The law does not directly indicate for what reasons and in what situations a change of surname is permissible. Practice identifies four most common cases: in connection with a change in marital status (marriage or divorce), for ethical reasons (as a tribute to adoptive or biological parents). This may also be the case in the case of a change to a more euphonious surname, including if the spelling has foreign roots. However, all changes are reversible. A special case is a change in a decision that has already been made and implemented: for example, a girl changed her mind about changing her last name after registering her marriage.
Is it necessary to change your last name when getting married? Is it possible to keep your own?
Over the past decade, women have often left their last name after marriage. Of course, once upon a time in Rus' such a thing was out of the question. Therefore, most likely, this is the influence of European (or other) countries. For example, in Iceland there is no such thing as a woman changing her last name after marriage. In Denmark, on the contrary, a man takes his wife’s surname. Yes, of course, this also reflects the current financial and general independence of women.
Although, perhaps the reason is the reluctance to bother with documents. Let us remind you that you need to change the following documents:
- naturally, the Russian passport itself
- don't forget about your foreign passport
- of course, the indication code
- pension certificate, if any
- employment history
- and medical insurance
Changing your surname upon marriage
Diplomas, certificates and other certificates remain in your maiden name, but each time you will need to present a marriage certificate (at least a copy of it). If we talk about whether it is necessary to take the husband’s surname, then there is no such strict requirement! Therefore, if you wish, you can safely leave yours – the girl’s one.
IMPORTANT: Minors who have reached 16 years of age can undergo this procedure without written parental consent. That is, on your own.
What documents require replacement?
After changing your last name when registering a marriage, you will need to replace the following package of documents:
- General passport;
- International passport;
- SNILS;
- TIN;
- Polis med. insurance.
In addition, the following actions may be required:
- Submit an application or other document (according to the organization’s form), on the basis of which the employer will make a change in the work book;
- Students and graduate students must submit an application or other document (according to the form of the educational institution), on the basis of which the student or graduate student certificate will be replaced.
Please note that documents confirming your education do not need to be changed. In addition, documents confirming a citizen’s rights to own movable and immovable property cannot be replaced.
When making transactions with it, it is enough to present a new general passport with a stamp on the previously issued passport, which will serve as confirmation of ownership rights.
Should you change your last name when getting married: pros and cons
We have already figured out that today changing your last name after marriage is not a prerequisite. But there are both positive aspects to this and negative qualities. Therefore, before taking such a responsible and important step (after all, changing your last name will affect your future fate), you need to carefully weigh everything.
What are the advantages of the same surname:
- Well, for starters, it’s worth highlighting the psychological aspect. A family with the same last name becomes like a single whole. This gesture speaks of the serious intentions of the wife and her great love (at least according to men).
- There is also a secret meaning hidden in this - a woman becomes a part of her husband. That is, she belongs entirely to him and is “behind her husband.”
- Although you have to tinker with papers after the wedding, it will be much easier in the future. Yes, we don’t run that far when we’re young. But when it comes, for example, to register inheritance, it will be much more difficult to do this with a different surname. Then you will have to tinker even more with papers and other documents.
- When children appear, it will be easier for both you and the children. With different surnames, you will need to carry a marriage certificate with you, which will confirm the relationship with your child and husband (or your husband with you).
- For society it sounds even more beautiful and simpler when the surnames are the same. We have not advanced that much, and yet many questions will be asked about why you decided to do this.
- This point can be both a plus and a minus. Sometimes a maiden name doesn't sound very nice or has a funny meaning. But the husband’s surname will help correct this situation.
Pros and cons of changing your last name
What disadvantages await you then:
- Changing your passport and other documents is one thing. But there is one more “but”. If you study at a university (or other educational institution), then you should run there too. Because you will have to change all your documents in order to receive a diploma with the right name after graduation.
- Also, it is worth changing your last name in other organizations, such as electrical networks, the tax office and others.
- At work, don’t forget, you should also change your last name in all documents.
- If a woman has her own business, then there will also be paperwork.
- Creative people shouldn’t relax either, because now the signature for each work will have to be changed. And then also explain to others who this new author is, for example, and where the old employee went.
