How to Change Your Surname on a U.S. Passport After Marriage: Forms, Documents and Photo Prep
Choose DS-5504, DS-82 or DS-11 for a passport name change after marriage, and prepare the right evidence, fees and photo.
Quick Answer
The form you use depends on both your passport issue date and the date your name legally changed, plus renewal eligibility:
| Your situation | Form | How you apply |
|---|---|---|
| Both your passport was issued and your name legally changed less than 1 year ago | DS-5504 | By mail, with no application fee (unless you pay for expedited service) |
| Either event was more than 1 year ago and you can renew by mail | DS-82 | By mail, with the standard renewal fee |
| You can't renew by mail (for example, the passport is damaged or too old) | DS-11 | In person at an acceptance facility |
For DS-5504 and DS-82, provide the required original or certified legal name-change evidence and a new passport photo. For DS-11, a valid ID in your new name plus the marriage details on the form may be an alternative, as the official instructions explain. Don't use a photocopy of the marriage certificate unless the form says it's acceptable. You must also send your most recent passport with a mail-in application.
Rules, forms and fees change. Use this guide to plan, then confirm the details on the State Department's "Change or Correct a Passport" page and on the current version of your form.
Step 1: Find Out Which Form You Need
The State Department's name-change page sorts applicants by when the current passport was issued and whether they're eligible to renew by mail.
Option 1: DS-5504 (both events within the last year)
Use Form DS-5504 when less than one year has passed since both your passport was issued and your name was legally changed. Submit the original or certified document showing the qualifying name change. According to the form's own instructions:
- It's sent by mail to the address on the form.
- There is no fee to use the form, unless you request expedited service.
- Your re-issued passport and the documents you send are mailed back to you.
Option 2: DS-82 (renewal by mail, more than a year after issue)
If more than a year has passed since either event, you may be able to renew by mail with Form DS-82 and ask for your new name at the same time. According to the State Department, you can renew by mail if your most recent passport was issued in your current name, or you can show your name change. To renew by mail with a name change, you must provide a certified copy of your legal name change document, such as a marriage certificate.
Read the "Can I use this form?" section of the DS-82 for the full eligibility list, including the rules about the age and condition of your last passport.
Send the DS-82 and supporting documents by USPS. The State Department notes that UPS, FedEx, DHL and other carriers cannot deliver to the PO Box addresses listed on the form.
Option 3: DS-11 (in person)
If you aren't eligible to renew by mail, apply in person with Form DS-11, as a first-time applicant would. According to the State Department:
- You submit your original or certified marriage certificate (or other name change document).
- Alternatively, you can apply in person if you have a valid ID in your new name and you complete the marriage details section on page 2 of the DS-11.
- If your new name differs from the name on your citizenship evidence and you can't show the change through marriage or a court order, you may need Form DS-60 (Affidavit Regarding a Change of Name).
You'll pay the application fee to the State Department and a separate acceptance fee to the facility. See our guide to official passport payment instructions for the payment details.
Step 2: Gather Your Documents
| Document | DS-5504 | DS-82 | DS-11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completed form, signed and dated | Yes | Yes | Yes, but sign in front of the agent |
| Most recent passport (book and/or card) | Yes, mailed with the form | Yes, mailed with the form | Often submitted if you have it; follow the form's instructions |
| Original or certified marriage certificate | Yes | Yes (certified copy) | Yes, or a valid ID in your new name plus the marriage details section |
| New passport photo | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fee | None unless expedited | Standard renewal fee | Application fee plus acceptance fee |
| Proof of citizenship | Not needed | Not needed | Typically required when applying on a DS-11 |
| Photo ID and photocopy | Not needed | Not needed | Yes |
Two practical points on the marriage certificate:
- Order certified copies, from the office that issued it, and order more than one. You'll likely need them for other agencies too. A decorative certificate from the ceremony is not the legal document.
- The name on your new application must match the document (or be shown by the other evidence the instructions allow).
Step 3: Prepare Your New Passport Photo
Every route requires a new 2x2 inch color photo, and a name change is a common reason for a photo that doesn't look like you anymore: new hairstyle, new glasses, or a change after months of wedding planning. Prepare it carefully, because a rejected photo delays everything.
Photo checklist
- Size: 2 x 2 inches, with head height of 1 to 1 3/8 inches
- Recent: taken within the last 6 months, and it must look like you now
- Background: plain white or off-white, with no shadows
- Expression: neutral or a natural, relaxed smile, with both eyes open and facing the camera
- No glasses in most cases, and no filters or retouching
- Printed on photo paper (glossy or matte), not plain paper
Our full guide to US passport photo requirements covers each rule. Print options are in printing a passport photo from your own file, and the 4x6 layout guide shows how to lay out and measure your prints.
Photo handling by form
- DS-5504 and DS-82 (by mail): you attach the photo yourself, as the form directs, usually with four staples, one in each corner. See how to staple a passport photo.
- DS-11 (in person): bring the photo loose, and let the agent attach it.
- Bring or send only one photo, and keep a spare in case something goes wrong.
Before you print, check your photo's size, background and head position with PhotoOmni.
