[2farapart]

Both my partner from the US and I wish to change our surnames upon civil partnership. The legalities over that are fine, but it causes a problem over passports, visa etc.

What should my partner do? Is she required to send her passport back to the US for this? Would we need to have this done before we apply for the FLR visa because she thinks it could take 2 months for her passport to be changed (and we don't have a full two months after we become civil partners)?

Any thoughts on this (or other people's experience of name change after marriage) would be most welcome.

 

[Joppa]

Both my partner from the US and I wish to change our surnames upon civil partnership. The legalities over that are fine, but it causes a problem over passports, visa etc.

What should my partner do? Is she required to send her passport back to the US for this? Would we need to have this done before we apply for the FLR visa because she thinks it could take 2 months for her passport to be changed (and we don't have a full two months after we become civil partners)?

Any thoughts on this (or other people's experience of name change after marriage) would be most welcome.

I take it you are entering into CP in UK, with your partner arriving on proposed CP visa? Then I suggest she submits her existing passport for FLR (as it has to be done within 6 months), and then change it to a new passport during her 2-year probationary period through US embassy. She will have to carry both passports when travelling until she gets ILR endorsement into her new passport.

 

[2farapart]

Thanks Joppa. Yes, we will be becoming CP in April (UK), with my partner's fiancée visa running until June. We'd like to apply for FLR as soon as we can, but I think I read somewhere that we should wait until within 28 days of the fiancée visa expiring.

Would it mean my partner needs to wait before changing her name elsewhere, or would she be okay to make a start, but wait until after FLR for her visa?

 

[Joppa]

Thanks Joppa. Yes, we will be becoming CP in April (UK), with my partner's fiancée visa running until June. We'd like to apply for FLR as soon as we can, but I think I read somewhere that we should wait until within 28 days of the fiancée visa expiring.

No, you don't need to wait for that. Just apply for FLR as soon as your CP is celebrated. Applying within 28 days is for your ILR, which cannot be done until you are within 4 weeks of 2 years.

Would it mean my partner needs to wait before changing her name elsewhere, or would she be okay to make a start, but wait until after FLR for her visa?

She can change her driving licence etc, but wait until she gets her FLR in her existing passport before applying for new passport in her new surname.

 

[2farapart]

Great! Thanks hugely - just what I'd hoped.