 

OP- your post is a bit confused though,you say you are married but not registered as married? That doesn't make sense 

Only if you want to go back to using your maiden name.  Some do some don’t.  I kept my married surname after divorce as I wanted to have the same name as my kids.  

Edited July 28, 2020 by Tulip1

[Tulip1]

On 27/07/2020 at 07:09, Parley said:

But if you have legally changed your name as a result of getting married that is the issue about then getting id's changed.

Most people would wait i think until the passport expires as otherwise you would need to pay for a new one.

I don’t actually think getting married legally changes your name. If you look at a marriage certificate it just states the names of those getting married. It doesn’t say who’s taking who’s name so there’s nothing in law that says marriage legally changes a name. I’d want to have the same name as my husband but many don’t these days. I think the problem is you shouldn’t use both names. 

[Parley]

17 minutes ago, Tulip1 said:

I don’t actually think getting married legally changes your name. If you look at a marriage certificate it just states the names of those getting married. It doesn’t say who’s taking who’s name so there’s nothing in law that says marriage legally changes a name. I’d want to have the same name as my husband but many don’t these days. I think the problem is you shouldn’t use both names. 

I really meant legally changed your name after getting married.

I thought we all have a legal name and this would get reflected somewhere. So if you get married and then have your legal name changed then your ids should be updated accordingly.

Maybe we don't have a legal name after all.

Edited July 28, 2020 by Parley

[Tulip1]

2 hours ago, Parley said:

I really meant legally changed your name after getting married.

I thought we all have a legal name and this would get reflected somewhere. So if you get married and then have your legal name changed then your ids should be updated accordingly.

Maybe we don't have a legal name after all.

I’m not sure but no one does anything to legally change their name after marriage. It just seems that a marriage certificate is sufficient to change your name if you want to. If you don’t want to then you can keep your existing name.  Equally, a decree absolute is sufficient to change back to your maiden name if you wish but again it’s up to the individual. It’s all a bit strange. 

[Marisawright]

On 27/07/2020 at 16:22, Nemesis said:

strangely enough you can have the passports in different names - I had to ask about it a few years back,and apparently it is legal, although not recommended - especially as tickets must match the passport name. 

This is a very good point, particularly for anyone holding two passports.   Your tickets in each direction must match the passport you're travelling on.  

If the two passports are in different names, then you may face difficulties because you'll be leaving Australia on your Australian passport, then leaving the UK on your British passport. 

[Quoll]

2 hours ago, Tulip1 said:

I don’t actually think getting married legally changes your name. If you look at a marriage certificate it just states the names of those getting married. It doesn’t say who’s taking who’s name so there’s nothing in law that says marriage legally changes a name. I’d want to have the same name as my husband but many don’t these days. I think the problem is you shouldn’t use both names. 

I think you can use both names - I know women who use their professional name, usually maiden name in their professional sphere but then use their married name in a different sphere. The problem really only comes with booking a plane ticket - the ticket name must match whichever passport you are traveling on. Other things. You can only do once would be putting yourself on the electoral roll or signing up to Medicare but you can choose which name you use for whatever function.

[LKC]

I don't think getting married changes your name, but you can use your marriage certificate as evidence of the fact that you can change your name, if you wish (if that makes sense). When I got married I had to provide my marriage certificate to change my name with the bank, for my passport etc., but I didn't have to change my name. I could have stuck with my maiden name. Now I'm getting divorced, I will probably keep my married name so that it is the same as the kids, until they are adults themselves, even if I remarry, although if I did remarry I'd just use my new marriage certificate to change it. your married name doesn't automatically  revert to your maiden name on the event of a divorce. But I think I could use my marriage certificate and decree absolute to change it back instead of by deed poll if I wished.

Obviously things like the name on plane tickets and passport, bank card and ID, name you gave to Medicare and any hospital visit etc. would have to match.