The best day of your life is coming up. It is perfectly legitimate to wonder what will happen to your family name! Indeed, a marriage also includes a good number of legal procedures.
When Meghan married Harry, she became a Mountbatten-Windsor. In Switzerland, the bride and groom have a wider choice of names.
Since 2013, each spouse can choose to keep their single name or to take a common married name. This can be either the husband’s or the wife’s name. This law is also in force for registered partnerships of same-sex couples.
Double names:
Let’s take the example of Mr. X and Mrs. Y who are getting married. Since 2013, Mrs. Y can only adopt an official married name if the two surnames are linked by a hyphen. She will not be able to be called Mrs. X Y, but Mrs. “X-Y”.
However, it will not be her official name, which will be that of her husband, Mrs. “X”. She will be registered in the Civil Registry as “Mrs. X”, but will be able to use her double name, Mrs. “X-Y”, in everyday life. On request, it will even appear on her passport and identity card.
The children:
The future children of the couple will bear the common name of the couple if they exist. If not, their name will be determined at the time of marriage by the spouses.
Here are the possibilities you will have regarding the impact of a marriage on your name. It is not an easy choice, we understand that. It is important to inform yourself in advance so that you can be completely certain and satisfied with your choice!
Don’t forget that any name change will have to be made at the Registry Office and announced to your employer, the tax authorities, banks and insurance companies. It will have to be changed on your identity document, AHV certificate, bank cards, as well as your identity papers.
Lawrence answers all your questions and assists you in your legal steps!