travelbug

Hi there, does anyone know if you get married in the UK just before leaving for Australia are you legally obligated to change your maiden name on all documentation/passport/visa etc or can all that be done at a later stage (if ever) from Australia?

thanks
Cathy

Fly Away

I've been married for 20 years and have never changed my name on my passport. It's the 21st century you can use your maiden name for as long as you chose.

EDIT - the seat booking must be in the name on your passport.

Pollyana

If you don't want to change your name, you need not ever do it, either in the UK or in Aus.
Trying to change mine back right now and its more hassle changing it back than it was changing it in the first place!

travelbug

thanks for the replies
I've not really been overly fussed about getting married (been together over 10years & very happy as we are) but i have read a few things on here and in other places about the implications of not being married if you die (especially where children are concerned)...so i have been entertaining the thought of just doing it before we leave (a no fuss affair), so that we have that legality covered before we get over to Australia and have some wills done...

It's not that i wouldn't want to use a married name, but just aware of how many people would need notifying of the change and wonder whether i could actually be bothered!

andycoppock

I should imagine it would be fine, my wife still has her maiden name on passport and driving licence! As long as you try and keep everything in the one name it shoudl be ok, and if any questions are asked just show the marriage certificate.

good luck!
Andy

James516

Damn straight, once you get married you are the property of your husband, along with all your goods and chattels. Failing to change your name on your documents is a legitimate reason for DIAC to refuse entry (as it is at odds with the Australian Values statement, particularly in Queensland).

Pollyana

It will be fine. There is no legal reason for changing the name from maiden name to married name, its completely up to the individual.

AlliF

Hi Cathy,
I was in the same situation as you - got married 3 months before moving out here. I was advised NOT to change my name until after we got here because with the potential delay in getting the passport back and then having to change the details on our visa and flights etc. it would have been leaving it a bit tight. Far easier to wait until we got here. No hassles changing the visa and passport once we got here if that is what you want to do.

Fly Away

We have been married for 20 years and applied for our visa in our birth names, stating that we are married. The DIAC never once queried it....

moneypenny20

It was a joke.

Fly Away

Just concerned newbies would be worried.. imagine a string of visa weddings!

kporte

I saw the title and was ready to roll with some nuggets of wisdom but the thread isn't what i thought......

travelbug

thanks for the replies everyone
Now in between moving out of our house, having a leaving party tomorrow night and then organising the actual move over - i may find time to fit in a wedding!
I think i need a holiday after this lot!

lapin_windstar

You don't have to change your maiden name if you don't want to - but I think (I am guessing) if you were to do it from Oz it could be a bit tricky: wouldn't you have to go through whatever process there is for changing your name under Aussie law, then go back and use that to change the name on your passport (which would also change your passport number), and then you'd have to change those details with DIMIA, and then you'd have to change all the other crap. Wouldn't you? I am sure someone has done it before - and I emphasise that I am just guessing - but it looks like a hassle.

But of course if you don't change it at all, you'll be laughing because you won't need to change anything.

AlliF

Nope, it is not tricky at all.
If you do decide to change your name here you just get a new passport -exactly the same as you would in the UK anyway - by providing the wedding certificate.
Then fill in a change of details form for the DIAC to advise of the change of name and passport number in relation to your visa. They then issue a new visa for you in your new passport.
Easy, no hassle.