Travel documents and name changes

Dear Bride,

You certainly do not have to change your name on your travel documents in a rush.  After your marriage has been recorded at the Registry Office in your state, you will be able to go ahead and change all your cards, drivers licence, passport and all the other necessary places. 

If you have made travel arrangements for your honeymoon, whatever name these were booked under is fine.

Hope this helps,

Jan

If the Bride is changing her name to that of her husband then I always suggest that she apply for her official marriage certificate and attend to changing her name on bank documents, credit cards, drivers licence, insurance policies, passport...etc... you can apply for your official marriage certificate form the department of births deaths and marriages in the state in which you were married. Your celebrant will lodge the necessary documents within 2 weeks after the wedding, and you can then apply for your certificate. If you are not changing your name, then this is , of course, not necessary. Hope this is helpful, Regards, Sharen Pelly.

It is entirely your choice to take on your partners name. The process can be carried out whenever you are ready, even 20years later is ok.

In order for you to change your name on any documents you will require the certificate of marriage as issued by births deaths and marriages in the state in which you were married, so there would be no sense of urgency in doing any of this until then.

My receommendation is to book all travel in your original names as there is a risk that not all the paperwork will be processed in time.

BY all means carry a photocopy of your marriage certificate so that you can enjoy the free champagne, cake or flowers provided for married couples and some hotels will give complimentary upgrades if you show them too !

Mario

You do not have to change your name period! This can wait. If you do want to change your name though, you must use your official marriage certificate issued from the Births Deaths and Marriages.

You cannot change your name legally until your Marriage has been registered which depending on which State you are in and time of year can take anything up to 8 weeks to be completed. No need for urgency, I know you are finally married and anxious to be Mrs ......... but NO Government Departments are in a hurry. Marina Payne - Marina Payne Celebrancy

If your passport has at least two years' validity left, you can change your name on it free of charge at a time that suits you, usually sooner rather than later, but there's no urgency. Any travel documents (eg airline tickets) must match the name of your passport, so if you want to fly overseas for your honeymoon straight after the wedding you'll have to use your maiden name because of the time involved in getting your official marriage certificate from the Registry and getting your passport altered.

This is one of those great questions - especially as you plan your honeymoon!

The important thing as I understand it is that you travel documents (passport etc) match the name in which you have booked your tickets.

Changing you name on documents etc will require the official Marriage Certificate from Births, Deaths & Marriages and can take a few months after it has been registered by your Celebrant and you apply for it.

Relax, enjoy your travel even if you have to use your maiden name! ;)