Request A American Passport Name Change If You Recently Got Married
There are many different reasons why you may chose to legally change your name, perhaps you just got married, or you prefer it for a professional reason. Regardless of the reason, you need to change your name on legal documentation, including your passport. There are steps you will need to take when conducting a passport name change.
A passport name change is just one of the legal documents that you will need to change. You will also need to change your licensee and your social security card. When doing this you will need to prove who you are and that you legally changed your name.
You may also want to hold onto some of your original documentation for future purposes. In some states if you relocate and change your license you will need to prove who you were and who you are. This will involve showing documentation that expresses the name change, such as marriage certificates and divorce documents.
A passport name change can occur different ways. The method that you select will be governed by the time it has been since you obtained your passport and whether you have legal documentation supporting your name change. The period of time that has transpired since you first filed for your passport will also determine whether you owe a fee for a passport name change.
In the case that it has been less than a year since you received your original passport, you may process the name change with a form DS-5504. This form will need to be completely filled out and mailed in to the proper address along with a certified copy of your marriage certificate or decree for a name change. In some cases it may be necessary to provide two recent pictures.
If it has been less than a year since you obtained your original passport then there will not be a fee for processing your passport name change. This information and documentation needs to be addressed to the National Passport Processing Center, Post Office Box 90107, Philadelphia, PA, 19190-0107.
In the case that it has been more than a year since you first obtained your passport, you will need to process the passport name change differently. The form for this purpose is the DS-82. This form will need to be completed and mailed in, along with the processing fee and the correct required documentation. You will also be required to send in two color pictures to the address listed on the back of the application.
It is absolutely necessary that your documents be certified copies, not notarized photocopies. If they are not certified copies they will not be accepted and you will have to do the process over again. You may need to acquire your documents, such as your marriage certificate, before submitting the necessary paper work.
If you need your marriage certificate or divorce decree you can contact the record department for the county clerk of courts. Keep in mind that the us passport name change typically takes three to four weeks to receive your U.S. passport. You may attempt to speed this up by paying an expedite fee or contacting the office of your state Congressional representative if there is an immediate need for assistance.
