At the end of a marriage or with the death of a spouse, you may feel it is appropriate to change your name back to your previous one. In Canada, this means changing a number of federal documents to match your chosen name.
In this article, we’ll look at what you need to change your name, how you go about changing your name, and how divorce lawyers may help with this process. Keep reading now to find out more.
What Are The Items That I Need In Order To Change My Surname?
In Canada, you can legally take your spouse's name on government documents without going through the complete process of changing it. But if you choose to legally change your name, you will have to undergo the legal process of changing it back.
To do so, you will need to change it on several documents, including:
● Your health card
● Your driver’s license
● Your Ontario photo card
● Your passport
● Nexus documents
To change your name in Newmarket, you’ll need to contact a Newmarket law firm and book an appointment. At your meeting, you’ll need to have a few documents on hand, including a form of government-issued ID, a criminal or police record check, and your birth certificate. From there, your Newmarket lawyers will begin the process.
Generally, the process for a name change in Canada is simple and inexpensive. You will likely receive your new documents in the mail within 6–8 weeks.
If you originally changed your name using the Election to Change Surname service (which is now discontinued), you can complete the Election to Resume Former Surname Form 2.
How Do I Go About Changing My Surname?
Changing your name after a divorce in Ontario involves a few different processes depending on how you originally changed your name. If, as discussed above, you used the Election to Change Surname service, you need to submit a copy of the Election to Resume Former Surname Form 2 within 90-days of your finalized divorce.
If you do not do this within the 90-day limit or did not use this service, you will need to follow a longer legal route to return to your previous surname.
If you have missed this deadline, you will instead need to follow the steps for an adult name change. You can find the application for this process on the Ontario government website and will need to download the form. You can return the form by mail or in person, and it will cost you $137 to do so.
If you were born in another part of Canada, the Ontario government would also make your birth province aware of the change (except Quebec).
If You Are Looking To Get A Divorce, Contact Baker Doodnauth Today.
Sorting out all of your affairs during a divorce can take a lot of time and energy, so why not get in touch with our Newmarket law firm to see how we could help? Here at Baker Doodnauth, we’re a team of experienced divorce lawyers dedicated to making the process of divorce as simple as possible.
We’ll help you with everything from name changes to custody of children and are on hand to give the support and advice you need whenever you need it. Contact us today for more information.