Changing your last name after marriage: what documents should you change and how to do it?

Along with your last name, you will inevitably have to replace 8–10 main documents. Otherwise, you can receive many fines, lose the opportunity to travel abroad and face bureaucratic problems.

New papers can be drawn up in relevant departments and companies, and often through the MFC or the State Services website. In some cases, you will need to pay a fee or reissue service.

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What documents need to be changed when changing your last name after marriage?

Changing a surname after marriage entails the citizen’s obligation to update all documents and submit new information to the relevant organizations and government bodies. There are papers and certificates that are subject to immediate and mandatory change. These include:

1. A passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation is a document that confirms the authenticity of an individual; subsequent papers are changed on the basis of it. That is why it should be redone as quickly as possible.
2. Foreign passport - you don’t have to rush if the citizen does not intend to cross the border of the Russian Federation in the near future.
3. SNILS.
4. Driver's license, vehicle passport and other documents related to the car.
5. Policy – ​​regarding a compulsory insurance policy, it is advisable to change the data immediately; regarding a voluntary insurance policy, you can take your time, but there is no need to delay it either.
6. TIN - in most cases, inspectors do not change the certificate itself, they only enter new information into the database.
7. Bank cards, accounts - new information must be sent to any credit institutions. Employees will generate a request and issue a new card.

In addition, there are authorities to which you need to send your new data, but there is no need to change documents. This is the personnel department at the place of work, and if the girl is a student, the new name is reported to the appropriate department. In the first situation, personal data is changed in the work book, in the second - in the student card and grade book. CASCO and OSAGO policies reflect changes, but as a general rule replacement is not required. In addition, if there are other documents or authorities, you need to inform them as well. For example, new information remains in the medical book, in the union card, in the reader's subscription, or in the pass.

When changing your surname after marriage, some documents must be replaced within a strictly limited time frame, while others must be replaced as necessary.

Psychological side of the issue

Changing your last name is a difficult and often scary issue for a bride. Thoughts about the paperwork involved when replacing documents and about the possible changes in life that will entail a change of name upon marriage make you worry and doubt whether it is worth taking such a serious step.

You can change your surname some time after marriage. The right to change your name is provided for by law not only in cases of marriage.

A woman legally has the right to choose one of three options when entering into a legal marriage:

take your husband's last name, keep your maiden name, take a double last name.

You need to decide and make a decision about changing your last name before the couple comes to submit an application to the registry office, since this information is indicated when filling out the documents.

In former times, the answer to the question about changing a surname upon marriage was unambiguous and categorical: a woman must take her husband’s surname.

The tradition of a wife adopting her husband's surname existed back in those distant times when there were no surnames as such. In addition to their names, people were called and called by nicknames. A man’s nickname was given for a feature of his appearance, character, behavior, or based on the work performed. The wife was called by her husband's name or his nickname. For example, the wife of the blacksmith Ivan was called Marya Ivanova or Marya Kuznetsova. Some nicknames were cacophonous, mocking, or emphasized people's shortcomings (Crooked, Stuttering, and the like).

When family ties were lost and surnames became established as an independent fact, wives began to take their husband’s surname, paying tribute to tradition. By taking the surname of her husband, a woman becomes her husband’s wife, living “behind her husband.” Changing a surname upon marriage began to symbolize a woman’s inclusion in her husband’s clan.

And in the twenty-first century, girls change their last name when they get married, based on folk traditions, and don’t even think that they don’t have to do this.

For a guy, a girl’s acceptance of his last name is an indicator of love and complete acceptance of him as a person. The groom may perceive the bride's reluctance to take a surname as a sign of mistrust, reluctance to become one, a family. The requirement to keep your maiden name can be regarded as a personal insult, give rise to a mutual feeling of resentment and provoke conflict in the couple.

Men still want their wife to bear her husband's surname, but a loving groom will take into account the interests, opinions and wishes of the bride. He will not present an ultimatum, will not blackmail, but will offer to discuss the issue and come to a common decision.

How the bride and groom perceive the possibility of changing their surname depends on their personality, upbringing and ability to understand each other.

