Australian citizen based in Belgium change to married name
Question
Hello All
I’m an Australian married to a Belgian. I’m not planning to go back to visit Australia for another 12 months, however I would like to change my surname to my new married name. How Can I do this from here , what is the process and how long does it take?
Thank you so much
E.Ash
Belgian girls keep their maiden names for everything official.
This has a cost and not sure they agree that you can do it to take your spouse name.
If you have it changed in OZ, see before with your commune if they will agree to change it on Belgian documents.
Make sure that on plane tickets, you always have the same name as on your travel documents (ID or passport) or your risk a boarding denial.
Getting married here does not grant a name change and most girls do not do it because in case of a divorce, they are stuck with their ex-husband name or need to start the same name change procedure.
You can use your husband name on anything not official....and keep your maiden name on anything official...
Almost the entire female population on earth keeps the surname they are born with.
It is highly ironic that the minority countries that continue to have majority of females changing surname upon marriage are also cultures that offer more opportunities to females.
Consider the high number of females reversing their decision to change surname a few years later.
I will be disappointed if my girls ever decide after an upbringing of as much equality as possible that they wish to change their surnames.
Nov 13, 2017 20:08
CC_R
Actually I had issue initially with them accepting my name was different to my birth when we moved here iin 1999 but once I showed a marriage certificate and passport they accept thus was me and I have always used my married name in Belgium since we came hospital docotors commune the lot without any issue so people aren’t correct it causes issues. It’s not standard but they usually are ok if you aren’t doing anything illegal good luck
Belgian girls keep their maiden names for everything official.
Change of names requires a legal procedure
https://www.belgium.be/fr/famille/identite/changement_de_nom
This has a cost and not sure they agree that you can do it to take your spouse name.
If you have it changed in OZ, see before with your commune if they will agree to change it on Belgian documents.
Make sure that on plane tickets, you always have the same name as on your travel documents (ID or passport) or your risk a boarding denial.
Getting married here does not grant a name change and most girls do not do it because in case of a divorce, they are stuck with their ex-husband name or need to start the same name change procedure.
You can use your husband name on anything not official....and keep your maiden name on anything official...
https://www.belgium.be/fr/famille/identite/changement_de_nom
Almost the entire female population on earth keeps the surname they are born with.
It is highly ironic that the minority countries that continue to have majority of females changing surname upon marriage are also cultures that offer more opportunities to females.
Consider the high number of females reversing their decision to change surname a few years later.
I will be disappointed if my girls ever decide after an upbringing of as much equality as possible that they wish to change their surnames.
Actually I had issue initially with them accepting my name was different to my birth when we moved here iin 1999 but once I showed a marriage certificate and passport they accept thus was me and I have always used my married name in Belgium since we came hospital docotors commune the lot without any issue so people aren’t correct it causes issues. It’s not standard but they usually are ok if you aren’t doing anything illegal good luck
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