Change to husband name

[bibbju]

Well by checking whether you have a National Insurance number for a start! The kids won't have one.

The kids won't have a NHS number either so it'll be pretty obvious that they're not residents even if they have British passports. They're still entitled to free emergency treatment (regardless of citizenship or residency) but that's it.

[Gruntfuttock]

Sorry, yes, I meant NHS number, not NI number.

[hullexile]

Well by checking whether you have a National Insurance number for a start! The kids won't have one.

my kids do not have NI numbers but are eligible. Is it correct then that when expats go back for a visit they are not entitled?

[Gruntfuttock]

Yes, that is correct. Your kids are (now) entitled because they are resident in the UK and have NHS numbers.

(Apologies for the mistaken "NI numbers" earlier)

Details on NHS eligibility for people resident overseas here: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNH...-services.aspx

The rules are complicated - for example, if you were ordinarily resident in the UK for more than 10 years and have subsequently been working overseas for less than 5 then you are eligible for the free NHS., etc.

Expans the "Exemption category" section on the page I linked above.

Interestingly, although I am not eligible now, I will again become eligible for some service free of charge once I hit UK pensionable age.

[Natfixit]

Ha ha... gladly that my husband surname is easy to pronounce and spell.

I can see where you're coming from. My maiden name has four syllables and my husband's only one. It is also easier to spell than my maiden name and when I sign credit card slips, it takes less time and I can actually fit my name onto the signing line.

For five and half years, I ummmed and ahhhhed over changing my name, but when my passport ( Australian ) was up for renewal, I took the passport photos along with my marriage certificate, husband's HK ID as well as mine, and it was done in a week. Did same for change of HKID which was no problem. At the end of it, I felt ( maybe because being so independent for so long I thought I had lost a bit of my identity) a bit weird, until my husband admitted that he preferred it now that I had the same name as him for reasons that it showed that I was finally committed and we were an actual couple. That was his feeling, so it didn't matter anymore.

It's your choice, go with how you feel about it.

[hullexile]

first wife did not change her name, now divorced. new wife did and still married. the moral of this is....

[kimwy66]

Didn't with my first, children had double surname. Didn't with my second, child has his surname - he's a stubborn git and I couldn't be bothered arguing. I now carry her birth certificate and a letter from him saying she has his permission to travel internationally when flying.

[usehername]

Have you ever been asked to produce the letter?

[glassapple]

Wahwah, how has this panned out?

I have had this same conversation about changing my surname after marriage, however there wasnt much to talk about because my fiance was brought up in a very traditionalist european family and cannot fathom his wife having a different surname to him and his kids.
Since he feels so strongly about the issue I don't mind changing my surname but I will have to go from having a nice short 3 letter surname to a 10 lettered one. His surname is longer than my entire name.

If you do decide to double barrel, make sure its compatible! Jolie-Pitt is nice but Ho-Power or Goh-Black may cause some issues for your kids down the road.