Did you know that you can change the name on your passport? For example, recently married people often change their names to match their new ones. And this is just one of the many reasons why changing the name on your passport may be necessary. We walk you through why changing your name might be a good idea. More importantly, we show you how to change name on passport:
Acceptable Name Change Reasons
Changing your name for fun might feel like a good reason to apply for a name change. However, such reasons are not acceptable to the U.S. Department of State. For example, you cannot change your name because you lost a bet or feel like it. The reason behind the name change should hold water and should be acceptable in the legal sense. Examples of acceptable reasons include:
- You have married or into a civil partnership and want to take on your partner’s name. In such a case, you’d want to know how to change your last name on your passport,
- You have gone through a divorce or a civil partnership dissolution and no longer want to use your partner’s name,
- You have changed your gender and have taken on another name that matches this change,
- The name on your passport is incorrect, and you want to change its spelling, or
- The name on the passport was not registered correctly.
Do these sound like the reasons behind your name change? If yes, you can go through with the U.S. passport name change without much hassle. But if you are unsure if your name change reason is legal, you can always talk to our team regarding your concerns. If we deem your reasons permissible, we will proceed with the name change and get you a new passport with the new name.
How Can You Change the Name on Your Passport?
There are two ways to go about the name change as follows:
1. Changing Your Name for Legal Reasons
Suppose you’re changing your passport name because of a marriage or a partnership dissolution. In such a case, you will have the following options:
a) Get a New Passport: This option applies to people who request name changes within the first year of getting their passports. To get this new passport, you need to present the following documents:
- A complete DS-5504 form,
- Your current passport,
- Supporting documentation to show the legal name change (if you cannot provide supporting documentation, you will need to go through the new passport application process), and
- Two recent passport photos which should have been taken in the last three months.
Applicants do not incur government fees but are subject to processing and expediting fees (if they rush the process).
b)Renew Your Passport: If you request the passport name change more than a year after getting your passport, you cannot get a new one. Instead, you should apply for a renewal by presenting the following documents:
- Your most recent passport,
- A complete DS-82 form,
- Supporting documentation that shows the legal name change (if such documentation is not available, you must apply for a new passport and pay the applicable fees), and
- Two passport photos.
We will submit and expedite the application on your behalf, getting you a new passport within days.
2. Changing Your Name to Correct Errors
You might want to change your passport name due to spelling errors. In such a case, you need to present the following documents:
- A complete DS-5504 form,
- Your most recent passport,
- Two recent passport photos, and
- Proof that an error exists, i.e., supporting documentation that shows the correct name.
You will not incur government costs on the application but will be subject to processing fees.
How Long Does It Take to Change Name on Passport?
Now that you know how to change name on passport, you might ask, “How long does it take to change name on passport?” Typical applications can take weeks leading into months because of the backlog at the state passport offices. But Travel Visa Pro offers an expedited option that allows you to get your new passport in just days. You only need to opt in on our rush processing, and we will ensure you get your passport in time for your travel plans.
What about the fees? How much does it cost to change name on passport? Legal name changes lodged within the first year and spelling errors do not incur any government costs. However, they accrue processing and expediting charges which depend on the chosen timeline, which ranges from a few days to weeks. Legal name changes lodged a year after passport issuance incur governmental, processing, and expediting charges.
