# permanent visa or name-change - what's first?



## Penguins_Pet_Pumpkin (Jul 16, 2007)

I'm now eligible to apply for my permanent leave to remain in England. However, I also want to change my passport so that I can travel under my married name. So here's the problem.

The visa comes from England, of course. But the name-change has to come from America, because I will still have an American passport.

So which should I do first? If I get the new passport with my married name on it, will an existing visa carry over on it?

This is really confusing to both me and my husband, so I hope someone in here has already gone through it and knows the answer.


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## soon_to_be_halfBRIT (Jul 13, 2007)

Penguins_Pet_Pumpkin said:


> I'm now eligible to apply for my permanent leave to remain in England. However, I also want to change my passport so that I can travel under my married name. So here's the problem.
> 
> The visa comes from England, of course. But the name-change has to come from America, because I will still have an American passport.
> 
> ...


If your like me, to get to the point you are at right now has been a long hard road of politics and money. So, If I were you I would not jepardize or confuse the UK gov in any way form or fashion. First, get your settlement status first and then after you recieve that, make arrangements to change your US passport to agree with it. I would assume you could do that at the American Consulate in London with no problems.

hope this helps


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## kyleishere (Aug 1, 2007)

I would get your UK paperwork done first. Getting your passport updated won't be as hard. Additionally, most people will be understanding of your name change.


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## Penguins_Pet_Pumpkin (Jul 16, 2007)

Actually we were just looking at this little challenge this morning. I received my leave to remain just before the changes to immigration laws came into effect. I have a letter from two years ago which gives me the website for the form I need to fill out. Check this out ...

The page no longer exists. Okay fine. Two years have nearly passed and there are new laws since then. Much searching for the required form, which they didn't name in the letter, so we have no idea of the exact search terms we need.

The one we _think_ is the right form states that we have to pay £750 for the application. It also states that I have to take an English test (um, I'm thinking I can handle that part) and also a "Life in the UK" test which, by the way, my England-born-and-bred, and extremely literate and well-read, husband totally failed when he tried the online sample. (nail-biting ensues)

Both of these tests also require paying more money, although I think I have quid overload, so I've forgotten those fees already.

When I received my leave to remain we paid £750 for the application. We were told (and the letter backs this up) that all I have to do is fill out the form which basically states that my husband and I are still married and living together as man and wife, and that I haven't received any benefits. That's it. No further fees, no big whoop, just da facts, man.

Wow. Yes, we're going to call in the morning and make sure we're understanding all this correctly, but yeah, wow. 

I understand England (or America and all other countries too, for that matter) wanting to tighten up immigration. But what an unbelievable hassle and financial drain just for my huband and I to be able to live together within driving distance of his daughters!

Sorry for the mega-download here. We've been going around and around on this topic all day together here. I went online to take a break from the headache/confusion, started looking at my various forums, and hey - you reminded me.


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## schedders (Oct 4, 2007)

*a note on Life in UK test*

As an American married to an Englishman, I had to take the inaptly-named "Life in the UK" test.

Just wanted to reassure you that while my husband also failed the practice quiz (as did every Brit I asked the questions of), it's really not that bad! Buy the official handbook, read it a few times, invest a few hours in the practice tests, and you'll fly through. I was done with exam (and confident in reviewing my answers) in something like seven minutes. They give you 30 or 40 minutes. Since you can skip the English language requirement by taking the exam, I think a lot of non-native speakers try to skip the English test and then struggle with the subtleties of the question language.

Note that the test changed in April, so you'll need the latest book (I heard that they weren't going to change much else for content, though).


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