Divorce and name change

I changed my name back to my maiden name before I was actually divorced (was separated) and had no problems. It was 9 years ago so I can't remember exactly, but I possibly showed my birth cert & marriage cert? I changed my bank, driving licence and passport all before my divorce came through though, and there should be no need for deed poll.

I changed mine back to my maiden name via deed pole, when you are divorced you don't get your marriage cert. back. I wished I'd known how cheap it was and I would have changed it sooner, but someone had told me that it was really expensive, so I didn't bother looking into it further <kicks self>

If you are reverting back to maiden name, you def don't need to use deed pole. The individual instituions will be able to tell you what they require. I think birth cert is standard and I guess marriage cert or decree absolute. Anyway check - they will be able to tell you what you need to do. Its all fairly easy to do though.

Unless things have changed since 1994 (and I appreciate they might have ?), you can call yourself whatever you like as long as there is no intention to defraud.

I wrote out a Statutory Declaration (I've no idea where I got the format), got a Solicitor to witness it for a fiver, and sent it off to the Passport Office. That was it. So long as there's a paper trail, it's (or was) easy enough.

When you get married you ahve a legal right to take your husbands name however there is no right to change return to your maiden name upon divorce.

You can change your name back at any time and a lot of places will simply accept this and revert back. You may have trouble with the bank until you have your decree absolute and if your passport is in the married name you may have trouble getting a new passport. I work on the same road as a passport office and I have lots of people in getting change of name deeds or statutory declarations because the passport office won't accept the decree absolute. Sometimes I think it might be to do with whoever deals with the application.

Back in 2004, so things might have changed, I just rang my bank and told them I was reverting to my maiden name and they changed it there and then, no paperwork. First Direct are fab :-)

I never got round to changing my passport, driving licence etc so I saved myself the bother of all that.