# Regarding married surname vs maiden name on passport and BRP



## MelodyPond (Jan 4, 2013)

Hi!

I'm a Mexican expat in the UK. 

I have a dilemma I changed my name in the UK when I got married last year and I still don't have any ID that shows it. Up until now in the UK the only place where I have changed my name is at the bank. Everywhere else I'm still using my maiden name. I have a learner's driver licence and that shows my maiden name as well. I plan to change that once I pass the tests and get the licence, but that may be a while. 

So I was under the impression that although Mexican's aren't legally allowed in Mexico to change their names once they get married that it was possible to include the husband's surname as a kind of a note at the bottom of the details page. So my idea was to include my husband's name as note once it was time to renew my passport so that then when I ask for further leave to remain (spouse visa) in 2015, I would change the surname on my BRP. 

The problem is I am being told by the Mexican consulate in the UK that including the husband's surname as a note on a Mexican's passport is only done in the USA. The reason I want to include my husband's surname on the passport is to change the name on the BRP but also so that once we have kids if I ever travel without my husband but with my kids I would have no problems to demonstrate I am the mother as they will carry their dad's surname. I do know that an alternative is to always bring the marriage certificate when travelling but I just think it would make things much easier the other way. 

So these are my questions:


Can I change my maiden name for my married name on the BRP if my passport only shows my maiden name?
Is it important for the BRP to show the married name or can I just leave it as it is?
Does it matter that in some places in the UK I use my maiden name and in others my married name? Maybe I am forgetting something important regarding why the name should match everywhere.
Hope someone can help. Thanks in advance!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

You do have a unique problem because of Mexican rules. Normally Home Office only put your passport name on your BRP, but they may bend their rule if you can show the impossibility of changing your name on your passport. Perhaps a letter from your consulate pointing this out? This is a long shot but I don't know what else will work. 
If that's not possible, you just have to travel on your maiden name (like booking airline tickets) and carry your marriage certificate (translated if not in English). Under UK law, you can use any name you like and more than one, provided no fraud or deception is involved. A lot of people - esp celebrities and professionals - use their pre-marriage name professionally but use their married name for other things.


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## MelodyPond (Jan 4, 2013)

Joppa said:


> You do have a unique problem because of Mexican rules. Normally Home Office only put your passport name on your BRP, but they may bend their rule if you can show the impossibility of changing your name on your passport. Perhaps a letter from your consulate pointing this out? This is a long shot but I don't know what else will work.
> If that's not possible, you just have to travel on your maiden name (like booking airline tickets) and carry your marriage certificate (translated if not in English). Under UK law, you can use any name you like and more than one, provided no fraud or deception is involved. A lot of people - esp celebrities and professionals - use their pre-marriage name professionally but use their married name for other things.


Hi Joppa! I will try to do what you suggest. Thank you very much for your reply 
Take care


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## MelodyPond (Jan 4, 2013)

Because I recently renewed my passport (I wasn't able to include my husbands surname as a note), I just downloaded the form to inform the Home Office that I have a new passport. But I just noticed there is a note on the website that says that if you change your name (it says 'eg because you’ve got married', which I did but only in the UK because of what I mentioned before) 'You must apply for a new BRP within 3 months. You may be fined up to £1,000 or have your stay shortened if you don’t'. Now I don't know if this would apply to me or not. So far the only place where I use my married name is the bank. Will this be a problem for me? Should I have notified them even if I'm unsure about the possibility to get a BRP with the married name given the problem with my passport?


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

A BRP can only be issued in the name on your passport.


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