First name and Last name changed after marriage...help required!!!

[mona247]

Hey All,

I am sure a lot of you have seen a lot of threads for the topic name change.. the general trend is women have adopted their husband's last name etc.

My case is different, thus I need your advice.

I got married in Nov 2013 and legally registered my marriage in Dec 2013 with my birth name ( let's assume ABC DEF)

In Dec 2013 itself I advertised in the local newspaper and made a joint affidavit with my hubby stating I am legally changing my first and last name (both). It's a complete name change (let's assume GHI JKL)

In FEB 2014 , I received my new passport with the new name GHI JKL after the old passport with name ABC DEF was cancelled.

In March 2019 we decided to start applying for Canada PR, so we went to the marriage registration office again and showed my old passport and new passport, a new marriage certificate was issued to us with my new legal name GHI JKL.

I also sent my transcripts to WES, got the ECA done, however WES was very strict, they refused to write my new name on the ECA report, as they say we only mention the name as per the credential.

Now below are my questions
Q1) CES has a process of providing all the legal documents along with education documents and transcripts and they are ok to issue the ECA with my new name, should I Reinvest time and money with CES? Or go ahead with WES ECA and write a LOE and attach all legal documents during the PR application?

Q2) I have 2 marriage certificates now. One made in 2013 before my legal name change happened and another one made in 2019 showing my current legal name. Both marriage certificates show the correct marriage date and look identical except for my full name difference. Should I produce both the marriage certificates during the PR application with a LOE or just anyone?

Appreciate you responses everyone!!

 

[mona247]

Anyone here to assist or help?

 

[dotslash227]

Hey All,

I am sure a lot of you have seen a lot of threads for the topic name change.. the general trend is women have adopted their husband's last name etc.

My case is different, thus I need your advice.

I got married in Nov 2013 and legally registered my marriage in Dec 2013 with my birth name ( let's assume ABC DEF)

In Dec 2013 itself I advertised in the local newspaper and made a joint affidavit with my hubby stating I am legally changing my first and last name (both). It's a complete name change (let's assume GHI JKL)

In FEB 2014 , I received my new passport with the new name GHI JKL after the old passport with name ABC DEF was cancelled.

In March 2019 we decided to start applying for Canada PR, so we went to the marriage registration office again and showed my old passport and new passport, a new marriage certificate was issued to us with my new legal name GHI JKL.

I also sent my transcripts to WES, got the ECA done, however WES was very strict, they refused to write my new name on the ECA report, as they say we only mention the name as per the credential.

Now below are my questions
Q1) CES has a process of providing all the legal documents along with education documents and transcripts and they are ok to issue the ECA with my new name, should I Reinvest time and money with CES? Or go ahead with WES ECA and write a LOE and attach all legal documents during the PR application?

Q2) I have 2 marriage certificates now. One made in 2013 before my legal name change happened and another one made in 2019 showing my current legal name. Both marriage certificates show the correct marriage date and look identical except for my full name difference. Should I produce both the marriage certificates during the PR application with a LOE or just anyone?

Appreciate you responses everyone!!

1. There is no need to go with CES. You can explain your name change in the LOE along with relevant proofs and tell them that WES issued the ECA according to the name present on educational credentials in the LOE.

2. Attach both, along with proof of name change in the LOE and also tell them that you opted for a new marriage certificate because so that you could get a certificate with the new name.

Because of your complete name change, your application might face extra security screening.

 

[mona247]

1. There is no need to go with CES. You can explain your name change in the LOE along with relevant proofs and tell them that WES issued the ECA according to the name present on educational credentials in the LOE.

2. Attach both, along with proof of name change in the LOE and also tell them that you opted for a new marriage certificate because so that you could get a certificate with the new name.

Because of your complete name change, your application might face extra security screening.

Thanks a ton for your reply.

Since everyone on the forum has their ECA with their new name post the last name change , I was extremely concerned if I have to change my WES ECA.

