Pages

Sunday, 20 December 2009

Your Questions on How to Get a US Passport Name Change Answered Here

By Ben Pate

If you are the current holder of a valid passport and either got married or had your name changed legally, then chances are you want to know to get a passport name change. This is the type of procedure needed by anyone who has a passport and had a change of name recently. This USA Passport Name Change procedure is done to let the passport reflect such a change.

The procedure you need to go through when changing your name in your passport depends on when your latest passport was issued. There's a separate procedure for those whose passports were issued within a one-year period, and then another one for passports issued more than a year ago. Check your current passport to determine the date it was issued.

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.

There are other requirements if your passport was issued within the last year. Make sure you check the date your passport was issued before proceeding. If it was indeed issued within the last year, you will need to submit the following requirements: your latest validated passport, two recent color photos of yourself, the form DS-5504 for your application of a passport name change, and then the supporting legal documents that evidence your name change.

In the case of passports that were issued less than a year ago, applicants are not required to pay any fee. If, however, you choose to have your application expedited, then you will have to pay an additional fee. The US Department of State recommends expedited passports for anyone who intends to leave within the next 10 weeks. Currently, it takes around two to three weeks to process an expedited passport.

There are instances where applicants who apply for a United States Passport Name Change do not have the required documents needed, such as the marriage contract and the court order. If this situation applies to you, you shouldn't worry because you still have an alternative option. This third option requires you to submit a DS-11 form for a passport application, two ID pictures, and your latest passport, as well as pay the applicable fee. Aside from these requirements, you will also need to present three public records with the date and place of birth that indicate the use of your current name for the last five years.

Filling in the Form DS-11 requires you to submit your application plus the supporting documents in person. Because of this, it's very important that you check whether you have fulfilled every requirement even before you leave for the passport office. This saves you a lot of time.

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment