Anyone changed their name via deed poll

[Ntwa]

I've just had my papers returned.
I can't make head or tail of what they require.. Thought I'd done it properly, obviously not!
1 part is confirming what nationality I am.. Seems daft and obvious when I've submitted DOB.. birth cert, passport etc..
So options are 1(1) or 11(1) or 37(1)
Pretty sure it's the 1(1)?!

Second part is getting me to declare via wording and I'm sure I'm going to need the solicitor do redo this.. Nightmare..
Anyone any clue?.. I can't get through on the phone

[wowfudge]

@KateF

Wowfudge what do you do to revert to your maiden name if all your documents are in your married name? I really don't want exH name any more but thought I had to do a deed poll.

Just tell people you are changing back to your birth name. I had to show/email my birth, marriage and divorce certificates as proof. The only issue I had was with my mobile phone provider who told me I needed a deed poll. That is incorrect and was their answer to someone wanting to change their name, not someone reverting to their birth name. I just put them straight and suggested I speak to a manager.

[wowfudge]

Divorce certificate = decree absolute. Basically the chain of certificates shows it's you.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot1]

Hi @Ntwa

I've changed my name with an enrolled deed poll and I remember discussing parts back and forth to make sure I got it all sorted.

If you still need help, PM me, I'll go through it with you tomorrow, once I've got it back in front of me to make sure that I'm giving you the right info.

[Ntwa]

Whiskey thank you how do I pm you?!

[SarahAndQuack]

I did a free, non-enrolled deed poll last year.

The passport office certainly did accept it, so has everyone else.

I admit, I sometimes wish I'd done the enrolled one because it's simpler, but please don't waste 300 quid on it. That's ridiculous.

You can also do the free one and get it certified later, btw.

I would be really worried by a company demanding all sorts of info - how on earth do you know they're legit?

[Ntwa]

Sarah thanks. I'm confused.. Does this mean anyone can just print these forms off and chnage their name, therefore applying for passports bank accounts etc nilly willy?!..
I haven't paid anywhere near £300,nor would I.. It was £36 through the courts and £5 for the solicitor.
I was aware you can just change your name I. E back to maiden etc easily but I'm completely changing mine

[SarahAndQuack]

Yes, of course. That's the whole point.

Here's the government site: www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll

You can't use multiple names at most banks; you can't change your name for fraudulent purposes (though I'm sure you wouldn't admit it if you did).

The reason for an enrolled deed poll is that, by having it, you need fewer supporting documents for the passport office.

But it surprised me how easy the process is. I publish under one name, which wasn't my legal name. It was never a problem with jobs - I'd apply with my publications in that name and would explain why it wasn't the name on my passport.

Then I was offered a job and they said no, your names have to match, we need your legal name to be your publishing name. They wouldn't confirm the job offer without it.

So I took my job offer letter (conditional; unsigned) off to the passport office, along with a copy of one of my publications and my freebie home-print deed poll, and they were fine with it.

Then I took my new passport back to my job people, and they were fine with that.

And since then I've done my bank stuff and so on from the passport.

The only issue is sometimes people do want to see a certified copy of the deed poll, and it would be less faff if I'd had the enrolled one as I wouldn't constantly have to argue my case. In theory, though, the free one should be fine, and the bar for proving you've reason to change your name is actually extremely low.

[Ntwa]

Sarah thanks. I've done it through the gov site. I haven't got a passport now and when I apply for a new one in said new name I'm pretty sure it will be harder than printing off a free sheet, otherwise theyd be handing out passports to fraudsters etc multiply but I'm probably wrong and over thinking it!
Problem is I needed to get 1 of the sheets signed by the solicitor and didn't do it right (he didn't know either) and now they're closed

[jendifer]

I did mine for free - needed a professional to sign it who had known me in both names so a Gp friend did. I paid £5 to get five certificates and it’s always been accepted. However I did do my driving license first then used that as additional ID for my passport.

