Passport name change after marriage
Which form you use comes down to when your passport was issued. If it was issued less than 1 year ago, you change your name for free with Form DS-5504 (you only pay if you want it expedited). If it was issued more than a year ago, you change the name through a paid renewal (DS-82 by mail, or DS-11 in person). Either way you have to mail in your current passport, so don't start a passport name change right before a trip abroad.
U.S. Department of State — Bureau of Consular Affairs (travel.state.gov)
How to change your passport name after marriage
Determine which form you need based on WHEN your most recent passport was issued (the key timing rule).
If you are changing your name within 1 year of the date your most recent U.S. passport was issued, you use Form DS-5504 (a no-fee correction/change). If your passport was issued more than 1 year ago, you change your name through a regular renewal (Form DS-82 by mail, or in person if not eligible to renew by mail) and pay the standard renewal fee.
SourceIf within 1 year: complete Form DS-5504 and submit by mail (no fee).
Submit by mail: the completed Form DS-5504, your most recent U.S. passport, one passport photo, and an original or certified document showing your name change within 1 year since the passport was issued (e.g., marriage certificate). State Department wording: 'You will not have to submit any fees for this service.' Sign and date the form after printing it.
SourceIf more than 1 year: renew by mail with Form DS-82 (if eligible), submitting a certified copy of your name-change document.
You may renew by mail if you meet ALL DS-82 conditions: you can submit your most recent passport; it was never reported lost/stolen; it was issued within the last 15 years; it was issued when you were age 16 or older and valid for 10 years; it is not damaged beyond normal wear; and it was issued in your current name OR you can provide a name-change document. Exact wording: 'If the name you are using is different from the name on your most recent U.S. passport, you must provide a certified copy of the legal name change document.'
SourceIf you do NOT meet the DS-82 mail-renewal requirements, apply in person using Form DS-11.
Official wording: 'If you do not meet these requirements to renew by mail, you must apply in person.' Use Form DS-11 ('Use if you are applying for the first time... or you don't meet our requirements to renew your passport'). Print the DS-11 but do NOT sign it until the acceptance agent asks you to. DS-11 is submitted in person at a passport acceptance facility.
SourceInclude a certified marriage certificate as your name-change evidence; expect it back by separate mail.
Acceptable name-change documents include a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order. For mail renewals the State Department returns your name-change document: 'We will return your name change document in a separate mailing' / 'We return your supporting documents by First Class Mail,' which may arrive up to 4 weeks after your new passport.
Source
What documents do I need?
- Most recent U.S. passport (must be submitted with your application)
- Original or certified copy of your legal name-change document — for marriage, a certified marriage certificate (divorce decree or court order also accepted)
- One passport photo (for DS-5504)
- Completed form: DS-5504 (name change within 1 year of issuance), DS-82 (renewal by mail, more than 1 year), or DS-11 (in person if not eligible to renew by mail)
How much does it cost?
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Name change via DS-5504 (within 1 year of passport issuance) | free — 'You will not have to submit any fees for this service.' | .gov |
| Expedited processing (optional, any path) | $60 (source-cited) | .gov |
| Passport book renewal (DS-82, more than 1 year) | $130 (source-cited) | .gov |
| Passport card renewal (DS-82) | $30 (source-cited) | .gov |
| Passport book + card renewal (DS-82) | $160 (source-cited) | .gov |
| Expedited shipping (optional, 1-3 days after issuance) | $22.05 (source-cited) | .gov |
Which forms apply?
Watch out for these
TIMING WINDOW (high value): The free DS-5504 name change is ONLY available if your most recent passport was issued LESS THAN 1 YEAR ago. If it was issued more than 1 year ago, you must renew (DS-82 by mail or DS-11 in person) and pay the full renewal fee ($130 book / $30 card). Source: travel.state.gov change-correct & renew pages.
You must MAIL IN your current/most recent passport with the application — you will be without your passport during processing, so do not apply right before international travel.
Name-change document must be ORIGINAL or CERTIFIED (e.g., a certified marriage certificate). A photocopy is not accepted. For mail renewals the document is returned in a separate mailing that can arrive up to 4 weeks after your new passport.
ID / travel name-mismatch risk: After marriage your airline ticket and IDs must match. Until your passport reflects your new name, book international tickets in the exact name on the passport you will travel with.
Order-of-operations: Update your name with the Social Security Administration first (SSA recommends waiting at least 30 days after the marriage date so the state can update records before requesting a new card). SSA is the federal source of record for your name; do this before DMV/REAL ID updates. Source: SSA FAQ KA-01981. (Passport does not require SSA to be updated first, but SSA-first prevents downstream mismatches.)
DS-11 must NOT be signed until the acceptance agent instructs you to sign it in person; DS-82 and DS-5504 are signed and dated after printing.
Official sources
Every step is backed by an official government page — confirm the current rules on the source before you act.
- https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/renew-replace/change-correct-passport.html
- https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/change-correct.html
- https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew.html
- https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/apply/help/forms.html
See your exact steps free
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Frequently asked questions
- Is changing my passport name after marriage free?
- Yes, if your most recent passport was issued less than 1 year ago. You use Form DS-5504 and the State Department charges no fee (only $60 if you want it expedited). After 1 year it becomes a paid renewal.
- Which passport form do I use after marriage?
- DS-5504 if you're within 1 year of issuance (free). DS-82 to renew by mail if it's been more than a year and you meet the mail-renewal conditions. DS-11 in person if you don't qualify to renew by mail.
- Can I keep my passport while it's being changed?
- No. You have to mail in your current passport with the application, so you'll be without it while it's processed. That's why you don't start a passport name change right before international travel.
- What name-change document does the passport agency accept?
- An original or certified copy of your legal name-change document, which for marriage is a certified marriage certificate. Photocopies aren't accepted. With mail renewals, your document comes back in a separate envelope that can arrive up to 4 weeks after your new passport.
- Should I update Social Security before my passport?
- Doing Social Security first keeps your name consistent across your documents and heads off mismatches later. The passport process itself doesn't require Social Security first, but going Social Security first is the safest order.
- Does this work the same after a divorce?
- Yes — the passport process is the same. The one thing that changes is the document that traces your old name to your new one: a certified divorce decree instead of a marriage certificate.
Not legal advice · Not a government service · Not affiliated with any government agency.