How To Obtain A Passport Name Change
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.
If it has been less than a year since you obtained your passport and you have legal documentation supporting your name change, then you will need to mail your current passport, a filled out DS-5504 application, and a photocopy of your marriage certificate or name change decree. You may also need to present two recent photos along with the documentation listed above.
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.
If more than a year has transpired since your original passport was issued then you will need to mail your current passport, a filled out DS-82, the applicable fees, and a copy of your marriage certificate or name change decree. You will also need two recent color photos. This all should be mailed to the address on the back of Form DS-82.
Keep in mind that all of your documentation for processing a name change needs to be certified copies. This means that Photostatted copies that have been notarized will not be accepted by the passport department. Consequently if you do not have the proper documentation, you will need to obtain documentation prior to sending in the proper application.
In the case that you do not have this documentation, you can obtain your documents at the county clerk's office in the county where you were married. Keep in mind that the typical processing period for a passport name change is 3 to 4 weeks. It you need this sooner you can pay a fee to speed it up a week or so. You may also contact the Congressional office in your state to get the passport process expedited.
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