The girl intuitively understands and knows that changing her last name will change her destiny. A marriage with a change of surname is experienced by the bride as the beginning of a new life and causes a lot of excitement and anxiety. But not all girls worry about and attach importance to changing their last name; some strive to change it as soon as possible (for example, if they don’t like their own last name).

Marriage is an extremely serious and responsible step in the life of a woman and a man, which will change her and each of them. Changing your last name after marriage is an additional step in this fateful event that a person takes.

To marry and take her husband's surname, the bride must be aware of the seriousness of her choice and have the desire to do so. It’s good when changing your last name to your husband’s last name is a consequence of love for him and the desire to be one strong family.

The bride, answering the question of why she doesn’t want to change her last name, should try to find the true reasons for her reluctance. Is it a matter of having to run around government agencies and change documents or something else?

Possible psychological reasons for reluctance to change your last name:

fears that the marriage may collapse (and the surname of the man who has become a stranger will remain); uncertainty about the correctness of the decision to get married; negative personal experience (if the woman is not getting married for the first time); disrespect for a man, contempt for clan, nationality or family; dislike and other negative feelings towards the groom; mystical fear of changing fate; fear of marriage or the wedding procedure (gamophobia); a promise not to change the surname given to yourself or your parents.

There may be other reasons for reluctance to take the husband's surname.

Even ancient people believed that a change of name entails a change in fate and not always for the better. If we touch on the sphere of parapsychology and the issue of name energy, then there are options for checking how suitable the new surname is for the girl. For example, numerological calculation of the number of a name before and after marriage and their comparison.

Replacement of a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation

The first thing you should start with after marriage is changing your passport; this is the duty of any citizen, enshrined in clause 12 of Section II of the Government of the Russian Federation Resolution No. 828 of 07/08/1997. This Resolution reflects the Regulations on the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, a sample form and a description of the passport. The same regulatory act indicates that in order to change a document, you should contact the territorial divisions of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation at your place of residence or place of stay. In recent years, it has become possible to submit an application to the MFC branch through the State Services website. To apply to these authorities, you must prepare the following documents:

1. Previous passport with old last name.
2. The applicant’s birth certificate - if for some reason there is no passport or citizens live outside the Russian Federation.
3. Marriage registration certificate.
4. The photograph is color and measures 3.5 by 4.5 cm. You need to prepare 2 pieces.
5. Receipt for payment of state duty.

Note! If you do not have an old passport and birth certificate, you must submit any other identification document. It must reflect all information about the applicant - full name, date of birth, place of birth.

What do you need to do to change your passport after marriage? The applicant must consistently do the following:

1. First of all, you should collect the necessary package of documents.
2. Contact the authorized body - if convenient, you can directly send documents to the department of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, you can contact the MFC, or submit them in electronic format through the State Services portal.
3. Write an application using the form provided by the staff. The specialists accepting the documents will also provide you with a sample to fill out.
4. At the appointed time, appear at the police department to receive your passport. If the application is sent to your place of residence, the passport preparation period is 10 days. If the applicant applied at the place of residence, you need to wait up to 30 days.

Note! You should not write an application in advance, because printing the form on paper is not allowed. The law specifies that the application must be made on punched card paper measuring 210 by 148 mm.

Art. 333.33 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation in paragraph 17 provides for the need to pay a state fee for issuing a passport. Its size is 300 rubles. At the same time, if you submit documents through government services, there is a 30% discount, which means the fee is 210 rubles.

We determined that if you change your last name, you need to change your passport, but we did not determine the deadline. The legislator gives a citizen 30 days to submit an application from the date of marriage registration. Otherwise, the old passport becomes invalid. Staying with such a document is prohibited; violation of this rule is subject to administrative liability established by Art. 19.15 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. For an offense a fine of 2 to 3 thousand is imposed. At the same time, for citizens of Moscow and St. Petersburg the fine increases from 3 to 5 thousand.

You should change your passport within a month after marriage

Fines

For late submission of an application, there is a fine prescribed in the Code of the Russian Federation in article 19.15. A citizen who fails to submit an application to the passport office or other institution thirty days from the date of marriage will be fined.

