DD turning 16 and wants to change her surname, how difficult is it?

[FeelingOld]

Short version of story is that dd's dad left us when she was 3, he had regular contact with her (used to go 1 night most weekends but as she got older it got to every other weekend then less and less) but he didnt treat her very well and when he remarried her stepmum treated her terribly and when dd was 13 she decided that unless things changed she didnt want to see her dad anymore, he refused to accept anything was wrong and therefore dd doesnt see her dad anymore.

So, dd has wanted to change her surname (to my maiden name) for some time but knows her dad wont agree so she plans to change it as soon as she turns 16. I have discussed this with her and explained to her about how it will make her dad feel when he finds out etc but she is adament that she wants to do it. She is a very sensible girl and i cant stop her from doing it so have said i will look into it for her because if its going to be done it needs to be done properly.

I have looked on the internet and the websites i have seen make it sound too easy. So am asking is it really that easy?

Should also add that all of her dads family have cut her out of their lives, even her grandmother (and dd is her only grandchild)

She can decide to call herself her chosen surname and let everyone know that is how she wishes to be known from that point on.

With regards to applying for a passport, etc -a covering letter from someone who has known her for a number of years (doctor, dentist?) confirming her identity should suffice.

Hiya yes it is that easy to change surnames. You'll need to send her birth cert along with the affidavit to the passport office and they and everyone else will change everything to your name. Good on your daughter for taking on your surname. As soon as my baby is born (7 weeks and counting) s/he will have my surname. And there's not a damn thing my control freak of a spermdoner can do :-D

Oh yeah sorry forget to say all you both need to do is go to a solisitor who will be able to sort the affidavit out for you. Depends on where you go. In 2000 I was charged £50 could be double this now

Ok thanks. Seen some online places that do deed poll stuff but i was bit wary of whether it really can be that simple.....maybe best to go to a solicitor then.

It i s very simple to do. You tell people what you want to be called and that's it. If you want to use that name on legal paperwork (passports etc) you change your name by deed poll, which again is very easy and quick.

Thanks gillybean. We have done some research on deed poll but just felt it was too easy and that we must have missed something.

I have looked into this for my son (10)

Technically you are not allowed to change the name of a child without the fathers permission. But at 16 the courts wont oppose her wishes. My son is younger and the court wont allow him to change his without the consent of his father. We were advised to wait until he was 16

I would call your local registry office, as they deal with all the births and marriage certificates , theyll be able to tell you what you would need to do to change her name (and they wont charge you for the advice, unlike solicitors).

I would ignore all the deed poll stuff online - there's no need really, get it sorted with solicitor/registry office and then you just send proof of the change of name to everyone you can think of individually (passport, doctors etc)

I changed my dd's name online last year.

It was very easy and cost about £40. You don't need parental permission unless the father had joint custody. So you can just change it now (dd was 14 when I did it).

Is very easy, they send you the forms, you sign them and return them, and then they send you back certified copies which you then use to change her name at school, bank, passport, dr etc.

Easy. I used these people here

My 11 yr old DS2 wants to do the same, have also told him he will have to do it when he is 16. Advice on here is very.useful to me for future.

I dont know where your dd turns 16 in the school year but I would try my hardest to get her GCSE certificates in her 'new' name. This shouldnt be too difficult, let the school know to enter her for exams in that name, but should save hassle and explaining later.

Sorry but I took legal advice on this and you DO need the fathers permission even if you have residency. If the child is under 16 and the father does not give permission, he can go to court and they will rule against you unless there is a very good reason your child should not be associated with the father

My dd changed her name when she was fourteen, her father didn't want to be part of her life at all, we done it through a solicitor cost around eighty pounds if I remember correctly. Her father did not need to be informed as he didn't have parental rights. It was all very straight forward, when she changed her passport I sent in the paperwork and a covering letter to confirm that her father had no parental rights. This was very much my daughters choice however she did agree to have her fathers surname as a middle name as I felt it was important to hold on to her biological identity.