Help, name change...can I keep my passport in my current name until it expires?

[Ihgnelotto]

My passport has 9 years to run, youngest DC will be 18 by the time it expires. Obviously travelling with my DC is easier if I have the same name as them, I have googled and found information to suggest both yes and no to this answer!

Does anyone know, or done this already? DC`s father may well not agree to holidays and travel abroad as he is not always the most helpful, and this is my worry, that I could plan a holiday and have it ruined because I would need his permission to travel with them.

Thank you for reading such a dull thread in chat! I had no idea where to put it instead.

I had 8 years to run on mine so changed name on renewal.

I can't help with travelling with children, but my marriage certificate covered the discepency for issues like DBS checks.

All you need is proof you're their mother, eg copies of birth certificates, in case you are asked at border control.

What name do you want to change it to?

My SIL did, more likely out of apathy than a deliberate policy, and it was before DCs. It was also lucky that she did because I inadvertently booked a holiday in her maiden name because I forgot they got married... She just updated it when her passport next expired.

Re different names for your children, my dd2 has dp's surname, I have only ever been asked returning to the UK if she's mine, not on the way out (when travelling without dp). I have a photo of her birth certificate on my phone in case it's a problem, but it never has been.

And plenty of women keep their maiden name when they are married so have a different name from their children. You are only worrying because you have someone who could object. But no one will ask you.

Of course, I’d forgotten about using it as a form of ID, which is (sadly) what it has been used for more than to travel!

I have also travelled with my nephew, who does have my surname (+ two dds, one of whom doesn't) and no one batted an eyelid. In fact I'm not completely sure that the passport control woman managed to look at the correct child as she looked at each passport even...

So does your name currently match your DCs? When I got married, I kept my passport in my maiden name until it ran out. I just made sure I booked any holidays in that name.

That’s reassuring, thank you. I took my ex-partners surname when we had children, now that we have separated I would like to go back to my birth name.

If you need ID, do you have a driving license you can change to your new name?

I do have a driving license, although for a short time I didn’t have a passport and found ID to be a bit of a pain without one.

I didn't wait to change mine, I changed it as soon as I could by writing to the passport office to say that I'd been using my birth name at work for years I wanted to revert to it permanently. It was quick and easy (had to pay the passport renewal fee, of course)

Your driving licence has to match your passport so if you change your passport, send your licence off to DVLA to be changed too.

I changed my name by renewing my driving licence but kept my passport for 9 years with the previous name - that way I had photo ID for both names.
I did the same with my bank accounts - changed my name on one and kept the other unchanged.
My credit rating (Experian told me) had linked me with both names so I wasn’t acting fraudulently.
The reason for this is that I didn’t want to have a different name from my kids until they were of age, but wanted to use my new name at certain times, and some non financial accounts and memberships would incur penalties or even cancellation if I changed my name (so I plan to keep it permanently only for those)
I first thought to do it after listening to a few well known female TV personalities who keep their previous name for work and so on but use their married name only on passports to make travelling and parental ID easier and consistent.

Mine is in my single name and has been renewed it several times in my single name.
Flights must match the name on the passport.

I didn’t change my name on passport either - had years left on it! Just make sure you book plane tickets / holidays in the name in your passport

My husband and I take his son on holiday all the time (he had a different name than both of us) we’ve not had any problems ! We do carry a copy of his birth cert which has my husbands name on it as his father!

I wouldn’t worry too much

Yes - just remember to book any holidays in the same name as your passport. I got married with 8 years remaining on my existing passport so kept it until renewal because I was too tight to pay for another one any sooner.

As PPs have said, left mine until it expired and only changed when I needed a new one. Do remember to book travel in your maiden name though, especially flights!

Great, thank you all. I’m glad to find out the actual practicalities, I think being in the current situation I give everything more worry and thought than I normally would.