Advice Needed

[Jenky]

Hi Andy222

I went through exactly this process. My stepdaughter came to the UK on a Visa/Filipino Passport that has her Filipino father's name on them

Whatever you do, you cannot change the surname on her Filipino passport to your name or indeed anybody else's. So her Filipino passport will always be in the surname stated on her Filipino birth certificate. I guess until she gets married when she can then change her Filipino passport to use her husband's name.

So for my stepdaughter - before we applied for ILR - I changed her surname to mine by deed poll. It does not take long and costs about fifty quid. You can do it online, just be sure to use the official site. You will be sent a fancy certificate showing the new name. But when you apply for the deed poll you have the option to purchase more certificates and I would advise you do that - as they are bound to come in handy later on.

When you finally make the ILR application for her, fill it in using her new name, and in the section "Any Previous Name" fill it in using her old name and state the reason for the change (that is you want your family to all have the same surname) and submit an official copy of the deed poll with your ILR application. She will then get her British Nationality Certificate in the name recorded on the deed poll.

So my stepdaughter now has a Filipino passport with her biological father's surname on it - but a British passport with my surname on it.

Both equally valid. But when we go back to the Philippines, we just use her British passport. Hope this helps.

Just one thing to note is that - even after doing this - you will still have no legal standing as her parent or guardian. Only her mother will have this. If you want this, then wait until she is a British national and then apply to adopt her. That is another thread!! I, personally, do not see any overwhelming reason for doing this.

[joebloggs]

Just one thing to note is that even after doing this you will still have no legal standing as her parent or guardian. Only her mother will have this. If you want this then wait until she is a British national and then apply to adopt her. That is another thread!! I personally do not see any overwhelming reason for doing this.

You might not need to adopt

https://www.gov.uk/parental-rights-r...responsibility

I, personally, do not see any overwhelming reason for doing this.

A couple of reasons: You cannot give consent for any medical treatment to be carried out on your step child nor can you accompany them whilst being questioned by the police. This
can only come from someone who has parental responsibility.