In the regions, the amount of the fine is up to 3,000 rubles inclusive, in cities with federal status - up to 5,000 rubles inclusive. The amount is not fixed, but does not exceed the specified amount. If a citizen has a valid reason for delay, he will have to provide evidence.

If the delay was insignificant, the corresponding state. the authority has the right not to charge a fine depending on how many days it was. But this is not his responsibility, and everything depends on the specific authority.

Replacement of a foreign passport

At the legislative level, the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation is the most important and basic document of every person. A foreign passport is a document that identifies a Russian in the international space, and the period for replacement is not established at the legislative level. Practice shows that it is better to think about this in advance. Otherwise, travel abroad will be limited. The application is submitted through the migration department of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the State Services website, and the MFC. To apply you should prepare the following documents:

1. Application in 2 copies.
2. Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.
3. A valid foreign passport, if you have one.
4. Marriage registration certificate.
5. If you have children, you must submit birth certificates to make the appropriate entries in your passport.
6. Photos – black or color as desired, size 3.5 by 4.5 cm, 4 pieces.
7. A receipt proving payment of the state fee.

In accordance with Art. 333.28 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, the state fee is 5,000 rubles for citizens over 18 years of age. If you decide to get an old-style passport, which is valid for 5 years, the cost is 2,000 rubles.

What is needed to change a foreign passport after marriage? Regardless of whether you choose an old or new generation passport, the sequence of steps is as follows:

1. You need to collect the documents listed above and pay the state fee.
2. Contact the migration department and send the prepared applications and statements to the specialist.
3. If there was no document previously, employees will perform fingerprinting and enter the necessary data into the database.
4. At the appointed time, you must come for your passport and receive it against signature. The total period for preparing the document is 30 days.

Due to the fact that the timing of the change is not strictly defined, there are no penalties for delay, as provided for the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation. It is necessary to change your international passport, because otherwise it will be impossible to travel outside the country. At the same time, if a person has a visa issued for an old passport, then there is no need to change it.

Note! An old-style international passport differs from a new one in that it does not contain an electronic medium and its validity is limited to 10 years rather than 5.

Regardless of the type of document, the application form remains the same; it can be downloaded from the link:

international passport

The deadline for submitting this document is not specified in the law. But to avoid many problems when visiting another country, you need to do this in the near future. Replacement of the document after marriage is carried out by OVIR or FMS. This will require preparation:

1. Application submitted in 2 copies. They must be certified at the place of study or work, indicating the old surname, time and place of its change. It is also necessary to indicate all places of study/work for the last 10 years.
2. Copies of the work book, certified by the personnel service or boss. If a person is not working when submitting documentation, you must provide the original.
3. New passport. Its original and copies of all sheets with inscriptions are required.
4. State duty receipts. You need to pay 1000 rubles for an old passport, and 2500 for a new one.
5. 4 photographs measuring 35 x 45 mm.
6. Marriage certificate.
7. Old passport.

After submitting all the necessary documentation, a passport is produced. A new document will be provided after 1 month.

Replacing TIN

The identification number itself remains the same, only the last name is corrected in the databases

Previously, it was indicated which documents the newlywed should change when changing her surname; the TIN is not reflected among the mandatory ones. This means that it is not at all necessary to change the certificate itself, but you do need to submit updated data to tax specialists. This is due to the fact that a taxpayer number is assigned to a person once and is valid throughout his life, so a change of surname does not affect the status and taxpayer number.

You can submit documents for a change both through the regional tax office and through the Federal Tax Service website. To do this, you should collect the following documents:

1. Passport with a new surname.
2. TIN certificate.
3. Marriage registration certificate.

The Tax Code of the Russian Federation does not provide for the need to pay a state fee for changing a certificate. Therefore, the applicant must collect the specified documents and send them to the tax office, after 10 days a new certificate will be issued.

You can apply for a TIN replacement at the following link:

It must be filled out without corrections, erasures or cross-outs. It should be noted that from 2022, new certificates will be issued on regular A4 paper, and not on a special form, like the original copy.

Additionally

What other documents need to be changed after marriage? Additional documents include a taxpayer identification number. Its replacement is not considered mandatory, it depends on the desire of the person. The number is assigned to an individual once and does not change when changing passport data. But in this case there may be difficulties, so there should always be a marriage certificate.

