Deed poll how long

The process is different to change the name of a child under Send a copy of your marriage or civil partnership certificate to record-holders, such as benefits offices. Your documents will be updated for free.

To help us improve GOV. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Cookies on GOV. UK We use some essential cookies to make this website work. There are many aspects of Changing your name by Deed Poll that all account for how long it actually takes to legally change your name.

In this guide we go through each of those in just the right amount of detail, so that we can provide you with a clear view of how long the process takes, what might make the process faster, and what might slow everything down. How you Apply One of the main factors that can dramatically increase or reduce the timescale are how you apply.

There are several options that you can choose - Apply Online The quickest and also most secure method of applying is by applying online. There are a wide range of benefits to applying online, which include - Faster Turnaround Dispatched the same working day Each order is professionally drafted by our team of qualified paralegals, and then passed onto our admin team to be dispatched, all in the same working day.

No card details are stored and the payment is processed securely by Stripe, which is one of the most recognized payment gateways. More Accurate When you apply online, you are given several chances to check and make sure that the information you have entered is correct. This makes applying online almost faultless with regards to spelling mistakes or incorrect address's. You will also receive an order confirmation text message to your mobile phone.

Progress Updates We update you via e-mail and text message at each stage of your order, from when it is received, to being drafted and then dispatched. We keep you updated so you know exactly what's happening with your order. Apply online really is the most recommended method to Legally change your Name by Deed Poll, you simply apply online using any of the following - - Smartphone - Tablet - Laptop - PC Then once completed, you will receive your order within 1 - 2 working days.

We do not recommend this method unless it is the only option you have. As this will cost you additional money, having to post your application to us, and it will also delay your order by 2 - 5 working days, as it will take this time to arrive and then have to be processed by our admin team before being passed onto our Qualified Paralegal team for drafting.

Offenders were also placed on probation in Scotland for offences committed before 1 st February Since that date, Community Payback Orders have been used instead. You must tell your Social Worker about your change of name. Community Payback Orders have been used for offences in Scotland committed since 1 st February You must tell the police within 3 days of your change of name.

Failure to do so is a criminal offence, punishable by up to 5 years in prison. There are some differences in Scottish law about parental responsibility that apply to children who were born in Scotland, and to some extent to children who live in Scotland. There are also differences between other regions of the U. People who were born in Scotland also have the option to change their name on their birth certificate.

There are some limitations to this service, and there are both advantages and disadvantages to changing your name in this way. Note that it does not affect your right to change your name by deed poll instead, and many people choose to change their name by deed poll anyway.

Yes, but you should think carefully about how you will change your passport. Your passport, travel bookings and tickets must always be in the same name — otherwise you may be denied entry into a country or refused passage by an airline.

There is more information in the section for British nationals who live abroad. If you are a foreign national living in the U. If you are an immigrant to the U. Border Agency will accept your deed poll. If your birth was registered in England or Wales, there are some limited circumstances when your birth certificate can be changed. However, generally speaking a birth registration is considered a matter of fact — that is, it was correct at the time it was made — and it cannot be changed.

If your birth was registered in Scotland you do have the option to change your name on your birth certificate. However, it does not affect your right to change your name by deed poll instead, and many people choose to change their name by deed poll anyway. No, a certificate is generally considered a matter of fact — that is, it was correct at the time it was issued — and it cannot normally be changed.

If you need to show evidence of a qualification or award and your certificate is in your old name, you should present it with your deed poll or some other evidence of your previous name for example, your old passport.

Yes, if you have changed your name in the past, and you want to revert to the original name on your birth certificate, you will need a deed poll to prove it.

Your current legal name is not the name on your birth certificate, and if you want to revert to your old name you need documentary evidence of the fact that you have changed it back — the birth certificate itself is not enough.

It depends — there is no legal obligation to tell any organisation before or after any other, so you should do it in the order which best suits your situation. In general, if you already hold a valid U. Some organisations — notably the General Medical Council if you are a doctor listed on the Medical Register , and some financial institutions — insist on seeing your updated passport in your new name, or other additional documentary evidence in your new name, before they change their own records.

The General Medical Council insist on seeing both your old and new passports. However, there are some cases where you will need to update other documents before your passport, because HM Passport Office or the Foreign Office, if you live abroad will require additional documentary evidence in your new name. This is the case if:. Yes, a deed poll should be used for changing your name for all purposes. You must tell all official record holders, everyone you do business with, and anyone you have a duty or obligation to.

If official record holders — such as HM Passport Office — have reason to believe that you are not changing your name for all purposes, they will not accept your deed poll. Other examples are entertainers who use a stage name, or authors who use a pen name. It is also acceptable not to tell someone of your name if you believe that person will harm or harass you in some way — for example, if you are a victim of bullying or domestic violence.

However, you cannot do this in a way so that you gain financially from that person, or to avoid an obligation you owe to that person, as you would then be committing fraud.

No — there is no legal requirement to renew your passport if you change your name. Your passport will remain a valid document, and you can still travel with it.

However, if you do decide to travel abroad with your passport in your former name then you should take care that all your travel documents passport, visas, tickets, hotel bookings, etc. When you renew your passport, HM Passport Office will issue you a new year passport 5 years for a child. They stopped doing this in Yes — by law, you have to keep your driving licence up to date, and you must tell the DVLA about any change in your name or address. In general, if you deceive someone by hiding your former name, and you stand to gain something from them by doing so or they may be damaged in some way , you may be committing fraud.

There are three common cases when you must disclose your former name:. The police can ask you for your current name and address in certain situations, for example if they arrest you — and you must tell them the truth. If you are not hiding your name for a fraudulent purpose, however, there is no obligation to tell people about your former name. Note that if you are asked about your former name and you lie — for example, you say that you have never changed your name — then you may be committing fraud.

Yes, probably. In general, your employer is allowed to ask you about anything which may affect your ability to do your job. They would be entitled to know your former name, for example, to —. However, if a potential employer has a legitimate reason to ask you e. Yes, provided it is not for a fraudulent purpose — so for example you cannot change your name to get out of paying a debt or to avoid fulfilling an obligation.

But, if you are a victim of domestic violence, for example, it is perfectly acceptable to change your name to avoid someone harming or harassing you. No — you don't need to inform the Disclosure and Barring Service if you change your name, even if you've applied for a DBS check in the past formerly called a CRB check.

Is it legal to be known by more than one name? Yes, provided it is not for a fraudulent purpose. For example, if you have 5 years left on your old passport, and you change your name and renew it, you'll be given credit of only 9 months, meaning that your new passport will be valid for 10 years and 9 months.

If you wait a little longer, you can delay the fee and not lose any 'value' on your old passport. This is the third in a series of articles about changing your name by deed poll. The next is about whether you can change your name. Or you might like to download our free template to change name your name by deed poll.

Please note that the information provided on this page:. We would love to hear what you think about this article and how we could improve it. Please do let us know. However, we shan't be able to reply to your specific questions. If you have a question about a document, please contact us.