Passmere is a private company, not a government agency. This guide is free information, not legal advice. Each fact links to the official source and shows the date we checked it.
Passport
Change the name on your U.S. passport or fix an error
Which form to use after marriage, divorce or a court order, when the change has no government fee, where to mail it, and how to fix a data or printing error.
Recent passport and recent name change
under review — see the official source3The government charges under review — see the official source1 for this with routine service. Expedited service costs under review — see the official source4 extra.
Where to mail Form DS-5504 for routine service:
under review — see the official source5Where to mail Form DS-5504 for expedited service:
under review — see the official source6More time has passed
under review — see the official source7under review — see the official source8
To renew by mail, follow Renew your passport by mail and add a certified copy of your name change document. If even one condition is not true, you apply in person: First adult passport explains how Form DS-11 works.
No legal document for your new name
under review — see the official source9This route takes more preparation than the others. If your situation is unusual, check the official source before you start.
Fixing a data or printing error
under review — see the official source10The government charges under review — see the official source2 to correct it while your passport is still valid. Form DS-5504 goes to the same addresses shown above.
Step by step
- Find the issue date on your passport and the date on your marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order.
- Compare them with the rules above to choose your route: Form DS-5504 by mail, a mail renewal with Form DS-82, or Form DS-11 in person.
- Get the original or a certified copy of your name change document; a plain photocopy is not enough.
- Fill in the form for your route on a computer and print it. Sign Form DS-5504 or DS-82 before you mail it; sign Form DS-11 only in front of the acceptance agent.
- Get one passport photo that meets the official rules (see Passport photo requirements).
- For a mail route, put the form, your most recent passport, the name change document, the photo and any fee in one envelope and mail it, preferably with tracking. For Form DS-11, go to an acceptance facility in person.
- Watch your email for status updates and keep your mailing receipt.
Checklist
What goes in a Form DS-5504 envelope
- Form DS-5504, filled in and signed
- Your most recent passport
- For a name change: the original or a certified copy of your marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order
- For a data or printing error: evidence of the error
- One passport photo that meets the official rules
- Check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of State", only if you choose expedited service
Do and don't
Do
- Send the original or a certified copy of your name change document. It comes back to you separately.
- Use the address that matches the service you chose.
- Keep a copy of everything you send and the tracking number.
Don't
- Don't send a plain photocopy of your marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order.
- Don't put off a Form DS-5504 change if you qualify now: later, it takes a renewal or a new application, with the usual fees.
- Don't mail Form DS-11. You hand it in, unsigned, at an acceptance facility.
Fees
These are government fees. They are paid to the U.S. Department of State and, for Form DS-11 only, to the acceptance facility. They are not paid to Passmere.
| What | Paid to | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Name change with Form DS-5504 (routine) | U.S. Department of State | under review — see the official source1 |
| Data or printing error correction (passport still valid) | U.S. Department of State | under review — see the official source2 |
| Expedited service (optional) | U.S. Department of State | under review — see the official source4 |
| Adult passport book, by mail renewal or with Form DS-11 | U.S. Department of State | under review — see the official source11 |
| Acceptance fee (Form DS-11 only) | Acceptance facility | under review — see the official source12 |
All government fees are in Passport fees.
How long it takes
- Routine processing: under review — see the official source14.
- Expedited processing: under review — see the official source15.
- Mailing can add up to under review — see the official source16 each way.
- Your old passport and name change document come back up to under review — see the official source17 after the new passport.
Traveling soon? Read Urgent travel: getting a passport fast.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a name change cost?
On a recent passport, with Form DS-5504 and routine service, the government charges under review — see the official source1. Expedited service costs under review — see the official source4. After more time has passed, you pay the usual renewal or new passport fees shown above.
Can I send a photocopy of my marriage certificate?
No. Send the original or a certified copy. It comes back to you in a separate mailing.
My name is misspelled in my passport. What do I do?
That is a data error, not a name change. Mail Form DS-5504 with the passport, one photo and evidence of the error, as explained in "Fixing a data or printing error" above.
I use a different name but never had a court order. Can I update my passport?
There is a route for that: you apply in person with Forms DS-11 and DS-60 and bring public records that show you used the new name. If your case is unusual, check the official source before you apply.
Will Passmere ask for my Social Security number?
No. under review — see the official source18 Passmere never asks for it: you write it on the form yourself.
How do I track my application?
Sources and verification
- Fee for a name change within 1 year of issuance — U.S. Department of State: Change or Correct a Passport. under review — see the official source
- Fee to correct a data or printing error — U.S. Department of State: Change or Correct a Passport. under review — see the official source
- Name change within 1 year (Form DS-5504) — U.S. Department of State: Change or Correct a Passport. under review — see the official source
- Expedited service fee — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
- DS-5504 mailing address — routine — U.S. Department of State: Form DS-5504 (edition 04-2025) — instructions. under review — see the official source
- DS-5504 mailing address — expedited — U.S. Department of State: Form DS-5504 (edition 04-2025) — instructions. under review — see the official source
- Name change after more than 1 year — U.S. Department of State: Change or Correct a Passport. under review — see the official source
- Who can renew by mail (Form DS-82) — U.S. Department of State: Renew Your Passport by Mail. under review — see the official source
- Using a new name without a legal document — U.S. Department of State: Change or Correct a Passport. under review — see the official source
- Correcting a data or printing error — U.S. Department of State: Change or Correct a Passport. under review — see the official source
- Government application fee — adult passport book — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
- Acceptance facility fee (in-person applications) — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
- How to pay the government fees — U.S. Department of State: Passport Fees. under review — see the official source
- Routine processing time — U.S. Department of State: Get Your Processing Time. under review — see the official source
- Expedited processing time — U.S. Department of State: Get Your Processing Time. under review — see the official source
- Mailing time each way — U.S. Department of State: Get Your Processing Time. under review — see the official source
- Return of your supporting documents — U.S. Department of State: Renew Your Passport by Mail. under review — see the official source
- Social Security number on the form — U.S. Department of State: Form DS-82 (edition 04-2025) — instructions. under review — see the official source
- Official application status site — U.S. Department of State: Get Your Processing Time. under review — see the official source