The document is replaced by the tax service. You need to take with you a new passport, a copy of the marriage certificate, an old identification number, registration information, and an application. The new number is provided free of charge for 10 days.

Education documents can also be changed at will. To complete the procedure, you must provide a copy of your marriage certificate to the educational department. If you need to replace a graduate student’s certificate, you must contact the department of the faculty that is in charge of the postgraduate unit. This requires having:

• a statement certified by the department;
• passports with up-to-date information - a copy;
• marriage certificate - copy.

The diploma received before marriage registration does not change. In addition to these documents, the personal account of the apartment tenant is changed. It is necessary to carry out the procedure, although not urgently. Replacement is carried out at the housing office where registration was carried out. Preparation required:

• statements;
• renewing a utility contract;
• new passport;
• marriage certificates.

Replacing SNILS

The SNILS certificate also applies to documents that need to be changed after marriage

An individual account number is assigned to a person once in a lifetime and is valid all the time, like an INN. At the same time, if it is not necessary to change the TIN, then the green card is included in the list of documents that need to be changed after marriage. If the applicant does not officially work, you need to contact the branch of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation; if there is work, you can delegate this responsibility to the employer. If you decide to apply on your own, you need to collect the following documents:

1. Passport with updated last name.
2. Old version of SNILS.
3. Marriage certificate.

After everything is collected, you need to go to the Pension Fund of Russia branch, give the collected package to the specialist, and write a statement. After 30 days, go to the same specialist and pick up a new SNILS. When applying for a new green card, you do not need to pay government fees, and there are no other fees, fines or payments.

In order to fill out the application correctly, you can download the form from the link:

Blots, strikeouts, and corrections are not allowed. In most cases, Pension Fund employees themselves issue application forms and assist in filling them out.

Where do you change your passport?

There are 3 options with their own advantages and disadvantages:

1. The easiest way is to contact the FMS. You need to contact the branch at your place of registration. And if you have to be on a business trip or vacation, you can visit the FMS department in that city. But then the passport will take 2 months to be issued. In this case, you must provide all the same documents that were indicated above. If everything is done correctly, a date will be set when you can receive a new passport.
2. You can also contact the MFC. They take documents with them, but the application can be written on the spot. It is more convenient to receive documents at the MFC, since there is an electronic queue. In addition, in this organization, registration is faster, since this is the main responsibility of the employees. Usually a passport is issued within 5-10 days.
3. A convenient and quick option is to apply through State Services. You don't need to leave your home to fill out an application.

Replacement of compulsory medical insurance

Changing all documents when changing your last name is a fairly lengthy process, which is accompanied by visits to a large number of authorities. At the same time, a medical insurance organization is no exception; within 30 days from the date of the wedding, you must appear in person at the organization where the citizen was previously insured. There are no penalties, but there is another negative consequence - doctors may refuse to provide medical care and admission if the old name is indicated on the policy.

To obtain a new compulsory medical insurance, you need to collect the following documents:

1. New passport.
2. The old version of compulsory medical insurance, if it is still available.
3. SNILS with a new surname.

The insured person must contact the nearest branch of the insurance organization, where employees immediately change all the data, update the database, and fill out the form themselves. The applicant only needs to sign and receive a new policy within 30 days. Payments and additional fees when applying for compulsory medical insurance are not allowed.

Note! For the period while a new version of the policy is being prepared, employees of the insurance organization will issue a temporary one. Based on it, a citizen can also receive medical care in any hospital.

Replacement of driver's license and car registration license

When changing your surname after marriage, documents related to transport and driver's licenses are also subject to change. Regarding the driver's license, it should be noted that there is no time limit during which the license must be replaced. It is better to do this as soon as possible after receiving a new passport; employees issue a license on the same day. They must be changed; this is enshrined in the Federal Law “On Road Traffic Safety”. A citizen should contact the traffic police department and give the following documents to the officer:

1. Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.
2. Driver's license with old last name.
3. 3 photographs in color measuring 3.5 by 4.5 cm.
4. Receipt of payment of the fee, which is 2,000 rubles.
5. Marriage certificate.

