To return to a former name after an Australian marriage, most people need their official marriage certificate together with either their birth certificate or divorce order. Easy Name Change helps you identify every organisation to notify, then prepares the personalised forms, letters, emails and instructions needed to update your records.
Returning to your former name after separation or divorce is usually straightforward. If you assumed your spouse’s surname after marrying in Australia, you can generally resume your former name without registering a legal name change.
You do not need to wait until your divorce is finalised. Once you have the right proof documents, you can begin updating your records.
All Australian organisations accept an official marriage certificate issued by an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, together with either:
These documents prove the link between your married and former names.
The ceremonial marriage certificate signed on your wedding day is not accepted as proof of name change.
You must provide documents showing a clear link between every name you have used.
For example, if you were married twice and want to return to your birth surname, you may need:
The exact documents depend on the timing of your marriages, divorces and any registered legal name changes.
Returning to a former surname can be more complicated if:
In these circumstances, you may need to register a new legal name change through an Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages registry.
The Australian Passport Office specifically requires an Australian BDM change-of-name certificate if you formally registered a legal name change after marriage and later want to resume an earlier name.
You need to contact every organisation that holds your current name. Updating one organisation does not automatically update the others.
This commonly includes:
Each organisation has its own process. You may need to visit in person, complete a form, upload proof, send an email or provide certified documents.
Easy Name Change lets you select the organisations you use, see what each one requires and prepare all your notifications in one place.
The average Easy Name Change customer has 27 organisations to update.
Researching every company, confirming its requirements and preparing the paperwork yourself can take eight hours or more. With Easy Name Change, you can select your organisations and prepare your personalised paperwork in around 30 minutes.
Check off your companies, get your paperwork, then sign and send.
Your personalised Easy Name Change kit includes:
Simply attach your proof documents, sign where required and send each notification.