Step 4: Fill Out the Form Correctly
- Use your new name where the form asks for the name you want printed on the passport, and your name as shown on your current passport where it asks for the old name. Read each field's label carefully.
- Use black ink if filling in by hand, or the State Department's online form filler and print it.
- On the DS-11, complete the marriage details section on page 2 if you're relying on the marriage to document the name change.
- Sign and date where indicated. For the DS-11, do this in front of the agent.
- Print forms on single-sided 8.5 x 11 inch paper.
Step 5: Pay the Fees
| Route | What you pay (adult passport book) |
|---|---|
| DS-5504 | No application fee. Expedited service has its own fee |
| DS-82 | The renewal fee, which was $130 for an adult passport book at the time of writing |
| DS-11 | The application fee ($130 for an adult book at the time of writing) plus a $35 acceptance fee paid to the facility |
Optional services, such as expedited processing ($60) and 1 to 3 day return delivery ($26.87), are added to the State Department payment. Confirm all amounts on the State Department's fee page before you pay. Pay the State Department by check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of State," with your name and date of birth in the memo section.
Step 6: Plan Around Travel
This is the part many newlyweds miss.
- You can't travel on a passport you've mailed in. Mail-in routes require you to send your most recent passport, and it comes back as the new one. Plan for processing time plus mailing both ways. See our guide to how to expedite a passport if you're short on time.
- Booking a honeymoon before the name change? The common advice is to book tickets in the name on the passport you'll actually travel with. If your wedding is soon before the trip, ask your airline how it handles a name that differs from the ticket, and consider whether you'll have the new passport in time.
- If you'll need to travel in the next few weeks, consider applying in person at a passport agency with proof of urgent travel, or keep traveling on your current passport and change the name afterward. Check the State Department's urgent travel page for eligibility.
- Don't wait until the last minute. Standard processing has typically been several weeks, with expedited service faster. Check current times at travel.state.gov.
Which Name Should You Use?
The name on your new passport should match the document you're using to prove the change. If you plan to use a hyphenated name, add a surname or drop a middle name, make sure your marriage certificate or other evidence supports that name. The State Department's name change page and your form's instructions explain what documents are required for different name changes, so read them before you fill in the name fields.
Common Mistakes
- Using the wrong form. Check how long ago your passport was issued, and whether you qualify for DS-82.
- Sending a photocopy of the marriage certificate instead of an original or certified copy
- Forgetting to send the current passport with a mail-in application
- Using FedEx, UPS or DHL for a DS-82, which can't deliver to the form's PO Box addresses
- Signing a DS-11 before your appointment
- Submitting an old or noncompliant photo, or one that no longer looks like you
- Not completing the marriage details section on the DS-11
- Booking travel too close to the processing deadline
Frequently Asked Questions
What form do I use to change my name on my passport after marriage?
It depends on when your passport was issued. Use DS-5504 when both issuance and the legal name change were less than a year ago. Otherwise use DS-82 if eligible for mail renewal, or DS-11 in person.
Is there a fee to change my name on my passport?
If you use DS-5504, there is no application fee unless you request expedited service. With DS-82 or DS-11, standard application fees apply.
Do I need my marriage certificate?
Yes, an original or certified copy, or other legal name change document. For a DS-11 in person, you can alternatively provide a valid ID in your new name and fill in the marriage details section.
Can I change my name on my passport online?
Use the mail or in-person name-change route described on the State Department page. Standard online renewal requires that you are not changing your name; check eligibility before starting.
Do I need a new photo?
Yes. All the standard routes involve a new passport photo.
Do I have to send my old passport?
For mail-in applications, yes. You send your most recent passport with the form, and the State Department mails back your new passport and your supporting documents.
How long does it take?
Processing times change, so check travel.state.gov. Expedited service is available for an extra fee, and you should add mailing time on both ends.
Can I travel while my passport is being processed?
Not with a passport you've mailed in. Apply early, or ask about urgent travel options if you have a trip coming up.
Should I change my name before my honeymoon?
Only if you will have the new passport in hand before you travel. Otherwise, travel on your current passport with tickets booked in that name, then change it afterward. Confirm your airline's policy.
Bottom Line
To change your surname on a U.S. passport after marriage, pick the form by the passport's issue date (DS-5504 when both events were within a year, DS-82 by mail if eligible, DS-11 in person otherwise), send a certified marriage certificate, include a new, compliant photo, and plan around the time you'll be without your passport. Check your photo with PhotoOmni before you print so a photo error doesn't delay your new passport.
Official Sources
- U.S. Department of State: passport photo requirements
- U.S. Department of State: passport fees and payment methods
- U.S. Department of State: change or correct a passport
- U.S. Department of State: online renewal eligibility
Official guidance checked on October 16, 2026. Follow the current application instructions before submitting.
About the Author
PhotoOmni Editorial Team
The PhotoOmni Editorial Team explains official passport, visa and identity-photo requirements, with practical guidance on taking photos, preparing files and printing. This guide draws on the official sources listed above. The issuing authority sets the application requirements and makes the final acceptance decision.