As you can see, there are disadvantages in any case. Therefore, always be guided by personal priorities and convenience. And most importantly, in this matter, be sure to consult with your future spouse.
Psychological side of the issue
Changing your last name is a difficult and often scary issue for a bride. Thoughts about the paperwork involved when replacing documents and about the possible changes in life that will entail a change of name upon marriage make you worry and doubt whether it is worth taking such a serious step.
You can change your surname some time after marriage. The right to change your name is provided for by law not only in cases of marriage.
A woman legally has the right to choose one of three options when entering into a legal marriage:
take your husband's last name, keep your maiden name, take a double last name.
You need to decide and make a decision about changing your last name before the couple comes to submit an application to the registry office, since this information is indicated when filling out the documents.
In former times, the answer to the question about changing a surname upon marriage was unambiguous and categorical: a woman must take her husband’s surname.
The tradition of a wife adopting her husband's surname existed back in those distant times when there were no surnames as such. In addition to their names, people were called and called by nicknames. A man’s nickname was given for a feature of his appearance, character, behavior, or based on the work performed. The wife was called by her husband's name or his nickname. For example, the wife of the blacksmith Ivan was called Marya Ivanova or Marya Kuznetsova. Some nicknames were cacophonous, mocking, or emphasized people's shortcomings (Crooked, Stuttering, and the like).
When family ties were lost and surnames became established as an independent fact, wives began to take their husband’s surname, paying tribute to tradition. By taking the surname of her husband, a woman becomes her husband’s wife, living “behind her husband.” Changing a surname upon marriage began to symbolize a woman’s inclusion in her husband’s clan.
And in the twenty-first century, girls change their last name when they get married, based on folk traditions, and don’t even think that they don’t have to do this.
For a guy, a girl’s acceptance of his last name is an indicator of love and complete acceptance of him as a person. The groom may perceive the bride's reluctance to take a surname as a sign of mistrust, reluctance to become one, a family. The requirement to keep your maiden name can be regarded as a personal insult, give rise to a mutual feeling of resentment and provoke conflict in the couple.
Men still want their wife to bear her husband's surname, but a loving groom will take into account the interests, opinions and wishes of the bride. He will not present an ultimatum, will not blackmail, but will offer to discuss the issue and come to a common decision.
How the bride and groom perceive the possibility of changing their surname depends on their personality, upbringing and ability to understand each other.
The girl intuitively understands and knows that changing her last name will change her destiny. A marriage with a change of surname is experienced by the bride as the beginning of a new life and causes a lot of excitement and anxiety. But not all girls worry about and attach importance to changing their last name; some strive to change it as soon as possible (for example, if they don’t like their own last name).
Marriage is an extremely serious and responsible step in the life of a woman and a man, which will change her and each of them. Changing your last name after marriage is an additional step in this fateful event that a person takes.
To marry and take her husband's surname, the bride must be aware of the seriousness of her choice and have the desire to do so. It’s good when changing your last name to your husband’s last name is a consequence of love for him and the desire to be one strong family.
The bride, answering the question of why she doesn’t want to change her last name, should try to find the true reasons for her reluctance. Is it a matter of having to run around government agencies and change documents or something else?
Possible psychological reasons for reluctance to change your last name:
fears that the marriage may collapse (and the surname of the man who has become a stranger will remain); uncertainty about the correctness of the decision to get married; negative personal experience (if the woman is not getting married for the first time); disrespect for a man, contempt for clan, nationality or family; dislike and other negative feelings towards the groom; mystical fear of changing fate; fear of marriage or the wedding procedure (gamophobia); a promise not to change the surname given to yourself or your parents.
There may be other reasons for reluctance to take the husband's surname.
Even ancient people believed that a change of name entails a change in fate and not always for the better. If we touch on the sphere of parapsychology and the issue of name energy, then there are options for checking how suitable the new surname is for the girl. For example, numerological calculation of the number of a name before and after marriage and their comparison.
What if you don’t change your last name when you get married: men’s opinion
So we come to this slightly tremulous topic. The fact is that in such a matter a man can hide his desire a little, hiding behind public opinion. If we talk about the general opinion of men, it will be of the opposite nature.
