How to Renew Your Passport After a Name Change

Marriage, divorce and court-ordered name changes are among the most common reasons people need a new passport. The right form depends on two dates: when your passport was issued and when your name legally changed. This guide explains each route, based on the State Department's Change or Correct a Passport page and the DS-82 instructions as checked on October 7, 2026.

Can you change your name with online renewal?

No. One of the State Department's requirements for online renewal is that you are not changing your personal information, such as your name or sex. If you renew online, your new passport is issued in the same name as your old one. To get your new name in your passport, you need one of the paper routes below. Our online renewal eligibility checklist lists every other online rule.

Which form to use: situation, form and documents

Route 1: Form DS-5504 within one year

If it has been less than a year since your passport was issued, and your name was legally changed within that year, the State Department treats the update as a change rather than a renewal. Send by mail:

• Form DS-5504 (mailing instructions are on the form).
• Your most recent U.S. passport.
• An original or certified document showing the name change, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order.
• One passport photo.

There is no fee for this service. If you want it expedited, you pay $60. The State Department's fee page lists name changes as "it depends on your situation" and points to its fee calculator, so check the calculator if your case is unusual.

Route 2: Renew by mail with Form DS-82

If more than a year has passed, you can renew by mail as long as you meet the usual mail rules: you can submit your most recent passport, it was issued within the last 15 years, it was issued when you were 16 or older and valid for 10 years, it is not damaged beyond normal wear, and it was never reported lost or stolen. The name rule for mail renewal is that your passport was issued in your current name, or you can provide a document showing the change.

What to send:

• Completed and signed Form DS-82, with your new name in the name field and previous names listed in the "other names" section.
• Your most recent passport.
• A certified copy of your marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order. The State Department returns these documents in a separate mailing.
• One color 2 x 2 inch photo taken in the last 6 months.
• A check or money order for the fee. See passport renewal fees.

The DS-82 instructions say documents must be clear and legible, and that if you cannot document the name change this way, you must apply with Form DS-11. A photocopy that is not certified is not enough. Compare this route with online renewal in online vs mail renewal.

Changed your name more than once?

If your current name results from several changes, for example a marriage, a divorce and a remarriage, you need documents that connect the name in your last passport to your current name. If the chain is broken and you cannot show every step, the safest move is to call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778 before you mail anything.

Route 3: Apply in person with Form DS-11

Apply in person if you are not eligible to renew by mail. The State Department says you can do this if you have a valid ID in your new name and complete the marriage details section on page 2 of Form DS-11.

If you are already using a different name but have no court order, divorce decree or marriage certificate, apply in person with Form DS-11, your citizenship evidence, a valid ID in your current name with a photocopy, one color passport photo and the fees. You also need Form DS-60, Affidavit Regarding a Change of Name, completed by two people who have known you by both names, plus three certified or original public records showing you have used the new name for 5 years or more.

The photo for a name change

Every route requires a new photo, even the free DS-5504. A name change often coincides with other changes, such as a new hairstyle, hair color or weight. Your photo must show you as you look now, be taken within the last 6 months, and meet all the usual rules: plain white or off-white background, no glasses, no shadows, eyes open, and no filters or edits.

For DS-82 and DS-11 applications, the photo is printed at 2 x 2 inches with the head between 1 and 1 3/8 inches from chin to top of head. Our guide on printing a 2 x 2 passport photo covers paper and sizing.

A rejected photo puts your application on hold, and you will have 90 days to send a new one. That is a delay you can avoid by checking the photo first with our free passport photo checker.

Practical tips

• Order extra certified copies. Your marriage certificate or court order is returned, but separately and later. Having another certified copy helps with other agencies in the meantime.
• Make the names match. The name you write on the form should match your legal document exactly.
• Book travel in the name on your passport. Airline tickets should match the passport you will travel on. If you have not yet updated it, book in your old name.
• Fixing an error is different. If your passport has a misspelling or printing error, Form DS-5504 corrects it at no charge. A correction reported within a year of issue gets a full-validity passport; after a year, it is valid until the original expiration date.

After your new passport arrives

Sign your new passport, and update any accounts that store your passport details, such as Global Entry. Your new passport will have a new number. Check your status along the way with the State Department's online status tool, as explained in our passport renewal status guide.