After the employee checks all the documents, you should write an application on a double-sided form on the spot. A specialist checks it, puts a service mark on it, and a new driver’s license is issued on the same day.

Note! A person has the right to contact any traffic police department, regardless of where he received his license initially. In addition, it is possible to submit an application through State Services, then the amount of the fee will be reduced to 1,400 rubles.

The driver's license will also have to be reissued under a new surname.

What other documents need to be changed when changing your last name? This is a vehicle registration certificate. There is no liability for failure to comply with this rule, but in order not to provide a traffic police officer with a marriage certificate every time, it is better to change the certificate. Difficulties will also arise when selling a car. A new license is issued at the traffic police department, and you need to submit the following documents:

1. Citizen's passport.
2. Receipt for payment of state duty.
3. OSAGO policy.
4. Vehicle passport.
5. New driver's license.

Traffic police officers will check the documents, ask you to fill out an application and within an hour will issue a new vehicle registration certificate, and will also make changes to the title if necessary. The state fee is 500 rubles for a new certificate and 350 rubles for changing data in the PTS.

Through State Services

Many people prefer to use this service because it is very convenient. If your surname was changed after marriage registration, you should use this method. The main advantages include:

1. The new document will be ready in 10 days, but usually it happens faster.
2. The state duty is less, instead of 300 rubles you have to pay 210 rubles.
3. The application can be completed from anywhere in the world where the Internet works.
4. To pay the state fee, you do not need to visit the bank and wait in line. You can deposit the required amount on the website by recording your bank card details.
5. All information is filled out within 10-15 minutes.

To complete the procedure, you must:

1. Go to the State Services website - gosuslugi.ru. There you need to select the section for replacing a passport due to a change of surname.
2. You should check whether the reason for the change is indicated - change of full name.
3. You must fill in your personal information, indicating your email and phone number.
4. A color photo must be uploaded and must be of good quality. If you don’t have the skills to do this procedure, you can ask for help in a photo studio.
5. Passport details are indicated: series, number, when, by whom it was issued.
6. The information that needs to be changed is indicated.
7. Then the details of the name change certificate are indicated, if one has been issued.
8. It is important to indicate your passport details, if you have one.
9. It is necessary to record whether you had citizenship of another country.
10. Marital status is indicated. When the “married” section is selected, a window will open where you need to indicate the information on the marriage certificate issued at the registry office.
11. You must indicate whether there are children. If the answer is positive, a window will open where their data is entered.
12. The option where it is more convenient to obtain a ready-made passport is selected. It is advisable to choose by place of residence and then the new document will be ready faster. The very last line indicates the address.
13. The FMS branch where the documents will be submitted is selected on the map.
14. At the end, put 2 checkboxes confirming consent to data processing. Then you need to click on the “Submit” button.

Replacement car insurance

As well as other documents, car insurance must be replaced if the citizen’s surname changes. There is no deadline for replacing the document, nor is there a fine for failure to fulfill this obligation. In practice, if the old name is indicated in the insurance, the insurance company may refuse to pay money in case of an accident. That is why you need to immediately change your MTPL after other documents are updated - passport, driver’s license, PTS, car registration certificate.

The applicant must contact the company that previously took out the insurance. The staff will give you an application form, you should remember it. Before your visit you need to prepare:

1. Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.
2. OSAGO old version.
3. Driver's license.
4. Marriage registration certificate.

There is no need to pay any duties, other payments or fees; employees will do everything within 2 days for free. At the specified time, you just need to come to the department and pick up a new OSAGO policy with an updated last name. At the same time, the conditions, terms and amounts of insurance do not change.

The presence of the previous name on the policy may be interpreted by the insurance company as a reason not to pay compensation

Where to submit documents?

There are several places where you can take documents to replace your passport. All of them are stipulated in the Regulations on the Russian Federation Passport. So, for example, the procedure can go:

• in places of residence;
• at the place of temporary residence of the applicant;
• at the place of application, if the current situation requires it.

