Passport Name Change - It Shouldn't Be A Hard Thing To Do

But first of all you need to consider when your passport was issued. This is important because those who have passports that are less than a year old need to go through a different procedure as those whose passports were issued more than a year ago. How do you know when your passport was issued? It is clearly indicated on your passport along with your personal details.

From there, let's discuss your first option. If your passport application was issued less than a year ago, you will have to fulfill the following requirements: your current and valid passport, two recent color passport photos, and the legal documents that prove your name change. These documents are either your marriage contract or a court order. In addition to these, will also need to accomplish Form DS-5504, which is used when applying for a passport name change.

You won't have to pay any fees when going through this type of application. This is unless you choose to have your application expedited, which does come with a fee. An expedited passport application is the option you need if you want to cut the processing time of your passport from four to six weeks to just two to three.

Now let's talk about the other option you have. If your passport was issued more than a year ago, here are the things you need to submit: your current and valid passport, two recent color passport photos, the legal document that shows your change of name (again, your marriage contract or a court order). You will notice that these are basically the same documents required in the first option.

Aside from these requirements, you will also have to complete Form DS-82. Filling in this form allows you to send your application for a passport name change through the mail. And once you have fulfilled all the requirements, you will have to pay the applicable fees to have your passport processed.

There are instances where applicants cannot legally document their name change. If this situation applies to you, then you will be required to submit the following documents: your current and valid passport, 2 recent color passport photos, the completed Form DS-11, plus the applicable fees. On top of those requirements, you will also have to submit three public records that show your date and place of birth and that indicates the exclusive use of your new name for at least five years. Once you have accomplished these requirements, you will then need to submit them in person to your nearest passport office.

When applying for a United States passport name change, the ones we discussed above are the options available to you. Just make sure you are aware of the considerations you need such as the date when your passport was issued, and the legal documents that show your name has changed. Once you have determined them, you'll then know what kind of option you have to choose.