[secretskillrelationships]

I went the free route and then passport but actually you don't even need to do the passport until it comes up for renewal (wish I'd seen that before I paid out!). Couldn't change my bank details etc without photo ID however and I think I needed more for them than the passport office! For passport, I think I did it online and then sent my old passport and deed of name change and it all came back quite quickly. Used that to change my driver's licence and then both to sort out banks etc. Friends were a little horrified it was that easy tbh but if you've had a passport you've had to submit lots of information confirming your identity already.

[Ntwa]

Thanks all. My passport runs out in a few days so I'm hoping this will all still go through. Not much I can do now with everywhere closed

[SarahAndQuack]

Yes, it's harder than printing off a free sheet. If you google the passport office, it'll tell you.

I don't mean to sound rude, but like ... do you not think doing a really quick google would have been easier than asking on MN, then doubting the replies and saying 'ooh I bet it's really difficult to do?'

Of course it's bloody difficult if you decide to ignore people telling you how to do it and the free, publicly available advice on the subject.

[Hazelnutlatteplease]

I printed it out. Two friends witnessed it. I sent in to passport. Cost nothing... well paper and ink. No problems. Used the new passport for DVLA and everything else.

Worth doing on heavy paper and putting in a poly file so it lasts better.

[Ntwa]

I did Google. Numerous companys trying to make their own fee obviously. Solicitors who will charge a fortune... Or the gov site that charges £36. I'm not complaining about the cost, I was initially asking what nationality bracket it is as the guidance doesnt clarify, I've had 2 different answers so instead dof sen dot back and wait another few weeks I thought I'd ask on here. I appreciate for those of you who've done it it's easy.

[londonbrick]

It can be done completely free on the freedeedpoll link added up thread.

I made a couple of copies when I did mine - on thicker paper than usual and had no problem with my bank or anyone else accepting it.

[SarahAndQuack]

The government site makes it mind-blowingly clear you can do it for free.

It is literally the first bit of information you read.

[Ntwa]

OK thanks for your answers. I'm not trying to be difficult, I didn't know the free one could be used.. My bank said they needed the enrolled one due to it being a cometely new name. I just assumed the a sport would be harder to sort so went with what seemed like the 'cover all bases option'
So pic 1..ive gone for enrolled (didn't pay that the price has gone up)
Pic 2..is this what you did for the free one? Tbh if the banks saying no I don't need the hassle and may as well carry on! I just needed to kmow which ref it was for the birth place!

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot1]

Hi @Ntwa I'll message you now so check your inbox.

It definitely doesn't cost £300! As you said it's showing as currently £42.44 (I think the Gazette price has gone up a few pounds as it was £36) and £5 per document for the solicitor. It took me a little while to get my head around the documents for the solicitor/witness especially but they accepted mine straight off, luckily!

[moonbells]

We both did ours years ago when we married and combined surnames, and I took the chance to lose my unused first name at the same time. Ironically I had by that point already half-changed to middle name plus maiden surname, with nothing but a Statutory Declaration, and I had a perfectly legal passport and driving licence.

The banks were a different story entirely, and refused any changes without a Deed Poll. We used a company, which didn't put notice in the Gazette but did give us a lot of decently-printed certificates and didn't cost much. Maybe they were laughing all the way to their bank, but it was quick and it's never been disputed, even when getting a DBS check.

I also publish under my maiden name. Still. The regulations give specific exemption to the declaration that you will eschew use of your old name when you have a previous name you habitually use for work. I think this is so people like female medics, who are registered with the GMC under the name they have at graduation, can keep practising under it if they change due to marriage.

[Hazelnutlatteplease]

When you have the passport you do the bank using the passport

[BiBabbles]

I changed my whole name and I just copied the deed poll off of Citizen Advice's website.

Everywhere accepted that except the US embassy (and because of that, the Home Office) as they require a statutory declaration. I just took a four copies of the deed poll to a local solicitor - they looked it over, photocopied it and my passport, and stamped everything in ten minutes for £20 (it would have been cheaper if I'd only wanted one, but I wanted multiple copies). After getting my passport changed, no one has asked to see the deed poll, they're fine with photo ID for changing my name.