US citizen (already a PR) is getting married. Help with name change issues, plz

[AllisonVSC]

Hi everyone,

It's been a while since I've started a new thread, but I need some advice. I'm getting married to my Canadian partner (he's also a French citizen) in June on the western coast of France. Planning this feels a bit like going through the PR process again as there are lots of forms and requirements to met, like one of us must live in the village in France for 40 days prior to the wedding...that would be me since he doesn't have that much vacation time.

Anyway, more to the point...I am considering changing my name (I currently use my ex-husband's last name). Can anyone run me through the process and timeline for officially changing my name? Is there a certain order to it like passport first, then PR, SIN, OHIP, then bank accounts, etc or can it all be in process at once? Also, any issues with having different names on documents during the change over? And lastly, does anyone know the answer to this oddball question? When I marry can I change back to my maiden name or do I have to go to court for that?

Thanks in advance and Happy New Year! Allison

 

[Love_Young]

First of all, big CONGRATS to you and your partner. Excited for you as I have followed your posts for a while now. When is the date of your marriage? Are you excited?

On to the actual questions. I was always made to believe that changing your passport first is essential. You can get a 2 week delivery on that or standard mail is 4-6 weeks. Then after you get your passport back you want to mail off for your new PR card application which be prepared can take from a few months to closer to a year to get back so do that when you can. After you mail off your PR card application, you will want to change your name on your SSN card from home (you might have to travel to the US for this, not sure) and change your name on your SIN card. This generally can take another 2-4 weeks to get your new cards. Then you will want to change your name on your health card and driver's license. Then change it on bank accounts, credit card, doctors offices, dentist, hospital records, CRA, post office(maybe), insurance companies, your place of employment, bills (gas, heat, water, electric, etc.), cell phone company, membership cards, vehicle registration, update the tenant (if you rent), update wills, business cards, checks, and mortgage.

This is really only a small list of examples on things you will need to update. It is a time consuming thing and depending on how many documents you need to update, it can take anywhere from a few months to a year to have EVERYTHING updated. Don't forget to have extra certified copies of your marriage certificate, some may want your birth certificate too, and also be prepared to pay fees for some of the changes. If you are wanting to change it back but are still married, you would have to go to court to get it changed back or get divorced which I am sure you don't want to do. Lol.

I hope this helps a little bit and best of luck. I hope the wedding goes smoothly and have lots of memories for a lifetime. Just remember when changing your name it is important to do passport then get all your main identification out of the way. The rest should fall into place.
Again CONGRATS.

 

[AllisonVSC]

Thanks for the reply Young_Love.

The wedding is in June; we're planning a small civil affair, but my parents are able to attend so I'm really excited about that. I suspected there would be some change fees, and your order of getting things done seems to jive with my understanding. My oddball question was actually about ditching my ex-husband's name, not my future one! Instead of taking his name I was wondering about reverting back to my maiden name. It may just be too much trouble though. In the end I may just keep my current name.

Does a change in marital status without a name change require any reporting/updating to CIC, OHIP, SIN, PR card, etc or just Revenue Canada?

 

[spacey]

Hi Allison
I am assuming you are in Ontario since you mentioned OHIP
From what I understand about changing your name with marriage in Ontario unless you go through a legal name change at the time it is only and a assumed name change. You can revert back to you maiden name as long a it is on your birth certifcate .So that is what you use for your proof of maiden name. - may be able to use a divorce certifcate as proof to change back.
The easiest thign for me to get changed over was my bank account. I walked in with my marriage registration papers and they changed it right then and there. Everything else I waited till the marriage certficated came in and walked into a service ontario site and did my OHIP and Drivers Licence in one shot. You will have to report your change in marital status to revenue canada, There was a form I had to fill out and mail in.


I found this on the Peterborough city website:

No legal form is required to return to your maiden name if you have not changed your birth certificate. To change back to your maiden name, you must present your marriage certificate and birth certificate at each office that issues the identification that is currently in your married name. All identification, e.g. social insurance card, health card, banking information, credit cards, Revenue Canada taxation forms, should be changed to reflect the name you will now be using.

 

[AllisonVSC]

Thanks for the info, spacey. That is very encouraging.

 

[bobshynoswife]

I'm in the middle of this right now. I changed my driver's licence and Alberta Health Care the day after my husband arrived, only because we were at the registry anyways. I changed my name with my bank, but before that I opened another account at another bank with my maiden name, so that I have the option of both (like if my grandma gives me a cheque with my maiden name, I can deposit it at the other bank). I still have not done my passport or my SIN because I don't plan to travel anytime soon, and I will get the SIN name change done before I do 2010 taxes. I really need to call my credit card company and find out the process, because it isn't good to have a credit card in one name and no photo ID to back it up!

This really reminds me that I should get on things and get it all done!