Aus "Change of Name" Certificate could be hard to get

[Athena13 10]

As you can see from my timeline, i got married in the US, and got my husband's surname on my SSN and green card already.

Now i'm back in Sydney for the wedding, i'm thinking of getting a change of name certificate so i can change the name on my Aus passport later (within 12 months) in the US.

But the NSW BDM requires me to have 'living' in Aus for the last 3 years as one of the criteria, and I don't qualify, i was overseas working for part of 2009, 2010 and 2011.

so i'm writing a letter to go with my application form, see what they say. The good thing is if i got declined they will still refund me the $166.

Just to let you guys know, or if you know any way around it.

isn it strange that criteria? it might mean I can NEVER change my Aus passport?????

[ecg19 7]

Just a question - how did you get your husband's name on your SSN and green card?

I have been wondering this, as we have our marriage certificate from Virginia, but all of my proof of identity (i.e. passport, bank cards, drivers licence etc.) are in my maiden name and obviously are foreign.

I don't want to end up with two identities - i.e. being known in the USA as my married name but in NZ as my maiden name!

Also ETA - can your green card have a different name from your passport then?

Edited November 3, 2012 by ecg19

[Athena13 10]

1. I got married in California, registered first, so i have my marriage certificate, it has my new name on it.
2. Then i applied for AOS, with new name, as it shows on my marriage certificate.
3. and same time as AOS, i applied and got SSN, so it's also in my new name
4. later on i got called to do the AOS interview, got greencard in new name

I don't have CA driver's license yet. I do have a combined bank account with my husband in the new name, we got it after we got married and with SSN.

ETA i don't need that now since I got my green card, but yeah it has my new name, but passport has my old name, I've been told as long as I bring my marriage certificate, US custom shouldn't be a problem. My ticket this time is still in my old name. I just don't know if this time i can't change my Aus passport, for the next few years when I exit/enter US would they question me. and I wonder when my Aus passport naturally expires in 2015 if i CAN change my name.

BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE AUSTRALIAN PASSPORT SERVICE (when i called few days ago from Sydney), I NEED AN AUSTRALIAN OFFICIAL 'CHANGE OF NAME' CERTIFICATE TO CHANGE MY PASSPORT, NO MATTER WHERE I AM IN THE WORLD.

Most people in my situation will change their Aus passport during this trip, but I can't as I got a valid visa for another country in my passport that I need to use for this year.

hope that answered your questions )

i also don't want 2 identities.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I'm confused by your post.. here are the requirements: http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/changeName/registerChangeofName.htm

You are eligible to have your name changed in NSW if:

1. Your birth is registered in NSW or

2. You were born overseas and have been resident in NSW for three (3) consecutive years immediately prior to your application or

3. Your birth is not registered in NSW and a protection order has been made to protect you and/or your children from domestic violence.

(emphasis and numbers added)

So assuming you were born in NSW, you fit criteria one. It's an "OR" situation for 1 OR 2 OR 3 so... I'm confused why if you were born in NSW that you don't think you can change your name.

If you weren't born in NSW but were born in another state of Australia then you change it in that state. If you were naturalised in Australia (born in another country) it's a difference process.

[Lainie B 465]

Vanessa is correct, it's easy to do it through your state's BDM (as long as you were born there). I did the whole thing by mail (changed my name with BDM in Victoria, then used this to apply for a new Australian passport at the Australian Embassy in Washington). I had to send in all original birth certificates to BDM and then they kept those and sent me a new one that had my new name and my old name. Other states do it differently though. I think that some states will issue a "name change certificate" or something similar, instead of a new birth certificate.

I got a new passport for free since I did it within a year of marriage. I had to send in all original documents such as my existing passport, birth certificate etc, but they were very fast in returning everything to me, I think I got everything back from Washington with my new passport in about a week. The hardest part was finding someone to endorse the passport photograph. They either have to be an Australian citizen, or someone who has known you for a certain period of time, is not related, and is from a certain list of professions.

I use my US marriage license to prove my name change for everything in the US, and I use my new birth certificate to prove my name change in Australia.

[Athena13 10]

I'm confused by your post.. here are the requirements: http://www.bdm.nsw.g...hangeofName.htm

(emphasis and numbers added)

So assuming you were born in NSW, you fit criteria one. It's an "OR" situation for 1 OR 2 OR 3 so... I'm confused why if you were born in NSW that you don't think you can change your name.

If you weren't born in NSW but were born in another state of Australia then you change it in that state. If you were naturalised in Australia (born in another country) it's a difference process.

Hi Vanessa

Yes it's #2 that I don't qualify. I'm born overseas, and i haven't been living in NSW or Australia for the last 3 consecutive years 2009-2011.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Hi Vanessa

Yes it's #2 that I don't qualify. I'm born overseas, and i haven't been living in NSW or Australia for the last 3 consecutive years 2009-2011.

Okay so you don't have an Aussie birth certificate? Do you have a naturalisation certificate instead?

On re-reading my thread here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/248400-australian-passport-name-change-process/ I found this link: http://www.usa.embassy.gov.au/whwh/PassportsFAQ.html which is where you change your passport in the US. Looks like being born overseas they should accept your US marriage cert!

Edited November 4, 2012 by Vanessa&Tony

[Athena13 10]

Okay so you don't have an Aussie birth certificate? Do you have a naturalisation certificate instead?

On re-reading my thread here: http://www.visajourn...change-process/ I found this link: http://www.usa.embas...ssportsFAQ.html which is where you change your passport in the US. Looks like being born overseas they should accept your US marriage cert!

ooooh YESSSSSSSSSSSS Thank you Vanessa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :thumbs: :dance: it's good news for me! Lucky i haven't posted it yet. Thank you~~~~~

[VanessaTony 3,567]

ooooh YESSSSSSSSSSSS Thank you Vanessa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :thumbs: :dance: it's good news for me! Lucky i haven't posted it yet. Thank you~~~~~

Let us know how it goes (for any other foreign born Aussie's reading).

[Athena13 10]

OK i will do that in Dec or Jan.

[Athena13 10]

Let us know how it goes (for any other foreign born Aussie's reading).

I didn't change my name in Jan 2013, now i wanna get a new passport and have my married name on there, then apply for ROC. It seems difficult now because rules have changed now. (see my post under Vanessa's "change of name" and my post about "changing name before ROC".

I will report back after i do it.