Changing your name and curious how that affects your passport? As name change experts, we’re happy to give you the scoop on how the process works and which forms you need to complete to change your name on your U.S. passport!
When a newlywed elects to change their name after marriage, they use their certified marriage certificate to file a series of state and federal name change forms to update their identification documents with their new name. These identification documents include passports.
The change your name with the State Department, you will need to complete the DS-11 passport form or the DS-5504 passport form, and file it with your current passport or passport card, your certified marriage certificate, two new passport photos, and the appropriate processing fee.
How do you know which passport form you specifically need?
The DS-11 passport form is for people who have a United States passport that was issued less than 15 years ago (so therefore has not expired.) The DS-11 passport form is for people who have a United States passport that was issued less than 15 years ago. The fee to file the DS-11 passport form is $110.
The DS-5504 passport form is for people who have had their passports for less than 12 months. The great news is there is no fee to process the DS-5504 and get your new passport in your new name as long as you are within the 12 month deadline. It’s basically a wedding gift from your friends at the State Department!
The great news about filing the DS-11 or DS-82 instead of the DS-5504, is that you do not have to file at the State Department office or a Passport Processing center. You can file by mail! As you are mailing important personal documents, we highly recommend using a form of tracking on your shipment.
Once you have filed your passport form, it typically takes the State Department 5-6 weeks to process your paperwork and issue your new passport in your new married name. If you need your passport sooner, you can elect to pay to expedite your passport processing and receive it in approximately X weeks. The current fee for an expedited passport is $60.
Feeling sad to lose a passport book full of memories of past trips? Not to worry! Along with your new passport in your new name, your old passport will be mailed back to you with two hole punches in it, so you can still flip through and remember the places you’ve traveled.