How to Change Your Name on Your Passport
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Have you legally changed your name because of a life event like marriage or divorce? If so, you’ll need to apply for a new passport. And dealing with passport forms can be confusing.
So I’ve written a guide in plain English to show you how to change your name on your passport!
How to Change Name on Passport
Link: US Passport Changes and Corrections
If you legally changed your name through marriage, divorce, or a court order, you’ll need to get a new passport. Which form you should use – and what you’ll have to pay – depends on how long ago your current passport was issued.
Has It Been LESS Than 1 Year Since Your Passport Was Issued? Form DS-5504.
Link: Form DS-5504
If less than 1 year has passed since your current passport was issued, you will NOT have to pay anything to update your name on your passport. Unless you request expedited services.For example, let’s say your passport was issued in February 2017, and you were married in October 2017. If you went through the process to legally change your name after marriage (or for any reason!) and you apply for a new passport through February 2018, you won’t pay anything.
But you must submit form DS-5504 by mail and send it in to the National Passport Processing Center along with:
- Your current passport
- An original or certified name change document (copies and notarized copies are NOT accepted)
- A color passport photo
Has It Been MORE Than 1 Year Since Your Passport Was Issued? Form DS-82 or DS-11.
Link: Form DS-82
Link: Form DS-11
If it’s been more than a year since you got your current passport, you must first determine whether you’re eligible to use form DS-82.
Folks can use form DS-82 if they meet these requirements:- You can send in your most recent passport
- You were at least 16 years old when your most recent passport was issued
- Your most recent passport was issued less than 15 years ago
- Your most recent passport has not been lost, stolen, or damaged
- You use the same name that’s on your most recent passport or can show proper documentation as proof of a legal name change
If you DO meet these requirements, you can fill out form DS-82 and mail it in with the following:
- Your current passport
- An original or certified name change document (copies and notarized copies are NOT accepted)
- A color passport photo
- Any applicable fees
- Proof of US Citizenship
- An original or certified name change document (copies and notarized copies are NOT accepted)
- A color passport photo
- Any applicable fees
You do not need to provide proof of a name change if your name has changed due to a marriage and you have an ID with your new name. But you’ll have to include the details of your marriage in the applicable section on form DS-11.
How to Find & Fill Out the Correct Form
Step 1. Find the Form You Need
Once you’ve determined which from you’ll need, you can go to the “Change or Correct a Passport” section of the US Department of State’s website.
From there you can either print the form you need and fill it out by hand. Or fill out the form online first, then print it.
I find it’s quickest to print the form first and fill it out by hand. Otherwise you’ll have to answer a series of questions to (eventually!) be able to access the form you need online. As always, do what you’re comfortable with.
Here are links to printable versions of each form:
- DS-5504
- DS-82
- DS-11
Step 2. If You Want to Continue Online
If you’d rather fill it out online and then print it, you can start the application by clicking the “Complete Online” button in the “Forms” box on the “Change or Correct a Passport” main page.
From there select “Complete Form Online.”
Step 3. Fill Out the Discovery Questions
After that, you’ll be asked to fill out information like your name, address, and social security number.
And you’ll have to answer questions like why you’re applying for a new or updated passport, when your most recent passport was issued, whether you want to change your name, and when your named change.
So the system can populate the correct form for you.
They’ll even ask for emergency contact information, future travel plans, information regarding your parents and spouse, and whether you have you most recent passport book to send in!
Step 4. Print Your Form and Find the Correct Fee
Finally you’ll come to a page that shows you how much you owe.
And then you’ll be able to print the form.
Step 5. Sign and Date Your Form, Send, and Wait
Once you’ve printed it, don’t forget to sign and date it, and include the necessary documentation when you send it in.The process is fairly straightforward once you’ve figured out which form you need. But as you can see, it takes a bit of time!
And if you’re in a rush to get it, you might have to pay an expedited processing fee. Because the Passport Processing Agency estimates it takes 4 to 5 weeks to process an application.
In my experience, sometimes they’re really fast but sometimes they’re incredibly slow. So I suggest getting your application in as quickly as possible. Because you never know when an opportunity to travel might pop up. 😉
Bottom Line
If you’ve legally changed your name for any reason, like because of a marriage or divorce, you’re required to get a new passport.
So I put together a step-by-step guide to help you determine which passport form you need to use along with how to fill out the application.
Hopefully you find this information useful. Feel free to share it on social media or email with any friends or family members who are going through the name change process!
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