# Changing name after marriage & visa process



## rgrw (Dec 29, 2015)

Hi there, I am on a life-partner visa, about to get married to my life partner in South Africa. He is South African, I am from the UK, and we both live in Cape Town. My question is about changing my name after marriage. If I get a new passport from the UK in my new name, does my old passport and visa become invalid? Can I transfer my existing life-partner visa into my new passport easlily? Or do I apply for a whole new visa once I have my new passport?

I waited 9 months for my current visa to come through so am concerned that if I get a new passport, and my old one becomes invalid, that I would be without a visa until I get a new visa in my new passport with my married name and go through the whole application process to get a new visa in the new passport?

Has anyone been through this process? It must be quite common?

Many thanks all.


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## maverick.s (Jan 22, 2015)

Hi rgrw

I had a similar issue as I am currently on a spouse visa. But, before I applied for this visa I contacted the SA embassy in India (where I submitted my application) to ask them if it was necessary to get married surname on my passport and the official said that it is not necessary, HOWEVER once I get my passport renewed, when it's approaching its expiry date (in year 2017), the renewal of Spouse visa at that stage will be based on the new passport details.

The point is that your visa does not render invalid just because you renewed your passport, because if I am not wrong, you still hold the old passport. 
Just use the new passport info when applying for spouse visa seeing that you'll be getting married. 

Hope this helped.

Cheers


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## kaz0102 (May 6, 2014)

Hi, 

I am in a similar situation. I have been in South Africa on a temporary residence permit since September 2014. I got married in April 2015, but due to already planned trips I did not change my name on my passport. 

I got offered a job in August 2015 and was finally granted my work endorsement on 24th December 2015, which has been processed in my maiden name. 

After consulting two visa agents and doing some reading I have been advised to change my passport to show my married name before applying for permanent residence, which I am going to do early this year. 

The visa agent who was assisting me advised me not to change my passport while the endorsement was in process as they may not have given it to me if the name on the endorsement did not match the name in the passport. 

Now I have the endorsement and start my new job this week I want to change my passport to show my married name. 

My question now is about the transfer of my residence permit and work endorsement to my new passport when I have it, to show my married name. Do i have to re-apply to home affairs for a spousal temporary residence permit, with an endorsement, using my married name? 

Many thanks in advance

Karen


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## ernal (Jul 16, 2014)

U don't have to necessarily transfer your permit, once u travel out of the country make sure u have your marriage certificate at hand the, the old passport with visa (if expired ) and the new passport, present both passport at point of entry, the new passport will be stamped with a visa showing the expiry date. I think that about it.


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## maverick.s (Jan 22, 2015)

Hey RGRW and Kaz 0102

Could you guys please help me with a quick query? I understand you both hold relative's permit !
Can you please share if your sticker mentions ''no change of status or conditions allowed'' below the statement (to reside with spouse xxxxxxx) ?

Thanks
Cheers


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