The legal effects of marriage

Getting married leads to the creation of new rights and new obligations between the couple. Amongst other things, they have a duty to maintain one another and to live together, and they impliedly agree to have sex with each other.

A. A New Name?

For a woman the most obvious change brought about by the marriage will usually be a change of name. However, there is no legal obligation on her to change her name and she can retain her maiden name if she wishes. She and her husband may also agree to hyphenate their surnames together.

If she chooses to adopt the husband's name on marriage, she is then entitled to keep her husband's name (and any title) even after he dies or after they divorce and remarry. Alternatively, she can revert to her maiden name if she prefers.

In English law, anybody can call themselves by whatever name they cho^ose' ^and they ^can change their names as and when they wish.

B. A New Nationality?

14o. Not automatically. Nationality is a political status of an individual _an£J this is not affected by marriage. A British citizen who marries a foreigner carv retain his or her citizenship — but may have dual citizenship (although this depends on the law of the other country involved). The UK law accepts du^l citizenship but not every country does (e.g. the USA), so if a woman -wajats to claim US citizenship she may have to give up her British citizenship.

C. A New Domicile?

A wife need not acquire her husband's domicile, although in practice she -will often do so. Domicile should not be confused with nationality, citizenship or residence.

J)omicile is where a person has his or her permanent home or, if he or she is living abroad, where he or she intends to return to permanently.

Residence is the place where a person happens to be living; a person can b_e president in several countries at the same time but can have only one

flow domicile is decided. At birth, a baby will normally acquire its father's
or if the father is dead, its mother's domicile. This is called the
do of origin'.

Jn practice it is very difficult to change that domicile until the child is sixteen, but thereafter the child can acquire a 'domicile of choice', depending _on the place where he or she is now permanently resident or intends to reside permanently.

Although a wife needn't acquire her husband's domicile on marriage, it will usually be the case that she will live with him and that she will plan to _Sp_ejid her life with him in his domicile. Thus, in practice, she will usually _aCqtiire that new domicile.

Notes

obligations — обязательства

implied — подразумеваемый

retain — сохранять

maiden name — девичья фамилия

hyphenate — писать через дефис

be entitled to — иметь право

alternatively — альтернативно, по выбору

revert — возвращаться

dual — двойной

claim — претендовать

Give up — отказываться