Passports: change your name and personal details
1. Overview
To travel overseas, you must renew your passport and send additional documents with your application if you change:
- your name (by marriage, civil partnership, deed poll, go back to your maiden name or add middle names)
- gender (even if your name remains the same)
- how you spell your name (eg changing from Brian to Bryan)
You get up to 9 months extra time on a new passport to cover time left on your old one.
Follow the process for renewing a passport - but send the appropriate documents with your application.
When you don’t need to get a new passport
You don’t need a new passport if you:
- change your job, title, address or contact details
- emigrate
- change your marital status but keep your name
- get nationality of another country as well as your British nationality
2. Minor changes to your name
You must send additional documents with your passport application if you:
- change the spelling of your name slightly (eg Brian to Bryan or Jane to Jayne)
- change the order your forenames appear in your passport
- add forenames or middle names
Send one of the following that shows your name as you want it to appear on your passport:
- a letter from a local council or government department
- a driving licence
- a bank statement
- a baptismal or confirmation certificate
To remove a middle name from a passport, don't send any extra documents. Use section 8 of the application form to explain the change.
3. Getting married or entering a civil partnership
Decide whether to change your name before or after the ceremony - the name on your passport must be the same one you use when you book your travel.
Before the ceremony
You can change the name on your passport up to 3 months before the ceremony. Your old passport will be cancelled.
The new passport is ‘postdated’ - you can’t use it before the ceremony.
Some countries won’t issue visas for post-dated passports - check with the country’s consulate.
You must send a standard passport application form, along with the form ‘passports for newly weds and civil partners’, signed by the religious minister or registrar who will conduct the ceremony. Download the guidance notes if you need help.
After the ceremony
Send the standard passport application along with your marriage or civil partnership certificate.
Any unexpired visas in your old passport may become invalid - check with the country's consulate.
4. Going back to your maiden name
You must send with your passport application form:
- your birth certificate
- a signed statement saying you’ve gone back to your maiden name for all purposes
- a decree absolute showing both names if you’ve divorced
- a marriage certificate showing both names
Sign your application form using your maiden name.
5. Titles you can use on your passport
You can ask to include titles on your passport like:
- professional titles - eg doctor, judge, minister of religion, professor or QC
- honours or military decorations
- JP if you’re a magistrate
Put the details in section 2 of the passport application form and enclose evidence of your title.
6. Name changes that don't match official documents
If your name change doesn’t match your birth, naturalisation or registration certificates, you must send one of the following with your application:
If you have changed your name more than once, you must send proof of every name change.
If you are already using your new name, you must send evidence with your new name on it, eg a payslip or letter from your local council.
You must send original documents, not copies. You can send laminated documents as proof for name changes.
Sign your application form using your new name.
Help and advice
Telephone the Passport Adviceline if you need help.
Passport Adviceline
Online enquiry form
Telephone: 0300 222 0000
Textphone: 0300 222 0222
Text Relay: 18001 0300 222 0000
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 9am to 5:30pm
Find out about call charges
7. Changing your gender
Send one of the following with your passport application and supporting documents:
- a letter from your doctor or medical consultant confirming that your change of gender is likely to be permanent, and evidence of your change of name (eg a deed poll)
- a gender recognition certificate
- a new birth or adoption certificate showing your acquired gender
Sign your application form using your new name.
You can download more advice about passports for transsexual and transgender people.
8. Changing your name by deed poll
Send your change of name deed with your application form.
Sign your application form using your new name.