US Passport name change

Hi

I have a question regarding US passport name change, I am actually posting on behalf of my wife.

We were recently married, she is currently on a unmarried partner visa which is in her maiden name and US passport also in her maiden name.

The plan is to get a new US passport in her married name then update the biometrics card shortly after.

My question is; I assume the process of getting a new passport is you just send off the marriage license to the US embassy in London with the normal 'new passport' form and procedure?

Also if she has a new US passport and biometrics card in her married name, will it cause any issues flying back into the states if she hasn't changed her name there? I mean the US equivalent of deed poll change or social security will obviously still be in her maiden name.

Thanks
James

If she already has a valid passport and then is just changing her name, you would need to follow the steps for renewing her passport.  I do not know about changing the biometrics card but I do know that it MUST be done within a certain amount of time (hopefully someone else can jump in and clarify that). 

As for flying back to the US, no, changing her name in the UK will not be a problem so long as her travel is booked in whatever name is in her US passport.  If she would like to change her name on her Social Security Card then she can do it in the UK but it is so much simpler in the US.  She just needs to take her marriage certificate and former SS Card to the office and have them change it.  They will then send her a new card with her new name in the mail.

Changing her name is not a requirement and she is free to start using her married name in the UK while retaining her maiden name on her passport and biometrics card.  Completely up to her but, if she wants to save herself some hassle, that is a possibility.

hey beatlemania thanks for the reply

that sounds good then i think, she wants to use her married name in the UK, and have her passport be in her married name (makes opening joint accounts much easier etc)

however as for changing her name in the US for any other service i dont know when we will get round to doing that, which is why i was slightly concerned!

hey beatlemania thanks for the reply

that sounds good then i think, she wants to use her married name in the UK, and have her passport be in her married name (makes opening joint accounts much easier etc)

however as for changing her name in the US for any other service i dont know when we will get round to doing that, which is why i was slightly concerned!

Hello!
From what I have read around the forum, and what I am doing myself, is leaving my BRP card and Passport in my maiden name until I am eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain. I just got married to my British husband in July and I have not changed my name on my passport and have no intent to do so until I have to. It's REALLY easy to have your married name listed on joint accounts and on your NI number and bills, etc.

For my joint account and the NI number I just needed to have a copy of my Marriage Certificate to prove I was allowed to use the married name.

To change her name on the BRP card, you will have to pay for a new one because there are no mistakes on it made by the UKVI. They give you 10 days after receipt of the card to let them know about any corrections.

She will also have to pay for a passport renewal unless she renewed her passport within the last year. I looked into that last year when my husband and I were thinking of marrying in the states, the date we were thinking of was over the one year mark. I just can't remember if there was a separate form for name changes due to marriage or not. That question would be easily answered by visiting the US embassy website or by googling.

If she leaves her passport and BRP card in her maiden name for travel, the only important thing is to book all travel in the name on her BRP card and Passport. The US really won't care what name she's traveling with, just that the passport matches her her tickets.

Hope that's helpful!

She will also have to pay for a passport renewal unless she renewed her passport within the last year. I looked into that last year when my husband and I were thinking of marrying in the states, the date we were thinking of was over the one year mark. I just can't remember if there was a separate form for name changes due to marriage or not. That question would be easily answered by visiting the US embassy website or by googling.

I renewed my passport with my fancy new married name in June (granted I was in the US).  I had to fill out the same exact renewal form as you would when you passport expires.  You just include your marriage certificate, your passport, 2 passport photos, the payment, and the form (and anything else asked for, I can't remember exactly).  I also included a cover letter as to why I was renewing several years before the passport expired.  4 weeks later I received a shiny new passport.  I don't know what the exact process is from the UK but I bet it is similar.