Name changes

[Misschix]

K so as everyone knows I just tied the knot with quickslice and i have to change my name as well as change my oldest daughters name....
I have NO IDEA where to start please help....

[b&aMom]

Do NOT do a legal name change, that will change your name on your birth certificate. Just take your marriage certificate with you to the Fed building, and have them issue a new SIN card in your new name. Same with driver's license. Call your bank, ask them what they want, probably the same. Your kid? That's more complicated. Is he the father? If not, is he adopting her? Hers, I believe, would be a legal name change which is a PITA, and you have to ask the federal government for the forms. And pay. When I did my SIN card 12 years ago, it was $10.

[Luv'inLife]

I changed my sons name to his dads and it just cost for the b-cert, because he was his bio-dad, they just asked for a reason and I put he wanted his dads name...

[Santana]

I think it is about $165 to change a child's name if I remember correctly. Or it was a couple of years ago. It changes the name on her birth certificate as well.

As for the rest of it, as b&amom said just take your marriage certificate in and request a change. When I changed my SIN card last year I had to wait, see someone and it was a pain for me but because I was changing my name (and was not replacing a lost or stolen card) I did not have to pay for it. The first name change was $10 for me as well but they have changed the policy regarding that.

[lynys]

Just take your ROM to the licencing bureau on Bruce St. and change your name on your licence. You can change all bills over ther phone (although some require a faxed copy of the ROM)

Do not change your birth certificate by doing a legal name change. No matter what, your name will always be your maiden name. (you also do not have to change your SIN number... FYI)

[Seraph]

It is $137 last time I looked, you can call the office of the registrar general and ask that the form be sent to you by mail. It takes approx 2 weeks to actually get there, if it arrives.

Now they are super picky about how you fill this thing out.

What you will need to do is send them your birth certificate, which will be shredded, and should your application not be perfect you'll never get it back, well it's hard to.

You'll need to get a permission signed from your spouse saying that he's aware that you're changing your name. Provide reasons, and also prove that you are not changing your name to avoid bill collectors or lawmen.

You will need to get a guarantor which is someone who has known you for 2+ years in a professional capacity, like your doctor, lawyer or high school principal to verify that you are the one applying for your name change and that the information you have provide on the form is true.

Lastly it must be commissioned by a city official or lawyer and sent in with a master card or money order.

There is a fee under 40$ for each dependant child who's name is being changed at the same time as the applicant and a whack load more forms and signatures to file in order to do that.

Lastly if you make a single error or have it faxed, incomplete or missing any detail, they'll send it back and you will have to re-file. The approval takes 3-4 months and you'll get your name changed within half a year if it all goes well.

Apparently they do it faster now, but the whole department is a little whacked and disorganized so keep notes and keep on your feet.

I just changed my SIN card and got a signed affidavit stating who I am with a lawyer as identification to obtain the rest of my ID but I still don't have more than my sin card so hey, wow that worked.

Try to have faith in the system, should not be so hard to get it done for marriage purposes. Good luck! And look at this site for any more info !
Name Change Info (http://www.ontario.ca/en/information_bundle/individuals/119596)

[Carolyn]

Do you have to change your SIN card. I am going on 10 years now being married and have never changed it. Should I have?

[Tutones]

Seraph. I didn't have to do ANY of that. As stated above a legal name change is not needed.


Assuming/Unassuming a Spouse’s or Partner’s Name

Assuming a name due to a relationship is the most common practice in Canada. A person may choose to assume the use and be recognized by their spouse’s or partner’s surname. This is not a change in legal name, however, is generally accepted. The vast majority of people choose this option.

There is no need for a formal application. You may simply assume your spouse’s/partner’s last name (surname) or a combination of your last name and your spouse’s/partner’s last name (hyphenated surname).

The benefit of not completing a legal name change is that it does not change the name on your birth certificate.

If you wish to use your legal name again, you simply revert back by presenting your birth certificate as proof of your legal name.
Fees

No fee required.
How do I change my name?

Once you are married or in a conjugal relationship (common-law or same-sex marriage), you may apply to change all your identification (health card, drivers licence, passport and banking information etc.) with your marriage certificate. No formal name change is required.

[Seraph]

I was just letting her know how ridiculous the name change process was so that if there's a way around it, do it!

That's awesome that there is, I can't seem to change my name even though I was married.

[lynys]

I very easily changed my name to my maiden name about a year before my divorce. All it took was me asking the licencing bureau to note the change.

Everything else was the same thing. Bank accounts, credit cards, etc.

[b&aMom]

That's because there is a big difference between a legal name change, and assuming a name of a spouse due to marriage. It's still legal to sign your married name on documents, as it is a longtime, accepted convention of our culture. Legal name changes do NOT require marriage, and are generally for a whole different ball of wax, which is why it takes so long to do. IIRC, it also involves a check of you by the RCMP or CSIS, or some such thing. But most people think that a name change is a name change when it comes to marriage. Maybe the gov't needs a few months of a public service announcement to let the public know this.

[Santana]

Do you have to change your SIN card. I am going on 10 years now being married and have never changed it. Should I have?

I changed my SIN card when I got married years ago. I got divorced a few years ago and my SIN card was the one thing I left in my married name. But when I decided to go to college and my SIN card and tax return did not match I was forced to change it to my maiden name. I wasn't going to be able to get OSAP or stay registered in college without the correct name on my SIN card. This was the first time in over ten years I'd had an issue because my SIN number according to Canada Revenue is associated with my maiden name and they never asked me to see my card lol.

[Seraph]

My SIN card is registered to my current name, but I still have my old name on my checks sometimes so when I get my GST check to cash it is like hell. Bank has my old name and wants to see a new birth certificate. Government has my name changed but is holding my birth certificate pending a commissioned signature. They've sent my application back several times. The reasoning behind this I can only assume is that I am legally married, but I have not been able to find my partner for years now so there is no way of filing the portion to inform my spouse.