People who are planning to change their name after marriage are advised to have their passport renewed before travelling abroad.
The Isle of Man Passport Office says some countries may not accept a passport that has not been amended, even if people are carrying their marriage certificate. It is always recommended to check this in advance with your travel agent or the country's consulate.
Richard Carter, Senior External Relations Officer, said: ‘There are so many things to organise when getting married that changing your name on your passport may get overlooked. The Passport Office can issue a passport any time up to three months before a wedding, although the new one will not be valid until the actual day of the marriage. People should also remember to make sure their honeymoon travel is booked in the name on their passport.’
Anyone who intends to change their name after marriage can surrender their existing passport, with no refund for the unexpired time. They will then be issued with a standard 10-year passport, subject to certain requirements being met and the payment of the usual application fee.
Meanwhile, the Passport Office is advising Island residents to ensure their documentation is in order well in advance of any planned journeys, as passport processing is currently estimated at seven weeks.
Mr Carter said: ‘We would strongly advise people to check the validity of their passports and not to confirm any travel arrangements until everything is in place. This is a very busy period for the Passport Office, so we would encourage people to plan ahead to avoid any last-minute difficulties.’
He added: ‘People can renew their current passport up to nine months before the expiry date without losing those months and days. Any time still “in credit” will be added to the expiry date of their new passport.’
Additional guidance and documents such as passport application forms, legislation notes and immigration forms are available on the Government website at http://www.gov.im/cso/.
