I want to take his last name but won't have time to change it!

[shandymoo]

I am getting married in december. Once we have our marriage certificate (hopefully 2 weeks later if we can get it rushed!) we are sending the application! But i obviously want to take his last name when we get married! Do I fill out my application forms out with my new last name? My police clearance and medicals etc will all have my original name on along with my passport that i wont have time to get a new one with my new name on. I dont know what to do! I wont have time to change everything to my new name! Should i just keep my original name to save problems with my application?

 

[Kess]

I kept my maiden name for now. With all the documents I'd have to change (passport, nexus, driver's license) I didn't feel like putting off the application while I got it done. I'll be changing everything over once he's here. Sort of makes it more official then too

Of course you can go by your married name as soon as you are married. I couldn't find anything in BC (where I live) that said I had to change my name or that I had a time limit to get it done.

 

[angelbrat]

Yes I would, like you say, the time frame to obtain all new documents in your new name could throw you back months.

Once your application is approved, then you have all the time in the world to take his name.

 

[Pharoh]

I'm thinking keep your original name... if you won't have the new name processed in time (or proof that it's currently being changed), it might pose some confusion?

It's not uncommon for some people to keep their maiden names, so they *probably* won't give it any thought if your surnames differ, even though your marriage cert shows you were married.

Any one else have any thoughts?

 

[shandymoo]

So when I get married do I just sign it as my original name? I just read once you do that you can never change your name on your marriage certificate and that you can only change it by deed poll.

 

[Pharoh]

So when I get married do I just sign it as my original name? I just read once you do that you can never change your name on your marriage certificate and that you can only change it by deed poll.

I was just asking my fiancee the same question. I'm not sure if she signs with her maiden name, or my name. I'm guessing her maiden name, so it matches everything else? I've never seen a marriage cert before. Is it "so and so samename marries so and so samename" or "so and so onename marries so and so anothername"?

 

[ljane79]

Yeah, I agree. It might add a few months to your timeline. I wasn't willing to take the risk. I wanted my PR as quickly as possible. I'll change my name after I get my PR. I'm not sure about the mariage cert if your name can be changed on the original paper. But if I had to guess I would say that you couldn't because it is an dated document.

 

[RobsLuv]

You have to fill out all the application forms with the name that is on your passport or travel docs at the time of application. You can wait to file until you get your new passport, or you can apply with the passport that has your maiden name and then update the processing office after you get your new passport. (You only send a copy of your passport with the initial application submission.) That doesn't change your ability to take your husband's name at your wedding, and CIC will know you've done that from the info that's on the marriage certificate. All you have to do is update them with your new passport copy when you finally get it. The whole thing is about the requirement that the PR card and the passport have to have the same name on them, that's all - but you'll have time to get that all in order while the application is in process.

 

[CharlieD10]

I still have everything in my maiden name, but I use my married name at work and so on. I am not bothering to have most things changed because it's danged expensive here in Jamaica, plus my US visa is good for another 8 years in my maiden name. We talked about it and decided that I would just get new ID once I landed (whenever that happens )

 

[Love_Young]

You have to fill out all the application forms with the name that is on your passport or travel docs at the time of application. You can wait to file until you get your new passport, or you can apply with the passport that has your maiden name and then update the processing office after you get your new passport. (You only send a copy of your passport with the initial application submission.) That doesn't change your ability to take your husband's name at your wedding, and CIC will know you've done that from the info that's on the marriage certificate. All you have to do is update them with your new passport copy when you finally get it. The whole thing is about the requirement that the PR card and the passport have to have the same name on them, that's all - but you'll have time to get that all in order while the application is in process.

So since I still have 6 months left of processing on my application (filed inland), could I change my name while it is still in process. I was under the impression that this would cause problems. Can I do this all while still in Canada like changing my Social Security and Passport? And should I do the US things first then follow up with the things I have in my name in Canada? I think all the things in Canada will take longer since I have more here to my name. Lol.

 

[Kess]

So when I get married do I just sign it as my original name? I just read once you do that you can never change your name on your marriage certificate and that you can only change it by deed poll.

My marriage certificate has my maiden name on it. The certificate itself is the proof my husband and I are married and I'd use it to get all my other documents changed to his last name.

When you sign the registration during the wedding, you are entering into a legal contract, therefore have to use your legal last name at that time.

As for the immigration application, CIC *should* be smart enough to put 2 and 2 together if you fill everything out in your married name but all your documents are in your married name. For example your birth certificate will never have your married name on it. You should be legally allowed to sign with either your married or maiden name if you only have the marriage certificate (nothing changed over to married name yet like passport) but overall I'd suggest using the name on the majority of your ID just to keep things simple.

 

[shawngt2]

My wife and I decided that we do the name change before the entire process. Of course it delayed things because she had to get new passport, pollice cert., employment workbook, etc. all in her new name. We figured it was worth the wait to make things look less like marriage of convienence because of rushing so much. Ok, maybe it would have not affected things at all and it wasn't necessary, but we decided to do it anyway thinking it was better safe than sorry. She applied right after our honeymoon for her new passports (russian and international) and we had to wait a month and a half just for that before being able to request police certificate. I'm still glad we did it all though....