United Kingdom name change for transgender people

Disclaimer: This is legal talk, not legal advice. Laws vary by state, and some of the information discussed on this page may not be applicable in your case. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information and provide it without warranty. Laws change and this information may contain errors and omissions. It is up to you to confirm any information herein by doing your own research.

A reader writes in February 2012:

In the UK for a transgender person to change the name on his or her passport, then all that is needed is proof of change of name (statutory declaration or deed poll) and one of the following:

• letter from a doctor;
• gender recognition certificate; or
• a new birth certificate.

Here is a link to the UK government site with this information. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/Howtochangethenameonyourpassport/DG_174166

BTW even the government's website is slightly wrong. A statutory declaration is just as acceptable as a deed poll for proof of change of name. Your reader who states that "You must first obtain a gender recognition certificate" is incorrect. Obtaining a gender recognition certificate is an onerous process requiring documentary evidence of living in your acquired gender for two years - this is not needed to obtain a new passport. www.deedpoll.com is a commercial site that makes money out of people's wish to change their name by deed poll (something that is actually free in the UK). Its page on "Name Change for Transsexuals" is completely inaccurate - it even suggests that name change happens after (!) surgery - whereas it must happen as part of the real life experience prior to surgery.

A reader wrotes in June 2008

I noticed that your page on name change for transgender people does not link out to any sites providing further information on name change by Deed Poll.

Would you consider adding the following site:
http://www.ukdp.co.uk/

UK Deed Poll provides extensive information on changing your name. As this is something that many transgender people choose to do, I am sure it would be a useful resource to your visitors.

A reader writes in November 2003:

Reliable information for name changing in the United Kingdom can be found at :-

http://ftm.org.uk/taxonomy/term/32

but beware, there is disinformation elsewhere on the 'net for UK name changes. Oddly, for purely historical reasons, it is amazingly easy to screw up name changing in the UK by "starting off on the wrong foot". For that reason the advice of FTM Network UK is invaluable (and applies equally to MTFs).

May I suggest you email to:
FTM-UK-owner (a-t) yahoogroups.com <- replace with @ sign and remove spaces

to confirm they still regard that web page as being the valid information and requesting permission to republish it.

Other resources

United Kingdom law

Precedent for transsexuals

[no specific case noted]