Your passport is less than 12 months old
Updating your passport name may be straightforward.
How to Change the Name on Your U.S. Passport
Your legal name must match your U.S. Passport for it to remain valid. If your name has changed due to marriage, divorce, or another legal reason, we can assist you in updating your passport with the required legal documents.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Your legal name must match your passport for it to remain valid; mismatches can mean denied boarding, immigration delays, or visa problems.
To qualify for a name change, the current passport must have been issued within the last 10 years; older passports require a full renewal instead.
Acceptable proof includes a marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order, or citizenship documents reflecting the new name.
What happens if my passport name doesn’t match my other documents?
A passport that doesn’t match your other legal documents can lead to serious travel disruptions. You may be denied boarding, face delays at immigration checkpoints, or encounter issues when applying for visas. Any mismatch between your passport and other identity documents can raise concerns with airlines, border agents, and foreign consulates.
To avoid these issues, many travelers choose CIBTvisas for expert assistance in correcting name mismatches across travel documents. We simplify the process, ensure accuracy, and help you move forward with confidence.
Changing the name on your passport can be a tedious process, especially since the steps vary depending on when your passport was issued.
Your passport is older
You may need to apply for a new adult passport or submit additional forms for a full passport name modification.
Certified documentation is required
U.S. citizens seeking to report a legal name change must provide certified documentation—such as a marriage certificate, court order, or divorce decree—to validate the request.
Requirements differ based on urgency and citizenship status
Processing times and documentation requirements differ, so it’s important to determine which forms to use and whether you qualify for an amendment or renewal.
How to change name on passport
- 1
Select the speed of service and submit your passport update request.
CIBTvisas will provide you with a list of documents needed for your passport order, processing fees for your requested service, and the next steps required to start your passport order with CIBTvisas.
- 2
Start your passport name change order.
Select Start Order on the following page to complete CIBTvisas’s fast online passport order form.
- 3
Download your forms and requirements.
CIBTvisas’s Application Kit provides you with a summary of the Passport Name Change service, important information, a list of the personal documents you need to provide, step-by-step instructions for completing your passport order, as well as the required application forms you need to fill out.
- 4
Send your documents and completed forms to CIBTvisas.
Once you have completed all the steps outlined in your passport application kit, you need to submit the required personal documents to your CIBTvisas location listed in the CIBTvisas Application Kit. We will begin processing your passport order as soon as we receive it. CIBTvisas will email you a summary of your passport order and will contact you if additional information is required.
Legal documentation proving your name change.
You’ll also need legal documentation proving your name change. Acceptable documents include:
Marriage certificate
Divorce decree
Court order
Government-issued citizenship documents
Reflecting the new name.
BEFORE YOU APPLY
Eligibility for a passport name change.
To qualify for a passport name change, your current passport must have been issued within the last 10 years.
Action required
Issued within the last 10 years
Your current passport must have been issued within the last 10 years to qualify for a passport name change.
May affect eligibility
More than 10 years old
If it’s more than 10 years old, you’ll need to renew your passport and apply for a new adult passport instead of requesting a name amendment.
Plan ahead
Additional forms or proof
Depending on your circumstances, you may need to complete specific forms or provide additional proof to process the passport name amendment correctly. CIBTvisas can guide you through the required steps to help ensure your new documents align with your updated legal identity.
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CIBTvisas provides passport services for US citizens by submitting proper documentation on your behalf to the United States Department of State. This eliminates the need for you to visit, communicate, and correspond directly with the Department of State. CIBTvisas also provides a full line of passport services including First Time Passports, Passport Renewals, Child’s Passports, and Passport Name Change services for US passport holders. Please go to the Passports section of our website to see the full range of passport services CIBTvisas provides.
The passport authorization letter authorizes CIBTvisas to act on your behalf during the submission of your passport application. The U.S. Passport Agency requires your signature on this letter before they will release your new or updated passport upon completion of your order.
No. Only original copies of these forms may be submitted. Instructions for downloading and printing the U.S. Department of State Passport Application Forms are included in CIBTvisas’s Application Kits.
No. Original copies of documents and order forms must be submitted to CIBTvisas for processing.
CIBTvisas recommends using FedEx, UPS, or other traceable methods of delivery when submitting your completed CIBTvisas Application Kit.
No, all documents must be originals. If this question is regarding a naturalization certificate – you must give up the original. If you wish to keep the certificate, be sure to make a copy before you submit it because you will not get the original back. In addition, no one can sign on your behalf. Any documents that require a signature must be signed by you.
CIBTvisas can secure your U.S. passport in as little as one to five days processing time. CIBTvisas’s passport services vary in processing times to meet your specific travel needs. Visit Passports for more details.
Ready to update your passport name?
We simplify the process, ensure accuracy, and help you move forward with confidence.