How To Change Your Name After Marriage In Jamaica

I wish someone told me sooner about the reality of changing your name after marriage in Jamaica.

Before getting married no one told me what it would be like to legally change my name. I had no idea what that would entail. And honestly when you’re engaged and planning you already have enough to think about. Who wants to be bothered by the boring reality of learning what it’s like to truly change your name after marriage?

But after the thrill of getting married and planning an exciting wedding subsides if you have decided to change your name after marriage in Jamaica there are a few steps you’ll need to take to make it official.

It is important to note however that a name change after marriage is not compulsory. It is completely up to the couple to decide how they want to proceed in terms of their names. Also, men and women have equal opportunities in the name-changing process. This means a husband can take his wife’s name and vice versa.

If you are a Jamaican national and you do decide to change your name here are four main documents that will require updating:

Driver’s licence
National Insurance Scheme record (NIS)
Tax Registration Number ( TRN)
Passport or National ID

Note: When making these changes your marriage certificate will be required as proof of marriage.

The good thing is there is no order to this document updating process so you can choose whichever document you’d like to work on first. My recommendation would be the NIS because it’s the easiest with the smoothest process.

How to update your name on your NIS card after marriage

To update this document you’ll need to visit the NIS office in your parish. There you will receive a short form where you fill in personal data about yourself, your spouse and your marriage. You’ll need your spouse’s NIS number to fill out this application.

Once complete you will submit this form as a duplicate to your existing NIS record along with a physical copy of your birth certificate or passport. After you’ve submitted your documents you only need to wait about 10-15 minutes before receiving your new NIS card.

Do note that NIS cards do not incur a cost.

How to update your passport after marriage

This was the first document I changed. It was time for me to renew my passport and so the process followed the usual renewal routine.

And as it happens that’s the only way you can change any particulars on your passport. You need to renew it. Passport renewal costs start at $6,500.00 JMD for adults and can be done at a PICA office nearest you. There you’ll complete the forms and present your marriage certificate as well as two certified passport-sized photos and make payment for your new passport.

Here you’ll have an opportunity to also change your signature so be sure to practice how you’d like that to look.

How to update your TRN after marriage

To get this done you’ll need to visit a local tax office. The tax where you will update your driver’s licence. It would be a good use of time to take a few hours to have these two documents updated at the same time.

Always remember to take your marriage certificate along with you as proof of marriage and other forms of identification. It may be good to take your birth certificate along too.

How to update your driver’s licence after marriage

I’ve been waiting out changing my name on my driver’s licence until its expiration date. But like the passport process to change your name on your driver’s licence, you’ll need to submit a new application.

You can submit your complete application to any tax office in Jamaica.

Here are the documents you’ll need to update your driver’s licence in jamaica

Drivers licence application form
2 passport-sized photographs
Marriage certificate

To start, you’ll need to obtain the application form (F7) for a new driver’s license at any Tax Office or download an electronic version from the Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) website.

Complete the form accordingly with the new name that you are using and is on the supporting documentation that proves your change of name and then take the complete form to a Justice of peace or a Superintendent of police or a member of the attorney to certify the application.

Obtain the rest of the supporting documents and attach them to the complete application form

Pay the relevant updating fee at the tax office and obtain the payment receipt. Upon payment submit the complete application to the Tax Office official at the service desk

Once amended, you will receive your new driver’s license with the updated name.

Comments

Dominique

18th February 2023


Thank you. I recently went through this process.

Also remember to update any utility bills that you have in your new name and the name on your bank account. Otherwise they will not accept your new ID as your new name will not match what you have on their records
- Candi
  
  18th February 2023
  
  
  Thanks for sharing this Dominique. Indeed there are many steps to be taken to truly change your name successfully. I’ll be sure to add this to the post.
Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle

17th February 2023


This is super useful! I’ll refer to it again when that time comes, and share it with all my new fiancée/wife friends
- Candi
  
  18th February 2023
  
  
  Awesome! Super glad you found this helpful and thanks for sharing.
Shandean

17th February 2023


Such a great topic, Candi. I too found that the name change topic wasn’t one I thought about until after marriage. Also, I never changed my NIS. Never knew I should’ve 😅
- Candi
  
  18th February 2023
  
  
  😂 yup and that’s what happens when there are too few formal or informal resources available for these sort of things. I really do hope this post makes it easier for someone else.
Ashley

16th February 2023


Hi Candi! Love that you did this and I can refer my new wife friends to this one stop shop. So many truly aren’t aware of this info!
Personally recommend changing the name on the TRN first…since many other document changes draw on that unique ID number. What helped me was to write down the full list of all the documents I’d have to update and take it one at a time.
- Candi
  
  18th February 2023
  
  
  I’m always happy to share the knowledge I come across especially where there is a void. I completely agree with you in writing these things done and ticking each completed task off. I never really thought of the order of updating these documents in terms of impact so I appreciate you sharing your wisdom here.