GP receptionist thinks that all women's surnames change upon marriage....

[onlychildhamster]

Basically the set up in my passport is that I am allowed to add my married name in brackets.

So as an e.g. my name is in the format:

Rachel Tan Huimin (Mrs Rachel Smith)

Tan is my maiden name, Huimin is my Chinese name. In the UK, I go by my married name, Rachel Smith because I find having a white passing names makes life easier in many ways i.e. people aren't confused what your surname is and some people are also nicer to you.

Until now... Basically I need a vaccine certificate to get back to my country. I am concerned that my NHS Covid pass doesn't match what is in my passport exactly. I asked my GP if I could change the name on my NHS Covid pass and got this response. They are telling me that when I married, my name changed and therefore I can't change it back! But I never changed my name in the first place, it just got added to my passport so that I can use it for official purposes. I bought my property in my married name, opened a bank account in my married name and have travelled under my married name. But at the same time, I never changed my name so I still have my maiden name in my passport. It is very unusual in my home country to completely change your name, hence this option to add husband's surname to passport (it's very common for ladies who married Europeans to have this setup). But now the GP said they will not change my name to my maiden name unless I show a name change document!

'When you got married your name changed, now you are asking to change it back to your maiden name, so we need to see Legal documentation that you have changed you name again, so please come to the surgery with this.'
What should I do? Would it help if I register with another GP (who hopefully has a smarter receptionist)?

I am a little confused. It sounds to me like you have changed your name to Mrs Smith? If the GP surgery was given a copy of your passport when you registered that would say Mrs smith ?

Or have a got it all wrong ?

The name they will have for you is what you registered with, they don't have access to passport name changes so you must have told them. If you need to change it back at the drs you need to bring official documents stating the name you wish to use. I'm unsure how your passport has two names because mine can only have one

@mugoftea456

The passport says Rachel Tan Huimin (Mrs Rachel Smith). The GP registered me as Mrs Rachel Smith.

I just want them to register me as Rachel Tan Huimin (Mrs Rachel Smith) if that is possible.

They can't have two names for you, the software doesn't allow it

@gogohm my passport has 2 names. It's allowed in my country.

It's literally Rachel Tan Huimin (Mrs Rachel Smith).

You will have completed a new patient form

@gogohm

Didn't want to say my country but here goes. Ok if software doesn't allow, then Rachel Tan is fine too.

'The Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) allows Singapore citizens to apply for the inclusion of their married name in their new passport. All applicants must submit photocopies of their marriage certificate to support the application.

The principal (maiden) name will be printed as usual in the new passport - the married name will appear in parentheses below. Applicants should note that the married name is considered an alias and therefore cannot replace the principal name.

Applicants who have their principal name recorded in full Hanyu Pinyin version must choose between it or their married name as the passport cannot have more than one alias printed below the principal (maiden) name.

Applicants who wish to omit / replace their principal name with their married name must execute a Change of Name Deed Poll and submit it together with the required supporting documents.

Please note that the inclusion of the married name on a Singapore Identity Card must be done personally in Singapore.

Applicants are advised to approach the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority upon their next visit to Singapore and apply for a replacement Singapore Identity Card to include their married name.

If you wish to include your married name in your new passport, please submit the relevant application form for new Singapore passport to the Consular Section of the Singapore High Commission together with two photocopies of the following documents:

A letter of request to include your married name, addressed to the Commissioner of ICA;
Bio-data page of the current Singapore passport;
Valid UK visa or Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK;
Singapore identity card (front and back);
Birth certificate;
Marriage certificate
2 passport-sized colour photographs
Please contact the Consular Section at [email protected] to request for the relevant application form and more information.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for conducting and managing diplomatic relations between Singapore and other countries and regions.

What name is your covid pass in?

Either way I can't see why it matters if both names are on your passport anyway ?

If you are doing everything in the UK in your married name then its no wonder that the receptionist is saying you have changed to a married name. Your passport even mentions your married name and getting the passport and having accounts in your married name is how you change your name in the UK.

@gogohm it's weird, I was registered with NHS before I married at 19. I came back to UK at 22 and re-registered at a new GP. Don't really remember it tbh but I submitted this new passport with the married name in brackets. MY poa was my bank statement in my married name. So they used this name.

I was kicked out of my GP when I bought a flat as it was outside the catchment area and they realized this when I changed my address details. So I registered with this new GP online during the pandemic- just sent passport copy and new proof of address.

@mugoftea456 my covid pass is under Rachel Smith.

If I saw your passport I would also assume you were Mrs Smith. The name in brackets/added on/latest addition would indicate it's the most recent name you went by

In the UK you don't need a deed poll to change your name after marriage and changing your passport/driving licence using your marriage certificate is all you need. To change your name with the GP you'd need ID in the original name.

When you showed ID to the GP and registered you must have filled in your name on the forms too? Did you fill it in as Rachel Tan or Rachel Smith? They will have checked your name against your passport and registered you with whatever you told them to.
However under the circumstances your passport should be sufficient to change it back to Rachel Tan as it's your name according to your ID.

They are telling me that when I married, my name changed and therefore I can't change it back!

No, they’re not. They just want some evidence. Take in your passport or driving licence, bank statement etc, which has your Chinese name on, and they’ll switch it back.

That said, if Smith is in your passport then surely the Singaporean authorities would accept Smith on your Covid pass?

Well your gp is wrong, you didn't change your name and I'd be pissed off they tried to tell you otherwise. However it sounds like they interpreted it that way.

It's their mistake, if am understandable one, because they should have confirmed with you which name you wanted to be known by.

Pay for a deed poll form, change your name at GP, get your vaccine record.

I don’t think that legally you even need the deed poll form, isn’t it more or less a piece of paper, but might just facilitate the system.

@mugoftea456 I wouldn't have thought it mattered in the past, I have been on planes as Rachel Smith. People usually have to look at it a little longer but i used to get that with my Chinese name i.e. people thinking my surname was Min. It's just with covid, it's better to be safer.

Photos of your passport and explain in a letter that your name on travel documents needs to match that on your passport - otherwise you can’t travel

If they want to list you in a different way that’s up to them but for travel it needs to be different?

@Gardeniafleur

Pay for a deed poll form, change your name at GP, get your vaccine record.

I don’t think that legally you even need the deed poll form, isn’t it more or less a piece of paper, but might just facilitate the system.

Never pay for a deed poll! You can write one yourself.

But in this case you don’t even need one. Just take some ID in the name of Tan.

If you have used your married name to buy property, open bank accounts and travelled using a passport in that name (presumably also used as a form of ID to obtain a mortgage etc) then I'd assume you'd accepted it as your name

They're not saying that you must change your name, I assume you had to fill in forms with that name when you registered at the surgery too?

I'm married but didn't change my name anywhere so still use my own without question.

They're not assuming that your name automatically changed on marriage . You have provided ID with the name and used the married name to buy property and to open a bank account and to register with them.

Of course they will think that's your name as that's the name you gave them!

@Tippexy thank you for this tip. Would a bank statement in my maiden name be fine.i have a bank account in my home country which is mailed to my UK address. Would they accept that?

[quote onlychildhamster]@Tippexy thank you for this tip. Would a bank statement in my maiden name be fine.i have a bank account in my home country which is mailed to my UK address. Would they accept that?[/quote]
You’ll need an original official document showing your ‘maiden’ name eg birth certificate or marriage certificate.

Should have added - that’s assuming your birth or marriage certificate is in English (if they’re not youll need to get an accredited translation)