If you are planning for a legal name change, it is worth noting that there can be several different ways to do it depending on your particular reason or occasion. While most of us know name change is a tedious procedure, it won’t need your lifetime. If you know the correct procedure and steps to follow, you will surely complete it in minimal possible time and in hassle-free manner.
Regardless of the fact that you are going to hire name change service or do whole procedure yourself, it is a good idea to have basic understanding of name change rules and processes. Events like marriage, divorce and spouse death are three most common occasions or reasons of legal name change. Let’s discuss different name change occasions one by one.
Changing last name after marriage through marriage certificate
Most brides follow the marriage convention and change their last name after marriage to accept their spouse’s surname as theirs. It is one of the most common legal name change occasions our society sees. If you are going to walk the aisle very soon, the good news is that name change procedure is slightly easier for you.
All you need is just your marriage certificate, which you can then use a valid proof of your official name change event to update your new married name at various government and non-government institutions including social security office, motor vehicle department, passport office, banks, insurance companies, postal office, employee payroll, etc.
You may not need a court order in most states. Just get some certified copies of your marriage license from the place where you had applied for marriage certificate. Remember photocopies of your marriage license will not be considered as a valid proof at most places. It is important to get 4-6 certified and sealed copies of your marriage license.
Going back to maiden name after divorce
It is entirely your decision whether you want to continue using your married name or resume your maiden name after divorce. While exact procedure for legal name change after divorce may vary in each state, it is easier to request the court, where you have filed the divorce case, to approve your maiden name restoration petition.
Once your name change petition and divorce is granted by the court, you need to collect the certified copy of the court order. You can use the court order as a valid proof of maiden name restoration for other important documents like bank accounts, social security card, driver’s license, passport and subscription.
If you somehow couldn’t added name change request during your divorce procedure, you can find out if there is any scope of requesting some addition in the court order which states you are legally allowed to use maiden name after divorce. Or you can always file for name change after any number of years of divorce.
Returning to previous name after death of spouse
Sometimes a woman prefers to return to her birth name after death of her spouse. Here the process isn’t as straightforward as changing name after divorce. But the woman is entitled to take her decision and have all the right to go back to her maiden name. You will need to get court order or follow whatever name change laws your state has.
In some states, name change applicants need to issue a public notice and they may also need to take a date for hearing. Once your name change order is approved by the jurisdiction, get a few certified copy of it which can be presented to government and non-government agencies for name change request.
If you aren’t aware of the correct procedure and seek guidance, you can always consider hiring a professional name change agency online. They are name change experts and they know the legal name change laws for every state in the country. They can make your legal name change procedure easier and faster.
Changing first name
As similar to last name change, you will need a court order for changing first name legally. Once you receive court permission, you will be able to change first name in your birth certificate and other important documents. The name change process may involve police verification;
however you may need to enquire about your state’s laws for changing first name.
Taking a whole new last name
Every citizen of the country has legal right to change their first name, middle name or even last name, unless there is intention of getting away with criminal or offensive history. The court may demand your personal documents including your identity proof and residential proof. Once your name change request is permitted by the court, you can go ahead updating your entirely new last name in all important documents.
These are just a few of the occasions when legal name change is common occurrence. But there are a plenty of reasons why a person consider changing name legally. Got a reason to change name? Hire a professional name change service online!
Regardless of the fact that you are going to hire name change service or do whole procedure yourself, it is a good idea to have basic understanding of name change rules and processes. Events like marriage, divorce and spouse death are three most common occasions or reasons of legal name change. Let’s discuss different name change occasions one by one.
Changing last name after marriage through marriage certificate
Most brides follow the marriage convention and change their last name after marriage to accept their spouse’s surname as theirs. It is one of the most common legal name change occasions our society sees. If you are going to walk the aisle very soon, the good news is that name change procedure is slightly easier for you.
All you need is just your marriage certificate, which you can then use a valid proof of your official name change event to update your new married name at various government and non-government institutions including social security office, motor vehicle department, passport office, banks, insurance companies, postal office, employee payroll, etc.
You may not need a court order in most states. Just get some certified copies of your marriage license from the place where you had applied for marriage certificate. Remember photocopies of your marriage license will not be considered as a valid proof at most places. It is important to get 4-6 certified and sealed copies of your marriage license.
Going back to maiden name after divorce
It is entirely your decision whether you want to continue using your married name or resume your maiden name after divorce. While exact procedure for legal name change after divorce may vary in each state, it is easier to request the court, where you have filed the divorce case, to approve your maiden name restoration petition.
Once your name change petition and divorce is granted by the court, you need to collect the certified copy of the court order. You can use the court order as a valid proof of maiden name restoration for other important documents like bank accounts, social security card, driver’s license, passport and subscription.
If you somehow couldn’t added name change request during your divorce procedure, you can find out if there is any scope of requesting some addition in the court order which states you are legally allowed to use maiden name after divorce. Or you can always file for name change after any number of years of divorce.
Returning to previous name after death of spouse
Sometimes a woman prefers to return to her birth name after death of her spouse. Here the process isn’t as straightforward as changing name after divorce. But the woman is entitled to take her decision and have all the right to go back to her maiden name. You will need to get court order or follow whatever name change laws your state has.
In some states, name change applicants need to issue a public notice and they may also need to take a date for hearing. Once your name change order is approved by the jurisdiction, get a few certified copy of it which can be presented to government and non-government agencies for name change request.
If you aren’t aware of the correct procedure and seek guidance, you can always consider hiring a professional name change agency online. They are name change experts and they know the legal name change laws for every state in the country. They can make your legal name change procedure easier and faster.
Changing first name
As similar to last name change, you will need a court order for changing first name legally. Once you receive court permission, you will be able to change first name in your birth certificate and other important documents. The name change process may involve police verification;
however you may need to enquire about your state’s laws for changing first name.
Taking a whole new last name
Every citizen of the country has legal right to change their first name, middle name or even last name, unless there is intention of getting away with criminal or offensive history. The court may demand your personal documents including your identity proof and residential proof. Once your name change request is permitted by the court, you can go ahead updating your entirely new last name in all important documents.
These are just a few of the occasions when legal name change is common occurrence. But there are a plenty of reasons why a person consider changing name legally. Got a reason to change name? Hire a professional name change service online!
No comments:
Post a Comment