You have the right to alter your name as much as you choose, as long as you are not changing any part of it falsely. Your passport won't immediately change to reflect your new name. You can alter your passport for Deed poll for overseas to reflect your new name using the steps in our excellent guide.

Will the change to my name appear on my passport right away?

This is an important step to remember as you can check to see if your passport has been updated with your new name. Otherwise, traveling could be challenging.

Can I mail my Deed Poll to a location outside the nation?

Unfortunately, we are currently limited to issuing Deed Polls to residences with addresses. Our recommendation is to use a friend's or relative's address.

Can a foreign witness attest to my actions?

A Deed Poll witness can be anyone who lives there and is older than 18 years old. A lawyer or notary public should attest to your deed poll as an expat.

We don't hold it against you that many of you migrate to warmer climes. But just because you live overseas doesn't mean you don't have the same legal right to a name change as anyone else. Foreigners who live in the UK have the ability to change their names by means of a deed poll. This is interpreted as your new name's confirmation. After a deed has been executed, you can utilize a deed poll to update all of your records.  

Check with your country's high commission or embassy to see if a Deed Poll is allowed to change your passport before submitting an application for one. Only Deed Poll witnesses furnished by a solicitor are accepted by some foreign embassies. If you are unable to change your passport, changing your name is not advised. This is done in order for the name change to be valid for all purposes. If you keep having records with other organizations updated to reflect your new name, issues on these grounds can arise.