ChatterBank3 mins ago
Changing child's surname
My daughter is 1 & half. I split from her dad when she was 4months old. Unfortunately he is named on her birth certificate and she has his surname. He saw her twice after we split, but hasn't bothered since. He has never paid any child support. He ignored her first christmas and birthday. He's now moved abroard (probably to avoid CSA!) and since he's an alcoholic dropkick, I don't expect we'll see or hear from him again.
So I want to change my daughters surname to same as mine but the law states that I need his consent. You can get a court order if the father is not contactable and has no 'quality contact'. Do I have to wait a certain amount of time before applying? (Is 1 year long enough?)
Answers
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Of course if the father does not have parental rights then you don't need his permission (even if his name is on the birth certificate) Unless the child was registered or re-registered after May 2006, as now the law has changed - as father's who's names appear on the birth certificates of children registered after May 2006 now have automatic parental rights and responsibilites.