Thus, a person can apply for a change of passport to any department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MFC) both at the place of registration and at the place where his registration is considered temporary. If for some reason a citizen does not have both permanent and temporary registration, he can go to the MFC department to undergo the appropriate procedure.

Excerpt from the Regulations on the Russian Federation Passport

Important ! If for some reason an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs refused to accept documents from a citizen for issuing a new passport, these actions can be considered unlawful even when the applicant does not live in the area where the organization is located.

However, there is a small amendment that is worth mentioning. It is possible to defend the right to replace a passport at the place of application only when the citizen can document the impossibility of submitting documents at the place of residence or registration due to the lack of them. This situation arises if, for example, one of the spouses registers a marriage, after which for some reason he moves to another region other than his registration. Then you can prove the possibility of replacing your passport with the help of your spouse’s passport, where the address of your actual residence is indicated.

You can submit documents to replace your passport at a location other than your place of residence, if there are reasons for this.

Replacement of work book and social card. insurance

What do I need to do to change my last name on my work record book or social security card? The citizen himself does not have to do anything; moreover, new documents are not issued. An employee of the personnel department of the enterprise in which the person works makes changes to the work book. The old surname is crossed out and the new one is written on top. This completes the data change. In order for employees to make changes, it is necessary to provide a passport and a marriage registration certificate; if necessary, a free-form application is written.

The employer is obliged to send new information to the social insurance fund. All updates are made automatically; no additional requests or documents are required.

Replacement of bank cards

A person who has changed his last name must notify employees of credit institutions where accounts were opened, cards were issued, loans or mortgages were taken out. There are no deadlines or sanctions for violating them, but this must be done as quickly as possible in the interests of the client himself. If the card is lost, you either need to contact the bank or make a transfer, you will need new documents and up-to-date personal data.

You need to contact those banks where cards are issued or accounts are opened, and you must submit a passport for identification. The employee will prepare applications, one for changing information in the database, the second for re-issuing the card. A new card will arrive within 3-10 days, you just need to pick it up, and that’s where the procedure ends.

Regarding a separate fee for re-issuing a card, you need to check with bank specialists. Different credit institutions put forward different conditions; in most cases, the service is provided free of charge.

Replacement of real estate documents

Documents for real estate are also subject to replacement, but there are no deadlines or any restrictions. You don’t have to change the papers until the need arises to make a property transaction. At the present stage, the right to property is confirmed by an extract from the Unified State Register, which is why new passport data are initially entered into the register. To do this, you should contact the Rosreestr branch, providing:

1. Passport.
2. Marriage registration certificate.
3. Receipt for payment of state duty.

The fee is 350 rubles. Specialists will provide a form and help you fill out the application, after which the updated information will be entered into the register. If necessary, an extract is requested confirming the citizen’s right to a certain property.

Medical policy

What documents should I change after marriage if I have already received a new passport? It is necessary to replace the medical policy, which is carried out by the insurance company. If the person is employed, the procedure can be carried out by the employer. This document is allowed to be changed last.

To change your last name on the policy, you must have:

• new passport;
• marriage certificates;
• old medical policy.

The procedure is free of charge. The need to change the policy is established by the rules and requirements of the insurance company where the service takes place.

Replacing your phone's SIM card

The SIM card itself cannot be replaced, but it is still worth entering the updated data into the system. At the same time, operators do not provide for liability for failure to provide new information. It is recommended to go to the office of the mobile operator from whom you purchased the SIM card at any free time. The employees will only ask for a passport, after which they will update the information in the system and allow you to sign a new form. This is where the process ends, a new SIM card will not be issued, but the information will be updated automatically.

The SIM card will not be changed, only registration data is subject to correction

Marriage is the most important event with legal significance.
In most cases, a woman takes her husband’s surname, then it is necessary to change a huge number of documents and visit many authorities. There are documents that are required to be changed, and there are those that do not have to be changed, but it is still worth providing information to the relevant institution. It is necessary to change the passport of both a citizen of the Russian Federation and a foreign one, SNILS, compulsory medical insurance, driver's license, compulsory motor liability insurance, etc. At the same time, it is not necessary to change the TIN, work book, certificate, diplomas and other documents, but the data in the system must still be updated. Order a free legal consultation