Hello everyone! I am new to this forum, i've been searching in the net about forums in the uk and i get into this forums. Anyway, I am a filipina married to a man from england. its been 3 years now but still, i am using my lastname when i was single and not with my husband's lastname, what do we need to do so i can use my husband lastname? and i am not a citizen in england too... what we should do to get the citizenship? i hope i can get an answer to all my questions...Thank you!
Hi Eve, welcome to the forum. When my wife first came to the UK almost everything had her maiden name, as her passport was still in her maiden name. As such, her national insurance number is in her maiden name. However, with our marriage certificate in hand I added her to my bank account with my surname. We also went to the Philippine Embassy in London for her new passport which has her married name. If you want to take his name, you just have to take it. The marriage certificate gives you that right! You might have to produce that certificate to everyone for evidence, but all the companies you deal with will be happy to change this. As for getting citizenship. How long have you been in the UK? And do you have ILR (indefinite leave to remain)?
Thank you for your reply...i really appreciate it! You mean? i can use my husband's lastname whenever i want? is this means also that i am entitled to everything being a wife to my husband? i'm talking about legal matters? until now i'm not using hes lastname even if were married already, and when i ask him why? he doesnt know the answer too. i dont know why?
My wife has been here over 2 years now. She has ILR but her name in her passport is her maiden name. Otherwise in every case she takes my surname with her old surname in the middle. In a couple of months we will get her a new passport with the correct surname in.
Legally you have all the rights of any wife. Sometimes we forget what that means, but I'm acutely aware that should I find myself in a coma it would be my wife who decided if the hospital were allowed to switch off any life support or how I was treated. Sorry if that was kind of morbid, just wanted to illustrate how much power in legal terms a wife has. Yes, my wife uses my surname on everything. Her employment carries my surname, she is listed on the same bank account as me, has her own Isa savings account and refers to my nephews as her nephews (as they are). She's settled in nicely.. She is still wary over certain things. As an example, we need to go back to London to collect her new passport and she insists I go with her, so we can't go for another 3 weeks (conflicting work schedules). Eve, you've got the right to take your husbands surname. You don't need anyone's permission, just take it!
*sigh* I don't know. I was kept out of all that stuff and when I asked afterwards, the reply was "I don't know". So we're off to London again.
Where are you now? I assume in the UK? Either way, the laws would allow the woman to retain her maiden name, hyphenate her husband's surname or use her husband's surname. In any case, she will still be married to him and is legally still the wife as long as you have the proper documentation.
Same here pretty much. Her NI number, visa and passport are in her maiden name. When she renews her visa she will use her maiden name again as the passport is in her maiden name. Before her ILR comes up she will have a new passport, which will be in her married name. Then her ILR will be in her married name. You can pretty much use any name you want. There's no legal process required. You can have more than one name, as long as you always declare them as a "known as".
