Name change after getting married abroad

DopeTech

Hi all,

I recently got married abroad. On the marriage cert it has both our maiden names. My wife would like to take my family name but we are unsure how to go about it now. When we contacted where we got married they will only change the name on the cert with proof of name change. Would applying for change by deed poll be the right way to go about this?

rainbowtrout

Surnames are through common usage in Ireland. If your wife wants to use your surname, she just has to start using it. If she wants to change her name on something like her passport or bank account she will probably need to provide a copy of the marriage cert to the relevant body. That's all. No need to do a deed poll.


It wouldn't make sense to change her name on the marriage cert, as she had her own name when she got married, not yours.

MiliMe

She will need to bring a copy of the marriage cert to bank to change her name on the account then change things from there once she has proof of address in your family name.

DopeTech

Issue is though she doesn't have my surname on the marriage cert. We both have our own surnames you on it. Then they want proof of name change to reissue the cert with the married name. But we can't get that without proving we got married so it's a catch 22 situation.

runawaybishop

Sir Dosser wrote: »

Issue is though she doesn't have my surname on the marriage cert. We both have our own surnames you on it. Then they want proof of name change to reissue the cert with the married name. But we can't get that without proving we got married so it's a catch 22 situation.

She didn't have your name when she married you though. Surnames are common usage, i.e whatever you are known by. She just needs to start using your surname.

Zaph

Sir Dosser wrote: »

Issue is though she doesn't have my surname on the marriage cert. We both have our own surnames you on it. Then they want proof of name change to reissue the cert with the married name. But we can't get that without proving we got married so it's a catch 22 situation.

A marriage cert is proof that two single people have gotten married, and therefore it will show their surnames before they got married. You will never get a marriage certificate, from Ireland or anywhere else, that will show both names with the married surname (unless the bride and groom happened to have the same surname to begin with).

sillysocks

That’s how the marriage certs are done. They have both surnames pre marriage. I got married in Spain and just checked mine and it also only shows my maiden name. I used that cert with no issue to change to my husbands name in the bank, revenue etc etc.

rainbowtrout

Sir Dosser wrote: »

Issue is though she doesn't have my surname on the marriage cert. We both have our own surnames you on it. Then they want proof of name change to reissue the cert with the married name. But we can't get that without proving we got married so it's a catch 22 situation.

The marriage cert is proof of marriage, not proof of name change. You use the marriage cert showing proof of marriage to show a bank/ passport office etc the reason you are changing your name.

Peregrinus

What others have said. A standard Irish marriage cert shows different surnames for both spouses, and it's the same in every other country whose marriage certificates I have ever seen. If your foreign marriage certificate is not in English then you may need to get a translation for use in Ireland, but your wife should have no difficulty using the cert, with her maiden name on it, to persuade banks, etc, to change her registered details to show her married name (which presumably is your surname, as shown on the marriage certificate).

DopeTech

Thank you all for the replies. I'll tell her to go to the bank so.