My wife and I went last week to get our French driving licences for us "entrangers" and the nice lady's explanation was that they used to put both names on it originally - but they found that there was often not enough room, so they decided to just have the maiden name. Doh !!! Sounds suspiciously like ƀȏļḻǭẍ to me.
Many thanks. I think I will need to see if I can get my married name put on the card as well as my maiden name. Then everyone will be happy!
So how does that work with a British passport? I am Catharine Higginson on my passport. So are the French saying that HMG is wrong and I am NOT Catharine Higginson but in fact Catharine Sceats?
yes as Veronique says it's your maiden name that counts for all official documents in France - your married name is a nom d'usage. For example all my official documents are Helen Solomons epouse Laziou Roger
Your married name is simply a nom d'usage in France, ie it is a courtesy name not your real name; you can't change your birth name unless you have been adopted. The law in France is much stricter than in the UK. Only the name on your birth certificate counts - you can go to the préfecture and get them to add your married name as a nom d'usage though.
Hi! I know it might be a stupid question ,but did you fill in the forms correctly? the french admin will always use your maiden name and married name " nom d'epouse". I am pretty sure you can go back (hassle hassle i know)and get it corrected. good luck
Hello, my UK Passport and all French docs like Carte Vitale, Carte de Sejour show only my married name…EXCEPT the driving licence… does anyone know if car hire firms will accept renting to a customer who has a different name on the licence from the passport? I rang tge permis de conduire office and they said it is no longer possible to add the nom d usage…on the okd paper licence I had both. Help! Any nfo welcome. Thanks
why not have a copy of your marriage certificate “authorised” (as a copy of the original) by your Mairie… and carry that with you…
that will show the transition of your name… 
I seem to be in luck… my CdSejour (Withdrawal Agreement) issued by France… does bear both names…
Presumably yours is a more recent version…
Thanks! I hope the car hire company will accept it!
A neighbour went on holiday last year… and didn’t realize until the day before leaving for the airport… that she had booked flight and cruise tickets in one name which was not the name on her passport…
minor panic hit the village… but she went off with all sorts of paperwork to prove she was the correct person… and it worked a treat…
Mine too, which has been very useful as I use my maiden name for most things - bank a/cs, passport, driving license, but not my carte vitale and (of course!) most address confirmation paperwork (EDF, phone, etc) are in OH’s name. Tax return is useful as it is in both our names.
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