No, your name does not automatically change when you get married in Australia; it's a personal choice, and you must take action to change it, but a certified Australian marriage certificate is often sufficient evidence to update documents like your passport or driver's license without a formal name change application. If you're creating a completely new name or married overseas, you'll need to apply for a formal Change of Name Certificate through your state's Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) registry.
It is entirely your choice as to whether you choose to use Mrs., Miss, or Ms. Q – Can you use your maiden name as your middle name and take your husband's surname?
The legal change of name process is managed by the Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages in your state or territory.
Before you get married, you must apply for a marriage license. After you apply for the license and get married, your marriage certificate will reflect your new name. Contact the local government where you are getting married to learn how to apply for a marriage license and change your name.
To update your name or title online, you need a myGov account linked to the ATO. To update to a new name you will also need one of the following identity documents: Australian full birth certificate (not an extract) Australian marriage certificate.
You can call us on the Medicare program line to update your name. You'll need to prove your identity over the phone. To change your legal name you'll need to have supporting documents with you when you call us.
To update your name or date of birth in your Digital ID, you need to use the myID app. If you consent to share your details with myGov, they will appear the next time you verify with Digital ID. Find out how to update your Digital ID name and other details, like your date of birth, on the myID website.
Legal & Administrative Hurdles
Keeping your maiden name means you'll need to prove your marital status more often. For instance, if you're traveling with your spouse and your last names don't match, you might need to carry a marriage certificate to avoid issues.
You will need to provide your completed marriage license as proof to each government agency responsible for issuing your identification documents. You may need to change your name on a driver's license, Social Security card, voter registration card, and other records.
Updating Your Social Security Card
If you are changing your name, changing it with the Social Security Administration (SSA) should be the first thing on your list. Other entities will refer to the SSA's database before approving your name change on other documents, like your passport.
Changing your name after marriage, separation or divorce
If you married in Australia, you don't need to apply for a change of name. Just give the relevant organisations a copy of your Australian marriage certificate.
Con: It's not free
It needs to get notarized. If your name change is the result of a divorce or a marriage, you may need additional documentation. It's not prohibitively expensive — court fees may be a few hundred dollars — but it does cost money. This is only something you want to do if you're serious about it.
Your new name must:
“Mrs.” is the traditional and official title for a married woman. This is the case whether a woman chooses to change her name after marriage or not. Many women prefer to keep their title as “Mrs.” if their spouse passes away or after divorce.
Will changing my name affect my credit rating? No — not if you tell all record holders about your new name. When someone needs to run a credit check against you, they should ask you for any previous names that you've been known by in the past 6 years.
However, it needs to be done legally by creating an affidavit, publishing an advertisement in the newspaper and a notification in the Gazette of India. After the name change is notified in the Gazette, the person can start using the new name and apply for changing the name in all ID proof documents.
The 777 rule for marriage is a relationship guideline to keep couples connected by scheduling specific, regular quality time: a date night every 7 days, a night away (getaway) every 7 weeks, and a romantic holiday every 7 months, often without kids, to foster intimacy, reduce stress, and prevent routine from overtaking the relationship. It's about consistent, intentional efforts to prioritize the partnership.
They should wait at least 30 days after the date of the marriage to request a replacement card with a name change. This allows the state time to update its records. They will need to have their marriage certificate and proof of identification available when using our online application.
The names on all of your documents, including plane tickets, need to match. Keep in mind that you may also need to change your name with other organizations, including your employer, health insurer, bank, and more.
Under the Civil Union Act either spouse may change their name. A person getting married may keep their original (maiden) surname, take their spouse's name or double-barrel their two names. Assuming your spouse's name is optional and certainly not a legal requirement.
If you hold a valid passport and don't want to replace it with one showing your new name, you can continue to use your current passport and take your marriage or civil partnership certificate with you when you travel.
Women who keep their own surname after marriage may do so for a number of reasons: They see no reason to change their name, much like men often see no reason to change theirs. Objection to the one-sidedness of this tradition. Being the last member of their family with that surname.
Changing Your Name After Marriage
After marriage, you can take your spouse's last name without applying for a court order. Most organizations in the U.S. will accept a completed marriage license as legal proof of the name change. This is the case even if the marriage license lists your old name on it.
If you change your family name because of a change in your marital status, you can choose to get a new passport or keep using your current one. We recommend booking travel in the name that's in your passport. A change in marital status includes: marriage.
You can change your name on your passport with one of the following documents: a deed poll. a statutory declaration.