Learning how to get a passport name change is important if you want your passport to reflect the change in your name since your most recent passport. A name change applies when you get married (and have taken on a different surname), or your name has changed through a court order. In both instances, you will have to go through the passport office for this passport.

You have several options when applying for a passport name change. The first two are based on the issuance date of your passport. If your passport has been issued less than a year ago, you will go through a different procedure from those who had their passports issued over a year ago. So to find out what procedure suits you, check the date of issuance on your current passport.

If your passport was issued over a year ago, you are required to apply for a passport name change through the mail. You will also need to submit the following requirements: your current valid passport, two recent color photographs of yourself, a certified or original copy of the document that proves your name change, as well as a completed DS-82 form. Take note that you will also have to pay an applicable fee for this kind of application.

Now what if your passport was issued within one year? You will have to fulfill a slightly different set of requirements in that case. These requirements are: your latest passport, two recent photos, the supporting legal documents such as the ones mentioned in the last paragraph, and the DS-5504 form for your passport name change.

You don’t have to pay any fee if you’re applying for a passport name change if your passport is only a year old. However, there will be an applicable fee should you choose to have your application expedited. This is recommended to anyone who needs to leave the country in less than 10 weeks. So if this situation applies to you, have it expedited.

However, there are cases when you cannot legally document your name change, yet wish to have your name in your passport changed. If this sounds like your current situation, then there’s a remedy to that. All you need to do is to submit your latest valid passport, two color photos, your completed application form or the DS-11, and pay the applicable fees. Aside from that, you will also need to provide three public records with your date and place of birth that indicates the exclusive use of your new name for a minimum of five years.

Since you are filling in form DS-11, you will be required to submit in person the last set of requirements we mentioned. It therefore pays to ensure that you have all the requirements ready before going to the passport agency or acceptance facility nearest you. Doing this will help you save a lot of time.

Want to know how to get a Passport Name Change? That’s what we have discussed in the previous paragraphs. Just always remember to find out what procedure applies to you as it saves you time and ensures that your American Passport name change proceeds smoothly.