Would you change your name?
Oct 03, 2008
Rehema Kisitu was excited about the scholarship opportunity she was sure of getting. She had the grades and met all the criteria. However, the confusion between her maiden and marital name put her plans to halt.
By Susan Muyiyi
Rehema Kisitu was excited about the scholarship opportunity she was sure of getting. She had the grades and met all the criteria. However, the confusion between her maiden and marital name put her plans to halt.
“The man at the counter told me that there was an inconsistency with my names,†Kisitu explains. When she got married, Kisitu adopted her husband’s name.
Because she got married three years after completing her university degree, the surname on her academic papers is her maiden name, while the one she used to apply for a scholarship was her husband’s. She never thought it would be a problem.
Unfortunately, by the time she set the record straight, the scholarship had passed her by. She had to re-apply the following year.
When Emily lost her identification card, she assumed that her passport would serve the same purpose when she applied for a new ATM card.
But the person at the counter insisted that she was a different person because the names on the expired card were different from the ones on her passport.
Emily had applied for a passport using her husband’s surname. No amount of clarification would make the man behind the counter bulge.
Getting used to the name change is a new experience and can be annoying sometimes.
Oscar Kihika, the president of the Uganda law society, says it is not a must for a woman to adopt her husband’s surname. “You don’t have to go through any legal procedure to have the name change recognised as long as it is clear that you are married,†he explains.
To a newly wed, the dilemma of what happens to all documents like the driving permit, passport, ATM cards and academic papers ranks highly.
According to Kihika, you could either choose to change all your documents, except of course, there are those you can’t, like the birth certificate. If, for example, you are in the process of applying for a new passport, there is a provision on the forms, where you are required to indicate your marital status.
You could also specifically indicate the preferred surname on the passport.
Fortunately, while applying for jobs, you can indicate your marital status in your curriculum vitae, so that it is obvious to your prospective employer that the surname you are using is your husband’s.
In the case of a scholarship application, Kihika says there should be no confusion if you are careful to add the title Mrs.
There is usually provision for the inclusion of other names, so one should make sure they fill that section in as well, to erase confusion about their identity.
“You could get married in the course of studying for your degree and want your marital name included on your academic papers.
“In case it is a law degree, you have to write a statutory declaration that you are the same person who applied for and finished the course and the one who is being registered as an advocate,†Kihika explains.
He clarifies that it is not a legal requirement for a married woman to use her husband’s name; it is a matter of personal choice.
Tips
-Kihika cautions that it is important to keep all your legal documents consistent to avoid delays and confusion. The name on your identification card, driving permit and passport should be the same.
-You could add your husband’s name to your surname for example Stella Mutesi Kibuka for easy identification.
-You could perhaps drop your surname and adopt his, Stella Kibuka.
-You could choose to retain his name after a separation if you have built a profile with it. Tina Turner did.
-Some women prefer to register documentation for acquired properties like land titles in their maiden names. It is basically a personal choice.
-When uncertain, include a photocopy of your marriage certificate when submitting an application for a job, scholarship or ATM card.
Rehema Kisitu was excited about the scholarship opportunity she was sure of getting. She had the grades and met all the criteria. However, the confusion between her maiden and marital name put her plans to halt.
“The man at the counter told me that there was an inconsistency with my names,†Kisitu explains. When she got married, Kisitu adopted her husband’s name.
Because she got married three years after completing her university degree, the surname on her academic papers is her maiden name, while the one she used to apply for a scholarship was her husband’s. She never thought it would be a problem.
Unfortunately, by the time she set the record straight, the scholarship had passed her by. She had to re-apply the following year.
When Emily lost her identification card, she assumed that her passport would serve the same purpose when she applied for a new ATM card.
But the person at the counter insisted that she was a different person because the names on the expired card were different from the ones on her passport.
Emily had applied for a passport using her husband’s surname. No amount of clarification would make the man behind the counter bulge.
Getting used to the name change is a new experience and can be annoying sometimes.
Oscar Kihika, the president of the Uganda law society, says it is not a must for a woman to adopt her husband’s surname. “You don’t have to go through any legal procedure to have the name change recognised as long as it is clear that you are married,†he explains.
To a newly wed, the dilemma of what happens to all documents like the driving permit, passport, ATM cards and academic papers ranks highly.
According to Kihika, you could either choose to change all your documents, except of course, there are those you can’t, like the birth certificate. If, for example, you are in the process of applying for a new passport, there is a provision on the forms, where you are required to indicate your marital status.
You could also specifically indicate the preferred surname on the passport.
Fortunately, while applying for jobs, you can indicate your marital status in your curriculum vitae, so that it is obvious to your prospective employer that the surname you are using is your husband’s.
In the case of a scholarship application, Kihika says there should be no confusion if you are careful to add the title Mrs.
There is usually provision for the inclusion of other names, so one should make sure they fill that section in as well, to erase confusion about their identity.
“You could get married in the course of studying for your degree and want your marital name included on your academic papers.
“In case it is a law degree, you have to write a statutory declaration that you are the same person who applied for and finished the course and the one who is being registered as an advocate,†Kihika explains.
He clarifies that it is not a legal requirement for a married woman to use her husband’s name; it is a matter of personal choice.
Tips
-Kihika cautions that it is important to keep all your legal documents consistent to avoid delays and confusion. The name on your identification card, driving permit and passport should be the same.
-You could add your husband’s name to your surname for example Stella Mutesi Kibuka for easy identification.
-You could perhaps drop your surname and adopt his, Stella Kibuka.
-You could choose to retain his name after a separation if you have built a profile with it. Tina Turner did.
-Some women prefer to register documentation for acquired properties like land titles in their maiden names. It is basically a personal choice.
-When uncertain, include a photocopy of your marriage certificate when submitting an application for a job, scholarship or ATM card.