How do you effect a passport name change after marriage? People who had a passport issued before marriage will have a different name after getting married, so the need may arise to change the names on their passports. While getting married creates a web of opportunities for you, the change in status will cause most of your documents, including your passport, to become outdated. A passport that no longer matches your name may make it difficult for you to apply for a visa or board planes without facing accusations from flight crews.
You can make all that go away with a name change on a new passport, and you will learn how to go about it by reading this post till the end.
Is A New Passport Necessary To Change My Name After Marriage?
The answer to this question is down to your preference. Changing your name is recommended, especially if you have plans to travel abroad on visas. Many embassies will raise objections if the name on your passport is different from the name on your other documents; this will leave room for doubt and suspicion. However, some embassies will not mind the difference in name as long as the passport is yours, but a name change is always recommended to remove all doubt.
To be on the safe side, it is best to contact the embassy of the country you plan to visit to ask if they will have any problems with your current passport; if it is possible to travel with the passport, it is advisable to bring your marriage certificate along as proof in case you encounter issues in that country.
On the other hand, if you want to avoid this stress altogether, you can put the issue to rest by applying for a new passport with a new name.
Passport Name Change After Marriage
When to change your name will depend on your schedule. If you plan to travel sooner or later after your marriage, you can change it. The best time to change your name is long before your trip because passports take a long time before they are ready. Secondly, if the passport was issued less than one year ago, you don’t have to pay any fee for a renewal; only passports older than one year attract application fees.
If you have already made travel arrangements and your trip is around the corner, postpone the name change until you return but go with your marriage certificate.
How To Change A Name On A Passport?
There are different ways to change a name on a passport, and we explore the different ways.
Newlyweds
If you are newly married with a passport issued less than a year before your status change, you don’t have to pay a few to change your name. Simply fill out the DS-5504 form using an online Wizard or download the form in PDF and fill it out by hand. In addition to the form, you will have to submit the previous passport, a passport photograph, original and photocopy of your original or certified copy of your marriage license and mail it to a passport agency. The agency will process the application for a new passport upon receiving the documents.
Older Passport
If the passport were issued more than a year before you married, you would need to apply for a renewal.
For this, you will need the DS-82 form correctly filled out. For this, you will need the documents highlighted above for newlyweds, including a renewal application fee.
What If I don’t Have A Marriage Certificate?
In the case of an absence of a marriage certificate, you cannot apply for a renewal or a correction; the only other option is to apply for a brand new passport. This will require a DS-11 form for a new passport altogether. You will also need to include proof of US citizenship, a valid ID card, a new married name, and a passport photo, including the application fee. The agency may also demand some recent paperwork for extra proof, and you must present all these documents in person at the agency.
The sequence of Actions To Change Your Name After Marriage
Changing your name after marriage on your passport requires a sequence of actions, such as gathering the right paperwork, deciding on the right application to fill out, and doing so correctly. Attach the right documents and a recent passport photograph.
If you want a quick process, you may pay extra for expedited service. With all your documents in place, you can mail them to the agency or hire a passport Service like VisaHQ to do so for you; for a new application, you ought to appear in person for the passport name change after marriage.