Name change

My understanding is that name changes in Belgium are almost impossible and will only even be considered for very, very good reasons.

The example I have seen quoted a couple of times is someone who has the family name "Hitler", and it is said that a request for a name change MIGHT be considered.

Depends on your nationality, perhaps. I had my maiden name added into my UK passport and had it hyphenated with my married name so that my UK passport and Belgian ID and my signature had a link. Now the Commune swipes the details of the UK passport on to the Belgian ID, and both names appear rather than just the maiden name.

Actually, in the case of YTTAP, the commune were just following the rules. If you are a foreign national, your name as registered in Belgium should be the same as your official name in the country of which you are a citizen.

In the old days when manual methods prevailed, many communes just followed their usual practice and entered the name on the birth certificate into the system, but it should have been the name on the passport.

If you have dual nationality (Belgian + ?), the Belgian rules apply.

Hm! I came to Belgium with my married name on my passport. Commune registered that. Then later after I was widowed I remarried, I wished to keep the name of my ex (passport, driving licence, bank accounts, qualifications and children all with that name) but the commune insisted I used my maiden name. I would have been willing to change everything to my new husbands name, but thought it was a waste of time and effort changing everything to my maiden name so now have two identities, a Belgian (maiden name) and British (name of my ex).
Do I understand that the next time I get a UK passport if I have my maiden name added, then it would appear on my next Belgian ID. Or I could insist the Belgian commune use the name on my passport?

Katie, I presume from the commune's attitude that you remarried in Belgium which means that your last change of status was in Belgium. I suspect that the commune may be right in saying that that means that Belgian rules apply - in which case, strictly speaking, it is your UK passport that is now wrong.

It is one of the problems that arise when you are a citizen of a country with virtually no rules on the name that you can use (although just try getting a UK passport when you use a name that you haven't formally adopted) but live in a country with very strict rules.

As others have indicated, first of all you have to find out what the applicable law for your name change is - whether Belgian law or country of your nationality etc. Then you have to be clear where you want to have your name changed: in your passport (assuming you are not Belgian) or in documents issued by Belgian authorities.

You may have get to used to using two different names. It's doable, I can vouch for it.

I realise this is very late to reply, but did you have any success with changing your surname in Belgium? I'm looking at trying to start the process soon and would appreciate any helpful tips!

I am also looking for changing my surname, I have an indian passport, does anyone how the name change on the residence card works in Belgium.