allright mate, how you doing?
i changed my name legally at a solicitors.. allthough it is expensive, i just rang a local one up and asked them about changing my name, they said it was fine, i went for an appointment and they did it in like 20 minutes, it cost me like £48 in total, but i know there arfe wasy on the internet to do it possibly for free, although i didnt know at the time, thats why i paid, but i work so to be honest it was like missing out on a couple of nights out drinking and that.
Its really cool to have the right name on your certificates, i changed my name while i was at uni for the same reasons.. and i graduated a week ago and it was awesome when they read out my proper name!

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Creativity takes it's inspiration from the Tortured Soul

There are places that offer details of the sort of paperwork you can do for free, but be warned that banks and the like may not be happy accepting these. I personally went with a deedpoll online service for some formal looking paperwork.

The cheapest way to change your name is by deed poll on change of name. You can download the template document with the correct wording from here:

http://www.bujman.com/share_it/deedpollsample.doc

Fill in your details and those of two witnesses, print off a dozen copies onto top quality paper and have your witnesses sign them. Buy them a pint...

Alternatively, go to your local magistrate or sheriff's court and change your name by statutory declaration. The fee is less than ten pounds. It is advisable to have a few notarised copies and use these when you need to send proof to a bank or such.

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If music be the food of love, stand by for a good rogering

I didn't know that there were services for this available from magistrate courts!

I would however seriously recommend taking an official, rather than printed out yourself, route. Given that there is enough confusion now over the lack of a need for a Gender Recognition Certificate to change details, having as little hassle as possible would be a wise thing.

My Statutory Declaration cost me £8 at the Magistrate's Court, which is next door to my workplace, and took a few minutes at the beginning of the day.

However, it looks anything BUT official - it's on a scratty bit of paper, no oficial stamp or seal or anything like that; they gave me the form a few days in advance when I went in and asked about it, I filled it in and at some point one of the cats walked over it. I didn't realise that THIS was what they would give me back to keep, after the magistrate had signed it! If I'd known this, I'd have printed it out myself on good quality paper, with a nice border and in a decent font. It has worried me that it might not be accepted, but I've had no problems with it at all.

In all honesty, if you print out Reenie's sample one on good paper, well laid out and in a decent font, it'll look about a hundred times better than my Stat Dec does!

Dave

Thanks, Dave.

I like to do a tidy job and my deed poll document is a good example of this. Print it on 120 gsm paper and it looks and feels the business.

You don't need the red seal from a stationery shop; you can use a graphical image of a seal. I created one using Macromedia's Fireworks.

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If music be the food of love, stand by for a good rogering

If you have changed your name by deed poll, the changes are subsequently shown on your birth certificate, albeit with your original name. However in some circumstances this would provide a formal document and where converting from original to new name should providse what you are looking for. However, as document showing new identity only would be a nusciance showing previous names.

Er, Axle, a deed poll does not and has never changed birth certificates.

You will need a Gender Recognition Certificate to change your birth certificate.

http://www.grp.gov.uk

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If music be the food of love, stand by for a good rogering

Tho its the exspensive option...i think ill stick to the solicitors seams easier and realistic! Do i do it before the treatment or after i start??? gotta make another apointment with me GP...she gunna find out more on a doctor the specialises on this stuff.. but everythings moving forward woohoo

You can change your name as soon as you like, there's nothing to stop you! Plus, if you're referred to Charing Cross (CX), they'll expect you to have already changed your name prior to starting treatment, in order to show that you're serious, and I'd imagine that most other practitioners would expect similar. At CX, they'll often date the start of your Real Life Experience from your name change, so it's worth doing this as soon as possible.

Dave