Help, name change

[GirlDreamer]

Okay, so this is something I really need to find out. There's still plenty of time, and we're months away from even thinking about booking. But the thing is, our next trip will be our honeymoon (which will be several months after the wedding), so we need to figure this name change thing out.

1. If I know what our name is going to be, can I book the trip with our new names before it's actually changed?

2. Is it possible to change the names in the booking after the trip is booked (if we book the flight inclusive one on the WDW website) and will it cost anything?

 

[2Tiggies]

Okay, so this is something I really need to find out. There's still plenty of time, and we're months away from even thinking about booking. But the thing is, our next trip will be our honeymoon (which will be several months after the wedding), so we need to figure this name change thing out.

1. If I know what our name is going to be, can I book the trip with our new names before it's actually changed?

2. Is it possible to change the names in the booking after the trip is booked (if we book the flight inclusive one on the WDW website) and will it cost anything?

To answer your questions:

1. Yes, book the trip in the names which will be on your passports at the time of travel.

2. No, you cannot change it once you have booked. If you book non flight inclusive, I believe you can amend the resort package booking and there will be an amendment fee, but if you have flights included I think you are going to run into massive problems.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Is your honeymoon immediately after the wedding? Mine was, so some time before the vicar had to sign a form to say we were getting married so that I could apply for a passport in my new name before we actually married! As the previos poster said, the tickets must be in whichever name will be on your passport, and of course, your ESTA!

 

[chmurf]

Is it mandatory to change your passport when you get married in the UK

In france it is not, so a married woman can keep her maiden name for as long as she chooses.
We got married in 2011 and DW still has her passport under her maiden name (even though name change in that case is free for a passport re-issue, it's a lot of hassle and she'd need to redo her ESTA)

so I was wondering if it was the same in the UK (just for my own curiosity)

 

[2Tiggies]

Is your honeymoon immediately after the wedding? Mine was, so some time before the vicar had to sign a form to say we were getting married so that I could apply for a passport in my new name before we actually married! As the previos poster said, the tickets must be in whichever name will be on your passport, and of course, your ESTA!

I understood it from the first post that the OP has several months after the wedding before the honeymoon so there should be plenty of time.

Is it mandatory to change your passport when you get married in the UK


so I was wondering if it was the same in the UK (just for my own curiosity)

No, it's not mandatory but I think the OP is wanting to change her name and is planning on how soon she needs to do so in order to book correctly

 

[smileyk8]

Hi, we went to WDW for our honeymoon 2yrs ago. I didn't change my passport and we just booked in maiden name. No problems with passport control. I've been to WDW since then and still haven't changed passport as I have 2yrs left on it!

Don't change your name once booked as you will be charged.

Oh also remember that you may need ID if you pay for things on a card. Just check your driving license or other photo ID name matches your bank card. We just found it easier to change everything after the holiday!

 

[Lizzi]

I guess it depends on if you've already booked, and if you're that bothered about travelling under your maiden name.

Have a consideration for the length of time remaining on your passport as well, as changing a passport to a married name incurs the same costs as renewing, so it might be easier to fly under your maiden name if you still have years left on your passport.

If you decide to change your passport to your married name, and you're travelling straight away (or within a few days/weeks) you can get your passport issued before your wedding, though it won't be valid until you're actually married. That said, it might be worth taking your wedding certificate (or a copy at least) with you in case you're questioned at US immigration.

The most important thing to remember is to have your passport and flight tickets in the same name.

 

[MrRomance]

Okay, so this is something I really need to find out. There's still plenty of time, and we're months away from even thinking about booking. But the thing is, our next trip will be our honeymoon (which will be several months after the wedding), so we need to figure this name change thing out.

1. If I know what our name is going to be, can I book the trip with our new names before it's actually changed?

2. Is it possible to change the names in the booking after the trip is booked (if we book the flight inclusive one on the WDW website) and will it cost anything?

As long as your passport matches your booking, you're fine.

So you can book in your new name (as long as your passport is in your new name when you travel) or you can book in your maiden name and change your passport after you return.

 

[GirlDreamer]

I understood it from the first post that the OP has several months after the wedding before the honeymoon so there should be plenty of time.



No, it's not mandatory but I think the OP is wanting to change her name and is planning on how soon she needs to do so in order to book correctly

Yeah we're getting married in the end of june, but we want to go to WDW when the christmas stuff is up, so the honeymoon will probably be in november. I know I'm early trying to figure it out, but I'm not a british citizen, so there's a lot back and fort with what I need to legally change my name etc and I honestly don't know how long it'll take to do the changes.

My current passport expires in 2015, so it's not a long time left on it.

 

[2Tiggies]

Yeah we're getting married in the end of june, but we want to go to WDW when the christmas stuff is up, so the honeymoon will probably be in november. I know I'm early trying to figure it out, but I'm not a british citizen, so there's a lot back and fort with what I need to legally change my name etc and I honestly don't know how long it'll take to do the changes.

