Changing your name through marriage...
- While it has been
traditional in Australia for brides to change their surname to that of
their husband it
is not compulsory. A bride may retain her own maiden
surname or
the surname
that she used at the time of marriage.
-
If the bride decides not to change her
name
- You will not need to present
any
documentation to keep using the name you used before marriage
- you may be required to
present a
certified copy of a
marriage certificate issued by an Australian Births, Deaths and
Marriages Registry to change your conjugal status in government and
other records from never validly
married, divorced or widowed to married.
If the bride wishes to change her surname
to that of the groom
- You
will need to obtain an official certified marriage certificate from the
Registry of Births, Deaths amd Marriages
- Many
institutions/organisations will accept a
photocopy, certified by a JP or other official, of the official
marriage certificate obtained from an Australian Births, Deaths and
Marriages Registry, as
proof.
- The
certificate presented to you on your
wedding day (referred to by Centrelink and other agencies as the
Celebrant or Church-issued certificate) will generally not be accepted by many
institutions/organisations
as it
provides no proof that the marriage has been registered.
When you
engage me as your celebrant I provide you with access to a secure part
of
my website that includes a wealth of information, including links to
many forms required to change your name.
If the groom wishes to change his surname
to that of the bride
According to the advice provided by the Queensland Registry Office, the
groom will have to go through a formal name-change process and pay
a fee to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marraiges. The
justification for this appears to be that most institutions will not
accept the marriage certificate for any name change that differs from
the traditional practice of a wife assuming her husband's surname.
However, Anti-Discrimination legislation makes it illegal to
discriminate on grounds of gender, so a groom should be able to change
his name to that of the bride merely by presenting a copy of the
marriage certificate.
Using
a combination or hyphenated surname upon marrying
If either
the bride or groom wants to adopt a combination of the bride's maiden
surname and the groom's surname a legal change of name is
required, because an
official copy of the marriage certificate will generally not be accepted by most
institutions if the name change falls outside the traditional straight
swap of the bride's surname for the groom's surname.
Marrying
outside Australia
You should also
be aware that if you choose to marry outside Australia your marriage
will not be registered in Australia and there is no provision to do so.
Most
institutions will require an official change of name.
However,
Queensland Transport will accept, as proof of change of name
upon marriage, an official overseas Marriage Certificate if
presented with either a category A document already in the married name
or 2 category B documents in the married name. The overseas
Marriage
Certificate must show an official crest and be appropriately
registered.
Applying
for an official marriage certificate
If your application is included
with the marriage papers which I, as your celebrant, forward to Births,
Deaths and Marriages, shortly after your wedding, no proofs of identity
are required. I am happy to include your application together with your
cheque, money order, or credit card authorisation, if you provide them
to me in a sealed envelope on or before the day of your marriage.
You can
download the application form for an official marriage certificate from
http://www.justice.qld.gov.au/justice-services/births-deaths-and-marriages
Please be aware
that payment of a priority fee only
guarantees priority
treatment of already registered marriages, and there can be a
delay of a number of weeks between submission of the marriage papers by
the celebrant and actual registration of the marriage.
I
submit the application with the marriage papers as a gratis courtesy
service
however you are the applicant and any enquiries regarding your marriage
certificate should thereafter be directed to
The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
Phone: 1300
366 430 or +61 7 3035 1000 (international enquiries)
Address:
110 George Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
(Office hours: 8.30am-4.30pm Monday-Friday)
Postal address:
PO Box 15188
City East QLD 4002
Contact Me
Jennifer
Cram is a
secular humanist celebrant
in Queensland
Australia
Serving all of Brisbane, Redlands, Redcliffe, Pine Rivers,
Logan and Ipswich
Ceremonies
performed
in private homes, parks, gardens, hotels, clubs, restaurants, chapels,
function
centres, reception centres, wedding venues.
Day or evening
ceremonies 365 days a year
Her
Celebrant
Services include:
Wedding
Ceremonies: Contemporary, Traditional, Spiritual, Inter-cultural,
Scottish,
Celtic, Chinese, Buddhist, Mediaeval; Handfasting; Renewal of
Vows; Commitment Ceremonies
for gay, lesbian,
and straight couples; Naming Ceremonies;
Baby Dedication Ceremonies;
House Warming;
Launching; Divorce
and Separation (End-of-Relationship) Ceremonies
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