For all you newly married couples, or couples soon to be wed, the government of Ontario has changed their policies on documents required for your 'change of name' when getting married. We got married in June and have been trying to change my name since so I can get my credit cards, driver's license, Health card, etc changed. The pastor who married us said that the piece of paper issued to us at the marriage (which was signed by our witnesses) is legal and official.

I brought the 'solemnization of marriage' to the driver's licensing office and the lady told me they don't accept those anymore. What??? So, I asked around and everyone I know who's been married in the past few years agreed with our pastor that the piece of paper we have is indeed the one they used to do their name change on all their documents. My SIL and several of my friends used the document they got at their weddings, so they couldn't understand why I couldn't use mine.

Frustrated, I figured perhaps this was too much of a hassle and I'd just keep my maiden name and just 'assume' hubby's last name in all cases other than government and legal documents. Hmph. THEN when in Kingston, my brother's friend who works for the Ministry of Transportation clarified the situation for me. She said that it's just been recently that the actual copy of the marriage certificate (with the seal) has been necessary. Before this, the document we currently have in our possession was the one that all government agencies accepted. So now I have to apply for the certificate, which will take 5 to 8 weeks to process and then I can begin the change of name and address. *sigh* I should get our certificate of marriage in the mail on Oct. 2. The charge to your credit card is $22 for the long form. I, unfortunately, paid $44 because I got booted off the internet and then repeated the entire process, thereby paying TWICE. Wonder how long it would take to rectify that situation...and will the MOT correct that double payment I made??? (I've already e-mailed them). *sigh*