Surname change for spouse before visa application??

[ssbib]

Hello everyone. How are you all?

I wanted to ask your opinion on something. My wedding is less than 3 months away now and almost everything is in place for the big day. With the majority of this stress now done with my mind is turning to the visa process we will have to do after the wedding. My fiancée mentioned earlier that she is looking forward to taking my surname after the wedding, however a friend of mine (who is married to a Russian and has some experience in visa issues) has advised she DOESN'T change her name after the wedding as this may complicate things when going for the visa. What did you all do after the wedding? Did your wives take your name and if so did they do it before or after the visa application??

Thanks in advance.

[raynaputi]

If she wants to change her name after the wedding, it's no problem. She just had to get a new passport before applying for the visa. https://www.dfa.gov.ph/consular-serv...t-requirements Check the section "For married women". Then when she gets the new passport, then the application for visa will all be the same if she applies using her maiden name.

[ssbib]

That's good to know, thanks. I remember her passport application process was quite lengthy the last time she applied...would it be the same for a new one with her new name?? I think its going to be a while from the wedding until her visa is granted and I don't want to add to that time if I can avoid it. Also...would her having my surname strengthen the case you think?

[raynaputi]

There's a fast track process when applying for a passport. I think it's only a week processing for that at an extra fee. It's a renewal/replacement of status so it's not as difficult to get like the new one. The only extra thing she needs to do is to go to CFO and have a seminar beforehand.

For women who would change their civil status from single to married:

• Marriage Contract (MC) in Security Paper (SECPA) issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or Certified True Copy (CTC) of MC issued by the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) and duly authenticated by PSA. Transcribed Marriage Contract from the LCR is required when entries in PSA Marriage Contract are blurred or unreadable.
• Report of Marriage duly authenticated by PSA if married abroad
• Original and photocopy of Commission of Filipino Overseas (CFO) Guidance and Counseling Certificate of Attendance (required for women with foreign national husband).

There really is no bearing with visa approval whether to change her name or not before application. BUT, take note that everything will be in her maiden name, i.e. the BRP card, NI details (when she gets here in the UK), and other government related ID she wants to get here in the UK, because everything will be based on her passport. If she decides to use her married name in these identification cards, she will have to change her passport, then apply for replacement of the BRP card as well, because it has to match the passport. Then have to update the other IDs she'll get.

[ssbib]

Thanks for that. What is the counselling session for? Also, what would be the process to legally change her name?? Is that done at the SSS or CFO office maybe or is it done when signing the marriage certificate??

So am I right in understanding that the main benefit of changing her name before the visa process is that it allows her to then use her new name on all her English ID? That way we don't have to have it all changed when she is settled here in the future?? It sounds to me like it might be worth changing her name, getting a new passport while we are sorting all the paperwork for the visa application. That way it will prevent problems further down the line. Presumably all her supporting documentation like SSS certificate and so on will need to be in her new name also?

[raynaputi]

Only the Philippine passport will need to be changed on her end there in the Philippines, because that's the only thing that UK will take as a valid proof of identification here. I was married here in the UK so I have to do all the changing here. It cost me extra because I had to travel to London as well because applying/renewing the passport needs personal appearance in the embassy.

CFO seminar is required for Filipinos migrating overseas, initially. They decided to change it last year I think for Filipinos who'll be married to a foreigner as well who are getting a passport.

Here's the info for that. http://www.cfo.gov.ph/program-and-se...ceespouse.html

[ssbib]

Thanks again for all the info. Do you know what the process is to legally change her name and how long this would take?

[raynaputi]

Just changing the passport is all she needs to do to change her name. I believe the fastest is within 10 days. But she needs to do the CFO seminar first before renewing her passport to use the married name. All the details for CFO is on the link I provided to you earlier.

[ssbib]

Really? That's all she needs to do to legally change her name? How would she do it if she didn't hold a passport? One thing I think we have to be aware of is the appointment wait time to submit the paperwork. When she went to get the passport in the first place she had to wait 2 months for the appointment itself. I'm hoping we can just make this appointment soon and that way we can get it made for soon after the wedding so it doesn't delay us any.

One more question if you don't mind: when she gets her new passport will she also get to keep her old one? I ask because it has her visit visa in there as well as her entry stamps into England which we were going to use as evidence for her visa application itself as it shows she has been to England to visit me and we would back it up with photographs or our travels and when she met my family and so on.

[raynaputi]

If she didn't have a passport, she will only apply to have one using her married name. Exactly the same process and requirements. Renewing an existing or expired passport is just the same process, apart from bringing the old or expired passport along with the required documents. I believe getting an appointment date for the passport application is the one taking a long time, but the process of applying itself up to release of the passport is fast, if you avail the express service. Check here https://www.passport.gov.ph/ what location she would prefer to go if in case other locations have no early appointments. I'm not sure if she can make an appointment this early though. Maybe she can try looking for dates in the website. Just make sure that she'll have the marriage cert and the CFO seminar cert on the date she choose to renew the passport.

When she gets her new passport, her old one will be given back to her & it will be invalid with holes punched on its data cover so it can't be used. But she can include it in her visa application if there are details in it that she needs to show. Jut make sure that you point that out in the list of the documents she would submit.

[ssbib]

That's great, thanks for all the information. We still have a long process of gathering evidence and her taking her ILETS test after the wedding so maybe it wouldn't matter that we have to wait for a passport appointment. We can get that last if needs be and have all the other paperwork ready to go for when it arrives. It's good to know she can still use the old one as evidence for her visa. She really wants to take my name and to be honest I think it would be cool too, so glad to know we can do this. Thanks again for all the help.

One last question (I hope!) but how long does it take for the marriage certificate to come through after the wedding? And how quickly can she have the CFO seminar after the wedding also?

[raynaputi]

I don't know how long the marriage cert would arrive coz I wasn't married in the Philippines.

The CFO seminar can be taken right away after the wedding, although they would need for her to show the marriage cert, so it's best to wait for that first then make the appointment for the seminar. The CFO cert will be given to her after the seminar, same day.

[ssbib]

Thanks again for all the advice today, I really appreciate it.