[Kalota]

Many of my friends have gotten married recently and have found changing their name to be difficult, mainly because Vicroads, Medicare etc will not accept the marriage certificate from their marriage. Instead, after their marriage ceremony, they have to apply through Births, Deaths, and Marriages to get a certificate from them that WILL be accepted to change their name. Often, and especially if they ordered the certificate online and cannot get to the main office in the city, they have to wait several weeks for this to happen.

Is this the standard thing now? I'm getting married next year and I want to change my surname to that of my husband's. It sounds like the marriage certificate I get on the day will be completely useless, and after my wedding I'll have to apply for a certificate from Births, Deaths and Marriages, wait for THAT to come, and then use that to name my name? Is this correct?

I was talking to my mum about it and it sounds like this is a relatively new process? Has anyone gotten married recently and gone about changing their name, if so, how did you do it? Was it a difficult process? Did it take long?

I'm in Victoria, if that makes any difference!

[lsolaBella]

It was the same 10 yrs ago. The certificate you get on your wedding day is just a memorial item.

The marriage has to be registered at BDM for it to be legally recognised, hence Medicare etc wanting the bDM copy.

Eta the change of name is actually not a legal change of name as such, it is a custom based on the fact that you are married. You can go to you DPs surname, they can go to yours, you can double barrel all on the basis of the wedding certificate, but say you wanted to have your maiden name as a 2nd middle name that would require a full legal change of name.

I am Mrs Browne Smith as my full name. I go everyday as Mrs Smith. I did not want to give up my maiden name completely, but did not want to bother with a legal name change to make it a middle name.


This post has been edited by lsolaBella: 31/12/2012, 08:49 AM

[~Bells~]

The marriage certificate you receive on the day is not official. You need to register the marriage with BDM of your state to receive the official certificate and you need to present this to different organisations to change your name (even at your work place).

This is an annoying process, but unfortunately you need to follow it. Good luck.

[SeaPrincess]

It was the same when we got married in 2002.

[TinyTeddys]

I'm from NSW and got married five years ago. We had to apply for our marriage certificate from births, deaths & marriages before I could change my name. Took about two weeks to come initially...a friend told me to check it as they often make mistakes and sure enough DH's DOB and something else (maybe the spelling of MIL's name) were incorrect.

All the best for your wedding!!

[StilettoMum]

This has been the case in Victoria since around 1999/2000. As others have said the certificate you get on the day is just decorative.

[ani1]

It's not a new process , I got Married 10yrs ago and it was the done thing back then. No big deal just have to register officially. Then wait for certificate then change your name. To easy

[lsolaBella]

As PP suggested do check the certificate. Mine was issued incorrectly. DH had a joke that I had married someone else as it was his name that was wrong.

[Swimbaby]

You are on the right track. Most official agencies (like the roads authorities) will require the certificate from Births, Deaths & Marriages. But getting this certificate doesn't take too long - I ordered it as soon as I got back from my honeymoon (about 4 weeks after the wedding) and I received it within 2 weeks.
Some organisations don't require anything at all - e.g. my health fund - and will processs the change over the phone. But they did warn me if that if I made a hospital claim, my surname on my membership would have to match my medicare details (which required the BDM certificate to change... so that's their check & balance).
But what's your rush anyway? You can adopt your married name immediately for personal purposes (e.g. introducing yourself, personal stationery etc) immediately, and the official changes, well, you just have to accept it takes a couple of months to get in order. If you waant to be really prepared, write out a list of all of the things you will need to change (e.g. all banks, health, tax, memberships, utilities), find out about each agency/company's procedures, get your paperwork ready, and send it off as soon as you get the BDM certificaate.
Also make a note of what you are NOT going to change. For me, that's the title deed to our home. Cost to change it is $100 - and there's no point, as when we sell, it can be explained with a statutory declaration to the buyer. Why give $100 to the state governmennt for nothing?
GOOD LUCK!
p.s. One VERY important thing to remember - if you are booking an overseas holiday, your booking MUST be in your maiden name so it matches your passport.

[lovealpacas]

Yup, we got married nine years ago, I was taking DH's surname and taking my maiden name as my middle name, so I had to get an official marriage certificate from BDM, then apply for an official change of name certificate.