Sep 14 2010
Passport Name Change: How To Do It Efficiently
If your name has been legally changed, you are going to need a USA passport name change as well. There are different procedures for this depending on your particular situation, such as how old your prior passport is. Depending on a several factors, there may be a fee involved and you may have to make your application in person.
If the issue date of your current passport is less than a year ago and your name has been changed legally through marriage or a court order, your passport will be reissued without a fee. The passport in your former name, along with a certified copy or original of the proof of name change and the application must be mailed in together. You also need to include two photos which are no more than 6 months old.
If the passport you currently hold was acquired more than a year ago, you will need a different application form. This can also be mailed in if you have the legally accepted proof of your name change. However, in this scenario, you will also have to send in a fee along with the application, current passport, proof of name change and photos.
If you are unable to provide proof of the name change that is legal, you will have to go to a passport agency to make your application. It will be treated like applying for a new passport. To prove your name change, you will have to furnish no less than 3 types of public records showing your birth date and place in addition to the new name. They will have to show usage of the name for at least five years.
Minors who are younger than 16 must also make their passport application in person and submit all the same documentation. In addition, the parents or guardians of the child must also appear at the agency. Legal proof of the relationship of the parents or guardians to the child must also be supplied. You should check the requirements for passports for minors to be sure that you arrive with all the proper documents.
Receipt of your revised passport can take, generally, from around 4 to 6 weeks. However, it can take as many as ten weeks to arrive. If you require it sooner, you may want to ask for an expedited passport. This service will require an additional fee. The expedited service can be requested for any type of new passport application.
Even when a passport is expedited, it can still take 2 to 3 weeks to get to you. If you are in an emergency situation in which you need the revised passport sooner, you may want to contact a passport expediting company to speed up the process.
If you are able to mail in your U S passport name change application, package all the documentation in a secure manner. It is recommended to send it via a method that you can trace. It is also a good idea to make your life a little less stressful and send in your passport application when you change your name instead of waiting until you plan to travel.
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