Want to return to my maiden name

[SpicedGingerTea]

Apologies if this has been covered before.

I wish to convert back to my maiden name after my divorce. I haven't got round to do it yet after I made a list about 2 years ago of all the companies/institutions I'd have to tell and it put me off! But with my DS about to start school I figured now was the time to do it.

My question is do I need a deed poll, or will a copy of my Absolute and marriage certificate be enough?

Thanks in advance.

Your absolute is normally enough but you can just use a free deed poll website if you find anyone refuses the absolute.

Absolute and marriage certificate - do your passport first and then driving license. Makes the rest easy.

I have done this using my decree absolute. I did forget my car registration,

I have just sorted my passport, after doing everything else two years ago, i left my passport until it ran out as it's legal to leave this one until it's nearly ran out.

Oh and Lloyd's bank was fine, but Barclays wanted a deed poll - until i said, that's fine I'll just close the account. Then suddenly they could take my absolute as everyone else did

I did this recently ,several years after my divorce.

Fill in your new passport form and I believe there's a section for name change on it. You will need to provide your marriage certificate , decree absolute and a cover letter explaining you wish to revert to your maiden name.

Oh and make sure your countersignature is dated the same as your signature , the post office refused to take mine unless they were identical.

Sorry , forgot a bit , my new passport and my decree absolute were enough for my bank to change my last name back to my maiden name.

You don't need a deed poll just a new passport , decree and marriage cert.

You give your marriage certificate in to the court when you divorce, so don't have a copy, has the whole point

You can order a new copy online for about a tenner. PayPal wouldn't change my name without it.

Anyone who tells you you need a deed poll is just wrong. Reverting to the name you were given at birth only requires copies of the documents that show why you changed it in the first place and want to change it back now. They really just show you are the same person.

I would just close my account, telling you to pay £10 to purchase a certificate that is no longer valid to produce as evidence is fraudulent, the certificate has been superceded by the decree absolute.

In what way is it fraudulent?

Plus I feel it is prudent to own copies of any certificates and documents that apply to you , I thought everyone kept a folder of such things.

I hope you get your name change sorted OP :-)

Because they are divorced it is no longer valid, so to use a certificate that isn't valid would be fraudulent.

Hang on - pretty sure I used my birth certificate (short form was fine) and my decree absolute.

I just told bank etc I was reverting to my maiden name and produced my.birth certificate. Applied for new passport enclosing birth certificate and covering letter.

alicetown is exactly right - anyone can change their name to pretty much anything they like by a FREE deedpoll - all the companies that offer this service are just making money for nothing.

Even paypal changed my name with my free deedpoll form - you just have to get two people to countersign.

Thanks for all the replies. So I've searched and definitely do not have the marriage certificate. So birth certificate and decree absolute, with covering letter should be enough? And if I do some photo ID first (like driving licence) that should make it easier to change the rest?!!

Thank you again!