I wonder why WES doesn't provide the Eca with the new name when CES, IQAS and ICES all the bodies have a clear name change process listed on their website and provide the ECA in the new name if all legal documents are provided.

I think your point about producing both certificates makes sense, I was worried won't it be contridicting to have to two legal marriage certificates valid with different names. The marriage registar never bothered putting a cancelled seal on the old 2013 certificate with my old name.

Additional security screening seems appropriate, do you have any idea how long will the delay be? A further 2 months or less?

Cheers

 

[dotslash227]

Thanks a ton for your reply.

Since everyone on the forum has their ECA with their new name post the last name change , I was extremely concerned if I have to change my WES ECA.

I wonder why WES doesn't provide the Eca with the new name when CES, IQAS and ICES all the bodies have a clear name change process listed on their website and provide the ECA in the new name if all legal documents are provided.

I think your point about producing both certificates makes sense, I was worried won't it be contridicting to have to two legal marriage certificates valid with different names. The marriage registar never bothered putting a cancelled seal on the old 2013 certificate with my old name.

Additional security screening seems appropriate, do you have any idea how long will the delay be? A further 2 months or less?

Cheers

I don't think they were WES people who had their married name on their ECA. WES doesn't ask for a passport, rest do.

Yes, two marriage certificates with different names a common spouse would make things contradicting, however, you would be providing an explanation about the such in your LOE along with relevant proof's. I don't think registrars can put a cancelled seal and stamp on marriage certificates, otherwise, it could be interpreted as cancellation of marriage.

Can't really tell how long additional security screening, it can range from few days to few months, I have seen people getting their PPR after 10 months of applying, some in 7 months and some in 8-9 months and in some rare cases after 12 months.

It is very rare for people to get their first name changed and very rare for the courts to grant changes of first names, do mention in your LOE, why you opted for a change in the first name with appropriate documentation.

 

[mona247]

I don't think they were WES people who had their married name on their ECA. WES doesn't ask for a passport, rest do.

Yes, two marriage certificates with different names a common spouse would make things contradicting, however, you would be providing an explanation about the such in your LOE along with relevant proof's. I don't think registrars can put a cancelled seal and stamp on marriage certificates, otherwise, it could be interpreted as cancellation of marriage.

Can't really tell how long additional security screening, it can range from few days to few months, I have seen people getting their PPR after 10 months of applying, some in 7 months and some in 8-9 months and in some rare cases after 12 months.

It is very rare for people to get their first name changed and very rare for the courts to grant changes of first names, do mention in your LOE, why you opted for a change in the first name with appropriate documentation.

Thanks for your reply.

So with regards to your paragraph, I agree it's very rare for a person to change their first name, however it's a norm followed by a few North Indian communities to change the complete name post marriage.
Their was no court involved in my name change process. It was just a newspaper advertisement and an affidavit. On the basis of these 2 things the passport office changed my passport.( As it's a very common thing in India I guess, no other court document was asked)

I am just wondering what could I write in the LOE.

 

[roysanchez]

In your application they ask you if you were ever known by any other name. So in your LOE just explain that the documents were made when you still had your old name.

 

[dotslash227]

Thanks for your reply.

So with regards to your paragraph, I agree it's very rare for a person to change their first name, however it's a norm followed by a few North Indian communities to change the complete name post marriage.
Their was no court involved in my name change process. It was just a newspaper advertisement and an affidavit. On the basis of these 2 things the passport office changed my passport.( As it's a very common thing in India I guess, no other court document was asked)

I am just wondering what could I write in the LOE.

Write everything in LOE what you told us here, why you changed and if possible provide reference links too, where it mentions that your community follows such rules and submit all proof's.

 

[mona247]

Write everything in LOE what you told us here, why you changed and if possible provide reference links too, where it mentions that your community follows such rules and submit all proof's.

ok, thank you so much !!