Best time to change wife's surname - which is the minimum hassle option?

Hello all,

I'm a British citizen and my wife's ILR application is now in process (submitted 10 Apr 2021 and finger prints taken 7 May). As she has been physically in the country since 16 June 2016, my attention is now turning to final stage for her getting British Citizenship (after ILR is achieved).

However, we've always talked about her changing her surname to mine and our kids, so we all share same family name. Anyone have any experience when it's best to do this? Obviously her Ugandan passport is in her Ugandan name. I guess the options are (assuming we get all successful applications, which we should!):

1. Change it between ILR and Naturalisation
2. Change it between Naturalisation and applying for British Passport
3. Change it at the end after getting British Passport and then get a new British Passport

Just wondering what the pitfalls are for each step and which one gives minimum hassle? Which option is best?

Thanks,
Neil.

I'd go for options 3, 1, 2 in that order.

2 is easily the worst option, as HMPO will not issue a passport in a name different from both the naturalisation certificate AND any uncancelled foreign passport. So before applying for a British passport, you will want to make sure that all the documents are in the same name.

If you plan to go for Option 1, after the ILR, but before the naturalisation application, make sure that your wife changes her name with the Ugandan authorities and have a new Ugandan passport with her new name as well. Then the naturalisation certificate and her Ugandan passport names will match.

The most straightforward approach (but more expensive as you will have to pay for a British passport twice) is Option 3.

An alternative approach to Option 3 would be that after the naturalisation has been completed (i.e. she has attended the citizenship ceremony), she either renounces her Ugandan citizenship or otherwise has her Ugandan passport cancelled. She can then change her name according to UK law and apply for a British passport with her new name (as at that point, she will not have any uncancelled foreign passport).

Alternatively, option 0: there’s also no requirement to change names. Avoids any hassle of mismatch names in passports.

Thank you both...I will wait until all is done and dusted and she has her passport, then as Vinny said, might not even do it at all to save any hassle (she's a traditional gal at heart, so we'll see how that goes).

Hi I am in a similar I am a Filipino citizen and I hold an indefinite leave to remain status. Few days ago,I got married to a British citizen, I have read in the government website that I could be eligible to apply for naturalisation. However, I have read a few forums that most foreign women married to British citizens encounter issues with UK passport application.
Now I am in dilemma whether to first change my maiden surname in my Philippine passport to my husbands surname (which would take long months to process) as well as renewing my BRP with the new surname before applying for naturalisation certificate and British passport OR just to apply for naturalisation and UK passport (with my maiden name) and just renew my British passport to my husband’s surname (granting that I dont have to send my old cancelled Philippine passport to avoid issues)? Hope someone could give me a good advise. Thanks!

Nikka777 wrote: ↑

Thu May 20, 2021 6:11 pm

Hi I am in a similar I am a Filipino citizen and I hold an indefinite leave to remain status. Few days ago,I got married to a British citizen, I have read in the government website that I could be eligible to apply for naturalisation. However, I have read a few forums that most foreign women married to British citizens encounter issues with UK passport application.
Now I am in dilemma whether to first change my maiden surname in my Philippine passport to my husbands surname (which would take long months to process) as well as renewing my BRP with the new surname before applying for naturalisation certificate and British passport OR just to apply for naturalisation and UK passport (with my maiden name) and just renew my British passport to my husband’s surname (granting that I dont have to send my old cancelled Philippine passport to avoid issues)? Hope someone could give me a good advise. Thanks!

Your case is not different from the OP's. I believe the answers already given are applicable to your case as well