My friend wants to revert to maiden name - how, where, how much?

[BollockBrain]

Anyone done this?

What would be the cheapest but legal way. Obviously banks, passport etc need to be changed too. So could it all become rather expensive?

she would get a Change of Name Deed which depending where you live could be anything from £50 up over. she could take her birth certificate and decree absolute to many places and they would accept it. there are only a few places that want a Change of Name Deed.

I did this after my divorce. All I needed was a letter from someone in the "professions" (teacher, lawyer, doctor, clergy, banker etc) who had known me for more than a certain number of years and had known me under both names previously. Because it is reveting back to a previously used legal name there is no need for Deed Poll or anything like that.

The exact wording that is required for the letter used to be on the Citizens advice website, so I assume it is still there.

This was acceptable for the passport office, the DVLA etc.

Please see the link to the citizens advice website here www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_family/family/faq_index_family/faq_family_changing_my_name.htm. Hope that helps.

many thanks, so it really is as simple as getting a gp or someone to write a letter , then i presume this letter is shown to pasport, banks etc and that is that? sounds good, she will be delighted!

google deed poll, I did mine and had 10 legal copies for £15 from the uk deed poll office. I have had no trouble with any one not accepting the documents.
It took 2 days to get the documents through the post and all I had to do was sign them in front of two witnesses. I used a married couple who are friends of mine.
Easy to do, and well worth it in my opinion :)

I called the passport office 24 hour help line when I was divorced.

The lovely chap said to me that I should apply for a passport as if it was my first ever application. send your birth certificate in make no mention whatsoever of the marriage and you will then get a passport back in your maiden name.

Then write to your bank and whoever else with a photocopy of your divorce certificate if they need to see it and that is that.

Tis all I did.

you don't have to do a deed poll, the maiden name was always yours to use.