- In general, men also adhere to old-fashioned traditions that have no direct meaning. But, as they say, that’s how it’s supposed to be.
- Some men (and by the way, the majority of them) come to the opinion that this is extremely frivolous on the part of the girl. Some even compare this to the fact that it is like remaining a girl in marriage.
- The most significant reason is procreation. This is how we, the Slavs, have developed such a tradition. A woman changes her last name and gives birth to a child to continue her husband’s family line. By the way, this tradition is not only in our country, but also, for example, in eastern countries. Especially if we consider ancient times. By the way! If a man has nothing against a woman leaving her maiden name, then when a child is born the situation changes dramatically. How is it possible that the child will not have my last name? In this situation, they are ready to tear the shirts off their chests in order to convince you of the opposite.
Men's opinions on changing their surname
- Yes, there are also those who simply respect a woman’s wishes and are ready to sacrifice personal views.
- But there are also men who do not care about this aspect at all. That is, for a man it doesn’t matter what his beloved’s last name is. The main thing is that she is nearby. But the child’s surname must be his, because the continuation of the family line is lost! By the way, as some say, my wife will take my last name at any time.
general information
Changing your last name is a standard procedure . There are no laws that would prohibit a citizen of the country from changing his first or last name as much as he wants. The only problem will be the re-registration of all documents in a new name. As they say, every whim is for your money.
After marriage, changing your last name seems more or less normal. The tradition of taking the husband's surname after the wedding procedure has existed for a long time. It was believed that after marriage a lady moves from her family to her husband's family. The newlyweds got married in church, faith did not allow them to separate, therefore for the rest of their lives - whether they were together or not - they lived under the same surname, because they “agreed with God” on it.
Most of the rules of that time are no longer relevant. The same divorces have long been legalized, the procedure is not so problematic. However, ladies who marry still change their surname to their husband's surname. Some do this under pressure from relatives (both from themselves and from a loved one), while others make this decision themselves.
Often the thought arises - why? What consequences might this have and what problems might arise? Or, on the contrary, everything will be fine and there are no “against”?
There are a number of arguments that will help everyone make their own sound and thoughtful decision on this matter.
Is it possible to take a double surname when getting married?
Double surnames came to us from the West, where they became popular back in the 10th century. In Russia, this became in demand first among creative personalities or famous people who need to leave their last name. But there are some difficulties that must be faced if such a desire is made.
- Interesting! Today in Russia, approximately 80% of women take, as expected, their husband’s surname. 15% of girls keep their maiden name. And only a small percentage of 5 representatives choose a double surname.
- They have no right to refuse you, since such an action is not prohibited by law. The procedure is the same as usual - you submit an application and within a month you will receive a new passport. The only limitation can be an existing double surname.
- This point is a bit controversial because it has no sound legal basis. Those who decided to take such a step faced a problem - the registry office requires that both spouses have a double surname. And men don’t really want to take their wife’s surname.
IMPORTANT: The spouse's last name must appear at the beginning, followed by a hyphen with the spouse's maiden name.
Double surname after marriage
- And then everything depends on your assertiveness. If you really insist on your own, then you should stock up on patience and some information. According to Article 32 of the Family Code (point 2), a change in the surname of one of the spouses does not entail a change in the surname of the other representative.
IMPORTANT: Let’s touch on one more point that confuses or doubts many. A foreign passport has a slightly different replacement period, so you can go abroad on vacation after the wedding using old documents. But this information should be clarified directly with the travel agency from which the trip is planned.
Procedure for changing a surname: step by step
The order of passage is as follows.
In order to change a surname, a citizen will have to contact the local branch of the migration service, the Federal Migration Service. In addition, this can be done in the multifunctional center of the MFC.
The list of documents includes the following:
- Application with a request to change your passport. You can request the required form directly from the MCF and the Federal Migration Service or from the passport office at your place of registration. The application must indicate the desired surname and new signature;
- A certificate confirming the registration of marriage;
- A receipt stating that you have paid the state fee;
- Two photographs (3.5×4.5);
- Old passport
If you carry out this procedure at your place of registration, the application will take about 10 days to complete. If you are registered in one place, but applied to another address, the procedure may take two months.
