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This chapter will provide a brief introduction to this subject and discuss the procedure for the change of name on marriage and on divorce, and the process for obtaining a change of name in other circumstances under the provincial Name Act. Introduction It is not illegal to use an "alias" in British Columbia, although you will not be allowed to obtain government identification or to make certain legal transactions, like the transfer of property, using an alias. An alias is a name other than your legal, registered name. People often use aliases just because that's how people have come to know them, like a nickname, or because their real name is too hard for English-speakers to pronounce or spell easily. Most people who want to legally change their names do so because they were adopted, married or divorced. Other do so for very personal reasons. There was once a name change where the person wanted — for a very obvious reason — to change his first name from "Donald" to something else. His surname was "Duck." You can apply to have a legal, registered name which differs from your birth or married name under the provincial Name Act. This is a purely "paper" process and a hearing before a judge should not be necessary. Section 4 of the act sets out who may apply for a change of name: (1) Subject to this section, a person who has attained the age of majority or, if the age of majority has not been attained, is a parent having custody of his or her child and who is domiciled in British Columbia for at least 3 months, or has resided in British Columbia for at least 3 months immediately before the date of the application, may, unless prohibited by this or another Act, change his or her name on complying with this Act. (2) If the minister is satisfied that it is in the public interest to do so, the minister may waive the residency requirements of subsection (1). (3) Subject to subsection (4), a person who is the parent of and who has custody of an unmarried minor child may, with the consent of the other parent of the child, apply to change the child's name, but, if the application is to change the child's surname to that of the applicant's spouse, the consent of the spouse is required. (4) If a person applies to change the name of an unmarried minor child who has attained the age of 12 years, he or she must first obtain the consent in writing of the child. (5) If a person whose consent is required under this Act (a) is deceased or mentally disordered or cannot after reasonable, diligent and adequate search be located, or(b) is, in the opinion of the director, unreasonably withholding his or her consent, the applicant may, with the approval of the director, proceed with the application without the consent of that person. (6) If, in the opinion of the director, exceptional circumstances make it unreasonable to seek the consent of a person as required under this Act, the applicant may, with the approval of the director, proceed with the application without the consent of that person. When your name has been legally changed, the cheif executive officer of the Ministry of Health Services' Vital Statistics Agency is required to make a notation on your birth certificate and on the registration of any current marriage. After the notation has been made, any future birth, marriage or death certificates will show the new name. A Certificate of Change of Name will be issued which will allow you to obtain new identification, such as drivers' licences or BC Identification cards, in the new name. Back to the top of this chapter. Change of Name on Marriage Many people change their names when they marry. Out of custom, wives usually take their husbands' surnames, but there's no requirement that they do so, and there's nothing stopping a husband from taking his wife's surname. Section 3 of the Act allows a spouse to: (a) use the surname he or she had immediately before the marriage, (b) use the surname he or she had at birth or by adoption, or (c) use the surname of his or her spouse by marriage. This applies to both men and women, and no court application is required; the newly-married spouse simply starts using that name. Hyphenated Names The Name Act does not deal with situations where spouses wish to take each other's surnames and use a "hyphenated" name, like "Smith-Jones." Spouses who want to adopt a hyphenated name will have to follow the Name Act process for obtaining a change of name, described below, to have their new name as a legal, registered name. On the other hand, the new hyphenated name can be used as an alias, the day-to-day name by which most people know you, without an formal change of name. It is not illegal to go by an alias in British Columbia. Note, however, that if you do not apply to have the new name registered as your legal name, you cannot used the alias for legal transations, such as the transfer of property or obtaining a loan. Back to the top of this chapter. Change of Name on Divorce Once an order for divorce or an order declaring the marriage to be a nullity has been made, a former spouse may begin using any legal name he or she had before marriage. No court application is necessary; the former spouse simply starts using that name. For a legal change of name, an order will be required, and the application for the order is usually be made at the same time as the application for a divorce, and the order is made along with the divorce. Where a spouse wishes to change his or her name to something else entirely, the spouse may seek an order to this effect, and simply claim this relief as a part of the relief set out in the same Statement of Claim or Counterclaim which claims an order for divorce. An application for a change of surname alone can be dealt with by a separate application without an oral hearing. An application for a change of both given and last names is usually dealt with by a hearing before a judge. Children's Names An application for a change of name of the children of the marriage can be made with the consent of the other parent, when the person making the application has custody of the children. The consent of the affected children must also be obtained where they are twelve or more years old. Back to the top of this chapter. Change of Name under the Name Act If you don't fall into one of the categories for an automatic change of name, you will have to follow the process outlined in the Name Act. The Ministry of Health Services' Vital Statistics Agency has a change of name package which includes all the forms you will require and instructions on how to complete them. Significant alterations have recently been made to the way that changes of name are handled. As of 1 October 2002, it is now no longer necessary to run an ad in the newspaper, however, you will have to get your fingerprints taken and submit to a criminal records check. As well, a fee will be charged by the police department which takes your fingerprints. The process is fairly straightforward and a hearing before a judge is usually not necessary. The steps are, in general, as follows:
Once the agency receives all of this information with their fee, they will begin processing the request. (Bear in mind that the chief executive officer has the authority to refuse to register objectionable names. This is discussed in the first chapter of this section.) If all is well, the chief executive officer will make the required changes to the birth certificates of the people affected by the application and, if applicable, to any current marriage certificate, and will issue a Certitificate of Change of Name. Back to the top of this chapter. Site Navigation
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