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Passport name change answers

Passport Name Change FAQs

Clear answers on changing the name on a U.S. passport fast after marriage, divorce or a court order: the right form, documents and fees, backed by official State Department sources.

Reviewed by Philip Diack, FounderĀ· Updated October 22, 2026Ā· 31 questionsĀ· Official sources linked

Your passport name change: speed & price
+ $216.87 government fee for a renewal in your new name; Form DS-5504 costs less
Business days, from when we receive your documents
Start my passport name change ā†’
Since 1992500K+ travelers servedPrivate company, not a government agency
Passport name change questions: quick answers
How fast can I change my name on my passport?
With us, as fast as 3-4 Days, counted in business days from when we receive your application.
Full answer ā†“
Which form do I need to change my name on my passport?
It depends on when your passport was issued: DS-5504, DS-82 or DS-11.
Full answer ā†“
How do I change my name on my passport after marriage?
Get a certified copy of your marriage certificate, then apply in your married name with Form DS-82, or DS-5504 if your passport is less than a year old.
Full answer ā†“
How do I change my passport name after a divorce?
Include a certified copy of your divorce decree showing the name change, and apply with Form DS-82 or DS-5504.
Full answer ā†“
How much does a passport name change cost?
Our service fee is Emergency $449, Rush $349, Priority $249, Essential $199; the government fee depends on the form.
Full answer ā†“
What document proves my name change?
A certified copy of your marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order.
Full answer ā†“
Do it yourself
Work out the right form (DS-5504, DS-82 or DS-11), get a certified copy of your name-change document and send everything in yourself. Routine processing currently takes 4ā€“6 weeks, or 2ā€“3 weeks expedited, plus shipping each way.
Let us handle it
We pick the right form, prepare it and check your certified name-change document and photo before anything is submitted. You send it to us, and our courier takes it to a passport agency, as fast as 3-4 Days.

How fast can you change the name on a passport?

How fast can I change my name on my passport?

With us, as fast as 3-4 Days, counted in business days from when we receive your application.

Our speeds are Emergency 3-4 days, Rush 6 days, Priority 8 days, Essential 12 days. Every speed includes choosing and preparing the right form, checking your certified name-change document and photo, courier submission to a passport agency and tracked overnight return.

How long does a passport name change take right now?

The State Department currently quotes 4ā€“6 weeks routine or 2ā€“3 weeks expedited, plus shipping time each way.

That applies whichever form you use. Through us, your application is couriered to a passport agency instead, as fast as 3-4 Days.

Can I renew my passport and change my name at the same time?

Yes, and most people do. You renew with Form DS-82 in your new name.

It works if your passport was issued in the last 15 years when you were 16 or older and is undamaged. Include a certified copy of your marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order. Thereā€™s no in-person visit, and with us itā€™s as fast as 3-4 Days.

Need it fast? Our fastest speed gets your passport back in your new name in 3-4 Days.See name change speeds ā†’

Which form do you need to change your name on a passport?

Which form do I need to change my name on my passport?

It depends on when your passport was issued: DS-5504, DS-82 or DS-11.

Issued less than a year ago: Form DS-5504. Issued more than a year ago, within the last 15 years, when you were 16 or older and undamaged: Form DS-82, a renewal in your new name. If you donā€™t qualify for either, or canā€™t document the change, Form DS-11 in person. We work out the right form when you order.

My passport is less than a year old. What changes?

You use Form DS-5504, which updates the name on a recently issued passport with no application fee.

You send your current passport, a new photo and the certified name-change document; no in-person visit is needed. For fast processing you pay only the governmentā€™s expedite and delivery fees, $86.87, plus our service fee.

Can I use Form DS-5504 to fix a mistake on my passport?

Yes. If the passport has a printing error, such as a misspelled name, DS-5504 corrects it with no application fee.

Send the passport with evidence of the correct information, such as your birth certificate. We can prepare the correction and courier it at the same speeds.

Can I change my name on my passport online?

Not as a fast option. The State Departmentā€™s online renewal isnā€™t available to everyone and canā€™t be expedited.

For a quick name change, we prepare your DS-82 or DS-5504 and our courier takes it to a passport agency, as fast as 3-4 Days.

When do I need Form DS-11 for a name change?

When your passport canā€™t be renewed, or you canā€™t document the name change.

Thatā€™s a passport issued more than 15 years ago, issued before you turned 16, or damaged, lost or stolen. Form DS-11 is signed in person in about 15 minutes, then you send it to us and our courier takes it from there.

Not sure which form you need? We pick the right one when you order.Start my name change ā†’

Changing your passport name after marriage

How do I change my name on my passport after marriage?

Get a certified copy of your marriage certificate, then apply in your married name with Form DS-82, or DS-5504 if your passport is less than a year old.

We prepare the form, check the certificate and photo, and courier your application to a passport agency, as fast as 3-4 Days. No in-person visit is needed for either form.

Do I have to change my passport after getting married?

No. Your passport stays valid in your maiden name until it expires.

Many people change it to keep their documents consistent, and it costs least within a year of the passport being issued, using Form DS-5504.

Should I change my passport name before my honeymoon?

Only if your new passport will be back before you travel. Otherwise, book the trip in your maiden name.

Your ticket must match the passport you travel on. If the honeymoon is soon, keep your current passport and book in that name, then change it afterwards. If you want to travel in your married name, update the passport first; with us it takes days, not weeks.

Can I hyphenate or combine names after marriage?

Usually, yes, when your marriage certificate supports the new name.

