Passport Question

Yes, birth certificates are required. If you plan on changing your name, may want to do it prior to getting your passport. If you don't, you will have to pay a change name fee.

I went to the post office and they check over my application and then took my photo. It took a little less than 8 weeks for me, but my sister's took exactly 8 weeks.

View Quoted Comment Do not let the name change discourage you! If your name changes within 12 months of the date your current passport was issued, you can apply for a name change and new passport for free (less the cost to mail in your name change form and docs). For your first passport, I believe you still go in person to submit. When you renew or do the name change, you do it by mail.

Honeymoon is a great reason to travel outside of the country. As long as you have enough time between now and your travel date, go ahead and get the passport and see the world! 😊

As a side note, you can get 2 types of passports: a card is cheaper but you CANNOT board a plane- you would need the other, more common "book" passport. We went to the post office, and it took about 6 and a half weeks. I don't know if rules vary by state, but I had to bring a driver's licence, birth certificate, and mail that had my address on it.

You'll need your birth certificate, and your first marriage certificate to show your name change. The other things you'll need are shown at this link:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/how-to-apply.html

If you've never had a passport before, you'll need to go in person. You can find a list of places to go at:

https://iafdb.travel.state.gov/

As a passport agent myself I can tell you yes you need your original birth certificate to apply. My office is a acceptance facility we do about 83 a day on a walk in basis. As the bride above said, don’t let the name change discourage you, go ahead and get it early it’s cheaper. $110 for a new if you have to rush it’s 2-3 weeks and $186.48 with the postage fees overnighted or $170 without. But after you return from your honeymoon, as long as your ID and social match your new name you can submit your certified copy of your ML with the “name change” form for free within the first year issuance of your first passport. If you mail and they receive it later than a day after the issuance you will have to repay.

Also none of this can be done online btw, for a new passport you must come to an agent which can be found at “some” post offices, not all do them...or you can look for passport facilities aka a place like where I work (local clerk of court) . They have to be submitted a certain way. However the name change form or renewal is only done via mail unless you are in a rush and you make an appt with one of the 27 locations for the US Dept of State. Happy traveling ❤️

Also note your Birth certificate MUST have a raised seal. My original did not and I got a letter in the mail. I had to go to my local vital office and get a new original BC with a raised seal. I sent that in and got my passport within a week.