Passport

[Picky]

I have been VERY slack and not changed my passport after we got married. I now need one in a real hurry because of a job interview. Can anyone tell me the quickest way to get one (I will have real problems getting to the passport office!) and how long it normally takes for a new passport to come through. Thanks!!

[Tinker]

My boyfriend recently had his one renewed and it took three weeks to come back to him once he had sent the forms off. The Passport Office is very strict with the form and you have to fill out EVERYTHING correctly. It might be worth getting the Post Office to check it over (about �4) before you send it off incase you have made any mistakes. hope this helps! x

[Picky]

Thanks, Tinker. Does anyone think it might take a shorter period as I am only changing my name? I can't get to the post office to ask all these questions!! If I took in my previous passport whcih hasn't expired and my marriage certificate you might think that it would be quicker. However, 3 weeks is a lot shorter that I expected...thanks!! x

[apricot]

Are you flying? If not you may not need to change until after. I travelled with my orignal passport until it expired but I suspect that things have changed since then and I know that certainly the budget airlines insist that exactly the same name is on ticket as the passport. Good Luck

[jenstar]

Er... getting married doesn't invalidate your passport. Why would you need to change it in such a hurry? It's still perfectly good.

[kags]

Check with company you are travelling with - they may accept your passport in conjunction with your birth and marriage certificates.

[sddsddean]

I'm with Jen. It is only convention that women take their husbands surname after marriage, it is not legally binding or anything. Even if you are 'Mrs Smith', you are still 'Miss Jones'. I would have thought a copy of the marriage certificate should suffice to sort out any problems with customs/immigration etc. BTW, when my wife and I went on honeymoon, she still had her passport in her maiden name and we had no problems.

[kags]

I agree that being married in itself does not invalidate the passport, but the problem would be if the travel documents were under a different name to the passport - which is why checking with the travel company to see if the passport and marriage certificate would suffice.

[sylvday]

It surprises me, at this late stage in the struggle for women's rights, that so many women still think that they HAVE to change their name when they get married. It surprises me even furher that so many women seem to WANT to change their name. She may not realise it, but by taking her husband's name on marriage, a woman is - to some extent at least - obliterating her pre-marital life; and declaring her subordination to her husband.

[Picky]

Thanks for all your helpful answers - as a response to slvday, by taking my husband surname, it has not for one second 'obliterated my pre-marital life' or 'declared my subordination to my husbad'. I discussed the whole situation with my husband and I wanted to take his surname. With this kind of logic, isn't marriage itself declaring my subordination to my husband? Oh please, what a load of rubbish. I need to change my name on my passport as we have been married for nearly 2 years and the job offer is in my married name, as will the tickets. Thanks for all your responses

[rinkytink]

The passport office suggests that it should take two weeks (if you use the Post Office Checking service):

http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/_3_urgent/3_2weeks.asp

The only other way to get it quicker is by travelling to the office. That way you can get one the same day if you are prepered to pay an extra fee:

http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/_3_urgent/3_48hrs.asp

[sylvday]

By no means do I want to have an argument with you; but just let me ask you one question - no need to answer. Did your husband ever consider changing his name to yours?

[Picky]

As said in my previous post sylvday, I discussed the whole situation with my husband (before he was) and that was an option. We decided to take his. Although I don't feel a requirement to justify our actions to anyone, this is nothing but an explanation. I don't want to have an argument with anyone, and I know that from answers, very often other threads appear, but the factual answer provided by rinkytink, was a lot more helpful than some of the others.

[vittoria]

If it turns out you can't change the name on your passport quickly enough, can't you just explain to the company involved that, while you are getting the name changed on your passport, you need the plane tickets issued in your maiden name? I changed jobs after I got married and, once I had a firm job offer, I just told them that my bank a/c was still in my maiden name (it continued to be for about 5 years) and could they please ensure my salary went in under my maiden name. They were helpful in this respect.

[Postie]

To answer the question....the guide time for the return of a passport when the application form is correctly completed, whether checked by the Post Office or not is two weeks but counter staff are reminded to advise customers that this is only a guide and the return may take longer for various reasons. If you are really in a hurry go to http://www.ukpa.gov.uk left han column - urgent applications and follow their instructions. It may mean taking time off to attend a passport office personally, but you get your passport the same day.

[kags]

I hope you get your passport sorted picky - I must have missed the bit in your question where you asked for people's opinions on wether or not you should change your name when you marry! Still, some contributors to this site give their unwanted opinion regardless - I hope you are not put off using the site though.

[babajak]

Hi there, I have just got married and been on Honeymoon. A couple of months before the wedding I needed to get a new passport and had to get it in my maiden name. I was a bit worried if this was OK or not so gave the passport helpline a call. They told me that many married women fly with there passport in their maiden name years after they have been married, they just require you take your marriage certificate with you as well as your passport. This was only a month or so ago, it might be worth giving the helpline a call and just checking, but I think that's still the case. Regs, Em

[jno]

get it in 2 days (for a price)

http://www.passport.gov.uk/general_urgent_with in48hrs.asp