changing DS name

[MintyLizzy9]

Hi all

Not sure where the last few weeks have gone but here I am filling out the AO application

DS is doing so well and is really starting to catch up, keeping everything crossed that it continues!!

Anyway, up to the whatsits in paperwork this week and I have a question. DS has a new first name, controversial I know but it wasn't my decision to change it, SS told me to for various reasons and DS took to his new name in two days (throwing my well thought out transition plan out the window )

I always assumed that following the AO being granted (fingers crossed) that I would have to change his name via deed poll as only surnames would be changed as part of the adoption paperwork...however...part of the AO application asks what the child will be known by after adoption is finalised, does this mean that the Adoption Cert will have his full new name on (rather than birth first/middle names and new adopted surname)?

im thinking far ahead I know but I want to get his passport asap so I can visit my family and not having to faff with deed poll would be a nice bonus!

Any knowledge or experience would be welcomed

We've just had our order granted (yay) and although I'm yet to see the new certificates I received a letter stating that our AC would get a new 'short' birth certificate that states their new name and date of birth with no mention of the adoption or birth family at all. They will also get a second 'long' certificate that shows the full history with their birth name and adopted name. I understand that this long certificate will be needed for certain official forms- passport applications etc, but for school admissions or other less formal matters they will be able to show the short form and won't need to go into their adopted history if they don't want to.
Hope that helps :-)

Hello, new names stated on the adoption application become official new names with no need for deed poll. Long certificate needed for passport also only shows new names. After the adoption order, no paperwork should show birth names.

An congratulations, both of you. Can't believe you're filling in the ao forms already, minty!

Thanks slkk

Congrats researchbookworm

Yes, no need for a deed poll, you can change both names at once .

BTW there was a thread elsewhere on MN where a mother wanted to change the first name of her one year child because she didn't like it . There were people saying yes and no and giving their reasons but NOT ONE person said she shouldnt change it because it was " the childs identity " . Not one .

So I think the only place its's controversial is on the adoption threads/ adoption community . Elsewhere people change their names all the time , I know hundreds of people who have done it .

And congratulations on your LOs adoption

Thanks for the congratulations - I'd obviously misunderstood the info I've been given about the long certificate. So what does it have on it to make it longer than the short one then?!
Good luck in your application btw minty!

research I can't remember but I know applying for them was much less of a pain in the arse than I expected it to be! Just thought I'd share that...

It has your names on it.

The short one only has the child's name and date of birth . It's exactly the same for adopted and non adopted children .

The long one has parents names, occupations, address , place of birth , date and place of marriage ( for births) and details of order ( for adoptions ) on it. It's called an " extract of an entry in a register of births " for non adopted children and an " extract of an entry in the adopted childrens register " for adopted kids .

So obviously it gives away the fact that the child is adopted . I have sometimes been successful in using a child passport instead of a birth certificate for official purposes . This worked when registering a child for primary school in one area but not for secondary school in another .

Thanks Kr1stina- v helpful :-)