Common changes, such as taking a spouseā€™s surname or hyphenating both surnames, are generally accepted with the marriage certificate. If your new name goes beyond what the certificate shows, a court order may be needed. Tell us the name you want and weā€™ll confirm.

Newly married? We update your passport fast, usually with no in-person visit.Start my name change ā†’

Divorce, court orders and other name changes

How do I change my passport name after a divorce?

Include a certified copy of your divorce decree showing the name change, and apply with Form DS-82 or DS-5504.

Use DS-5504 if the passport was issued less than a year ago. If your decree doesnā€™t mention the name, a court order may be needed; tell us and weā€™ll confirm.

How do I change my passport name with a court order?

Send a certified copy of the court order with your application, the same way as a marriage certificate.

The court order should show your former and new names. Apply with Form DS-82, or DS-5504 within a year of the passport being issued. We check the order before anything is submitted.

We check your decree or court order before anything is submitted.Start my name change ā†’

Passport name change cost

How much does a passport name change cost?

Our service fee is Emergency $449, Rush $349, Priority $249, Essential $199; the government fee depends on the form.

Itā€™s $216.87 for a renewal in your new name, or $86.87 with Form DS-5504 when your passport is less than a year old. You see every fee before you pay.

Is a name change with Form DS-5504 free?

Thereā€™s no application fee. To get it back fast, you pay the governmentā€™s expedite and delivery fees, $86.87.

A routine DS-5504 has no government fee at all, but it takes weeks. With our service, your DS-5504 is prepared, checked and couriered at the speed you choose.

Do I pay the $35 acceptance fee for a name change?

Only if you need Form DS-11, which is signed in person.

Name changes with Form DS-5504 or a DS-82 renewal have no in-person step, so thereā€™s no acceptance fee.

Our fee and the government fee are shown separately before you pay.See my name change price ā†’

Passport name change documents and photo

What document proves my name change?

A certified copy of your marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order.

It must be issued by the office that holds the record. Photocopies and decorative ceremony certificates arenā€™t accepted, and theyā€™re a common reason name changes get held up. The document is returned to you with your passport.

Can I send a photocopy of my marriage certificate?

No. It must be a certified copy from the office that issued it.

A certified copy carries the issuing officeā€™s seal or stamp. Most county clerk or vital records offices can send one quickly. We check it before anything is submitted, so a photocopy never costs you days.

What do I send for a passport name change?

Your current passport, one new photo, the certified name-change document and the signed form we prepare.

Send everything to us with our prepaid overnight label. Your old passport is cancelled and returned with your name-change document, sometimes in a separate envelope.

Will I get my marriage certificate back?

Yes. Your name-change document is returned to you, sometimes separately from your passport.

The State Department returns original documents after processing, so you donā€™t lose your certified copy.

Do I need a new photo for a name change?

Yes. One 2x2 inch color photo, taken in the last 6 months, on a plain white or off-white background.

No glasses, no hats unless for religious or medical reasons, and no filters or edits. We check your photo before anything is submitted.

A photocopy instead of a certified copy is the classic mistake. We check yours first.Get my documents checked ā†’

How our passport name change service works

How does your passport name change service work?

Order online, send us your documents, and we do the rest.

Tell us how your name changed and when your passport was issued, and we pick the right form. You send your current passport, photo, signed form and certified document with our prepaid label. Our courier takes it to a passport agency and your passport comes back in your new name by tracked overnight delivery.

What do you do, and what do I do?

We pick and prepare the form, check, submit and track. You sign the form and send us your documents.

We check your certified name-change document and photo against the State Departmentā€™s rules and coordinate courier submission and tracked return. Approval is always the State Departmentā€™s decision.

Do I have to go anywhere in person to change my name?

Usually not. Form DS-5504 and DS-82 name changes need no in-person visit.

Only Form DS-11 is signed in person, about 15 minutes at an acceptance facility, such as a post office, and we handle those applications too.

We prepare your form, check everything and courier it to a passport agency.Start my name change ā†’

Traveling during a passport name change

Can I travel with my old passport after getting married?

Yes. Your passport is still valid, so book your tickets in the exact name on your passport.

Problems happen when the ticket is in your married name and the passport isnā€™t. If youā€™d rather travel in your new name, update the passport first; with us it takes days, not weeks.

Does my passport have to match my driverā€™s license or Social Security card?

No. What has to match is your airline ticket and the ID you travel on.

Many people update their Social Security record first, because other ID updates follow it, but you can change your passport in any order.

Does TSA accept a passport in my maiden name?

Yes, as long as the name on your boarding pass matches it.

TSA checks that your ID matches your boarding pass, not your current legal name. Book flights in the name on the ID youā€™ll show.

What happens to visas in my old passport?

They usually stay valid in the old passport, which is returned to you.

Travel with both passports and a copy of your name-change document so officials can connect the two names. Some countries prefer a new visa in the new name; we handle visas for any destination.

Can you help if Iā€™m not a U.S. citizen?

Changing the name on a U.S. passport is only for U.S. citizens.

If you hold another countryā€™s passport, its embassy or consulate handles the change. We can still help with your travel: we handle visas for travelers of any nationality.

Want to travel in your new name? Update your passport first, as fast as 3-4 Days.Choose my speed ā†’
Need your passport name change fast?
We prepare your application, check every document before itā€™s submitted, and courier it to a passport agency, as fast as 3ā€“4 days.
Start my passport name change ā†’
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PassportsAndVisas.com is a private company and is not a government agency. Government fees are set by the U.S. Department of State and are shown separately from our service fee.