The next step will be the procedure for obtaining civil documents in the new surname. To do this, you need to pay the state fee and come to the registry office with a receipt.
And finally, we change the passport to a new one and inform the HR department about the change.
Is it possible to change your last name a year after marriage?
Another popular question that worries many newlyweds. We will not delve into the possible reasons for this decision. And we won’t go around in circles either.
- A spouse can change their surname after a year, two or five years of marriage! Yes, even in ten years – that’s your right.
- If we talk about the procedure, it is not much different from the one that is carried out immediately after marriage. An application is also written, which is considered for about a month (perhaps a slightly longer period). More precisely, in a month or two you will receive a new passport.
- In all other organizations that were indicated above, they should also then be replaced with a new surname.
- The spouses are issued a new marriage certificate, which they should contact their (at their place of registration) migration service.
Amendments to documents
There may be many reasons why, after registering with the registry office, a woman suddenly changes her mind about changing her last name. They lie on the moral, ethical, economic, political plane and are completely legal. But such a decision is associated with the need for subsequent serious work to bring the documents into proper condition.
If a woman, after registering her marriage, changes her mind about changing her last name, and after some time has legally restored her maiden name or received a new one chosen by her, a cause-and-effect mechanism is activated, requiring the replacement of the remaining documents. First of all, these are a general civil and foreign passport, a military ID and service ID, a marriage certificate, a child’s birth certificate, a driver’s license and a registration certificate.
Changes are made to the TIN, Rosreestr, health insurance policy and SNILS. During the entire period while the old, invalid passport is confiscated, the citizen confirms his identity by presenting a temporary identity card issued by the Federal Migration Service.
Then it is necessary to make all changes arising from this decision to documents confirming property rights, as well as credit and financial agreements, identity cards, etc. It is necessary to provide documents about the changes to the personnel department at the place of work or to the educational institution. The preparation of many such documents involves the need to pay a state fee.
The answer to the question of what to do if young people submitted an application to the registry office, and it was the bride who changed her mind about changing her surname, should be considered in the context of legal and ethical consequences that have implications for future children. Sometimes the question of why father and mother have different surnames can be quite sensitive for a child. This moment is especially acute if it is a remarriage and the middle names of the biological father and stepfather do not match.
Changing a surname from A to Z: algorithm of actions, timing and pitfalls
Text Natalya Gaiduk
In modern society, taking your husband's surname on your wedding day is no longer the only correct option.
Nowadays you don’t need to be a noblewoman or a representative of the arts to keep your last name - a sufficient number of young families practice this approach. An even more common practice is to change your maiden name to your husband's last name some time after the wedding. There can be many reasons: from plans for a honeymoon in the Schengen zone, to studying at university and reluctance to re-register all documents before graduation. Let's look at each of the options and what nuances it provides, so that when deciding the fate of your maiden name, you can be as savvy as possible and know what you will have to face. We stand our ground
So, the easiest option from a documentary point of view is to leave your last name. When applying for marriage registration, you only need to enter your current surname in the “bride’s surname after marriage” column. The marriage certificate will be issued in the maiden name and no other documents will be required. Whether this is good or bad for the integrity of the new family, relatives and future children, everyone decides for themselves. But if you previously did not have the habit of carrying a passport with you, then it should become your constant companion: this way you can prove that you are the mother of this child, despite different surnames, and that you have the right to go to your husband’s room, because you are his wife.
Long-standing traditions
For now, the most common way is to take your husband’s last name right in the registry office. In reality, the procedure is slightly different, but the essence remains the same - with the birth of a new family, you change your last name. By the way, this may not necessarily be the husband’s last name. If you dream of maintaining your connection to your family, but are afraid of offending your future husband, just take a double surname!
“If you change your surname after registering a marriage, you indicate your intention when submitting an application,” advises Yulia Kochina, head of the department of the Minsk City Wedding House. – A marriage certificate is issued to you in your new surname, and the validity of the old passport is limited to a month from the date of marriage. After this, the passport should be replaced, because administrative and even criminal penalties are provided for using an expired passport. This procedure for replacing a passport will differ from replacing it once every 10 years only in that you also need to take a marriage certificate to the passport office (now the citizenship and migration department at the place of registration).
Thus, you will need: 4 color photos measuring 4x5 cm, an old passport, a birth certificate, a marriage certificate, a receipt for payment of the state fee and an application for a replacement passport, a sample of which will be provided to you on the spot.
After replacing your passport, you will need to replace your social security card, make a corresponding entry in your work book, change your driver’s license, re-register a bank account with a new last name, and in some banks, change plastic cards, as well as replace other documents depending on the situation. For example, civil contracts, if any, are subject to re-registration, as well as a certificate of registration of an individual entrepreneur.
Honeymoon and new passport
Contrary to popular belief, you can go on a honeymoon with an old passport and a new last name, but only to visa-free countries and only if you return within thirty days.
However, even if you opened a visa before the wedding, you cannot travel with your old passport: since its validity is less than three months, you will have problems at the border. So, if you are changing your last name and planning a trip to, say, Europe, you won’t be able to leave immediately after the wedding. You must first change your passport; the standard procedure takes one month.
But there is good news: there is an expedited procedure for replacing your passport. It provides for the production of a document within 15 days and requires payment of an additional base amount. There is also an urgent passport replacement: it already costs 3 basic units (1 for completing the procedure and 2 for urgency) and lasts only 7 days. In parallel with replacing the passport, you should also consult the consular department of the embassy that issued the visa in order to decide its fate: some embassies ask you to bring an old canceled passport with an open visa and transfer it to a new passport, some countries practice entry using a new passport with the presentation of an old document. Each situation is resolved individually; you just need to take care of the safety of your visa in advance.
Belated change of surname and “going to the registry office”
Perhaps the most common reason for keeping one’s last name after marriage is the desire to go on a honeymoon without worrying about paperwork. If the travel options described above do not suit you, below is what you will need to change your last name later. There are no time limits, you can change your last name in a month, in a year or five years - it’s up to you, and the procedure is always the same.
The main thing is not to get confused about which registry office to contact. The thing is that, according to existing rules, a marriage can be registered anywhere in the republic, but a surname can only be changed at the place of registration. And it is not always the same registry office. If the place of actual residence and the place of registration do not coincide, be prepared for the fact that you will have to travel to your small homeland two or three times.
“Changing a surname is an administrative procedure, the execution period of which is indicated in two months,” explains Yulia Kochina. – It all starts with the wife contacting the registry office at the place of registration with an application to change her surname to her husband’s surname. From this moment, the registry office has two months to make requests to the necessary authorities and obtain permission from the Ministry of Justice to change your name. After permission has been received, you need to come to the registry office again with a receipt for payment of 2 basic amounts and receive a certificate of name change. In fact, they change the last name, but that’s what the document is called.”
If you registered your marriage here, then changes will be immediately made to the marriage registration record and, after paying one basic amount, you will receive a new marriage registration certificate, where your new surname will appear. With it you can go to the passport office and change your passport.
If the marriage was registered in another registry office, then you need to go there with a certificate of name change, pay the basic amount according to the details that this registry office will issue, and apply for a new certificate.
Deadlines
The timing of the change depends on when the application was submitted. If the newlyweds decided to change their data before getting married, everything will go easier and faster. In this case, when contacting the registry office to submit an application to register the relationship, you must notify employees of the decision to assign the partner’s surname. To confirm the words, a special form is filled out. As a result, the change will occur at the time of official registration of the relationship, and a certificate will be issued for the new data.
You can also change your last name after registering your marriage in a year or another period. In this case, the application will be considered within one month. The legislation provides for the possibility of increasing the period by another 60 days if there are compelling reasons for this. If the decision is delayed, the government agency must notify the applicant about this.
Sometimes the registry office rejects the application and does not give permission to change personal data. In the absence of compelling reasons, which must be specified, you can appeal such a decision through the court.