My current passport expires in 2015, so it's not a long time left on it.

I don't know what your nationality is, but I suggest trying to ascertain the turnaround time that your embassy has for turning around applications like this. They are not all equal. I was assuming it was just UK paperwork and our passport and identity offices are pretty swift in general, but I have a family member who has dual citizenship and has waited 6 months for his application for a passport renewal just to be looked at

It also may be worth checking whether you actually have to be married first to apply for a name change. While you will need to if the change is based on your marriage, there is nothing stopping you from changing your name. When I got married I changed my name before the wedding but I had to submit it as a general name change, not based on the marriage certificate. It was a hassle and it cost more that way if I recall correctly but saved a big rush afterwards for passports etc. Needless to say, I've been divorced for several years and have decided to just keep my name as it is

It sounds like you have left yourself plenty of time however, so I'd personally just check first what time frame you are looking at for putting in the application as soon as you have your marriage certificate

 

[Kath2003]

It also may be worth checking whether you actually have to be married first to apply for a name change. While you will need to if the change is based on your marriage, there is nothing stopping you from changing your name. When I got married I changed my name before the wedding but I had to submit it as a general nachange, not based on the marriage certificate. It was a hassle and it cost more that way if I recall correctly but saved a big rush afterwards for passports etc. Needless to say, I've been divorced for several years and have decided to just keep my name as it is

If you're a UK citizen married in the UK, you don't need to apply to change your name. Your marriage certificate is proof enough. You can then decide if you want to change your name, and just inform the relevant agencies using your marriage certificate as proof. You can also just keep your maiden name. Even if you stay as Miss Y, I assume you could change your mind at any point, and decide to become Mrs X several years after the marriage if you wish.

If you change your name on your passport, you have to buy a new one (which is a real pain for those of us who just got a new 10 year passport a couple of years before the wedding ) BUT they will add up to 9 months of time from your existing passport onto your new one (so new passport valid for 10 yrs 9 months). So depending on when your passport expires in 2015, OP, you may not actually "lose out" on changing your name on the new passport.

I plan to travel 1-2 days after my wedding and have no intention of changing my name on my passport beforehand. I will just book flights etc. in my maiden name as that's what my passport will say. I probably will decide to change my name at some point but no rush..., not least since my passport has like 8 years left on it..!

 

[GirlDreamer]

Well, even though we're getting married, it looks like we have to do the name change through a deed poll, because I want to keep my current last name as a middle name, and have his as the surname, and he's going to take my name as well. And from the looks of it, my country will normally accept that. So first we have to do the deed poll and when that has gone through, I have to send those papers + a name change form to Norway which might take a few weeks. And then when I got those papers, I'll have to apply for a new passport in the Norwegian embassy in London. And they recommend to at least apply for a passport 2 months in advance. So it can easily take quite a few months all together, and that's why I'm wondering if we'll need to start all of this now already, even if the wedding is about 16 months away

 

[Kath2003]

Well, even though we're getting married, it looks like we have to do the name change through a deed poll, because I want to keep my current last name as a middle name, and have his as the surname, and he's going to take my name as well. And from the looks of it, my country will normally accept that. So first we have to do the deed poll and when that has gone through, I have to send those papers + a name change form to Norway which might take a few weeks. And then when I got those papers, I'll have to apply for a new passport in the Norwegian embassy in London. And they recommend to at least apply for a passport 2 months in advance. So it can easily take quite a few months all together, and that's why I'm wondering if we'll need to start all of this now already, even if the wedding is about 16 months away

Or you could just leave everything as it is until AFTER your honeymoon and then change it all once you return. Then you would not need to worry about travel documents etc. for your honeymoon and would not be under time pressure to get the documents changed by a specific date.

I think that's what I would do, anyway.

 

[2Tiggies]

Just remember when you change your name, you will need to change/reapply for any bank accounts where you might need to use ID for payment whilst away.

 

[~Piglet~]

Or you could just leave everything as it is until AFTER your honeymoon and then change it all once you return. Then you would not need to worry about travel documents etc. for your honeymoon and would not be under time pressure to get the documents changed by a specific date.

I think that's what I would do, anyway.

That was my plan originally - it is our 3rd anniversary in May and I still haven't changed anything maybe when our passports run out.....

PS, had no problem travelling abroad using my maiden name, as everything matched on our passports, hotels and my credit cards etc

 

[GirlDreamer]

It's tempting to do it the easy way, but I guess there's something about going on the honeymoon and being able to use my new name properly. There might be a bit of work with changing everything, but it's going to have to be done at some point. I think I'd rather change the name in good time before the weeding, to be sure we got everything sorten, than to do it all months after.