Say My Name...but Differently

Changing your name is a huge step, and once you do it, going back is a pain in the butt, so be sure. Evaluate the pros and cons--"I want to have the same name as my kids," or "I have no brothers so no one else will carry on my name," or "I love the idea of the whole family having a new last name," et cetera. And now, once you've decided to take the plunge...

Wanna change your name to Princess Consuela Bananahammock? Go to court. Want to hyphenate, combine names, or take your husband's last name (or have him take yours)? Then read on, as these are the only name-change options available when applying for a marriage license. And please note that all forms must be filled out in blue or black ink, and that you should always get at the very least a tracking number when sending in such documents, which can be easily and cheaply obtained at your local post office.

Passport--do this one first, as it's both the easiest and the fastest, and will provide you with a solid new ID to use for changing the other two. All you need to do is send in your old passport, two passport photos, your marriage license with your new name, a $75 check made out to "U.S. Department of State," and a filled-out DS-82 form, which you can get here:

http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds82/ds82_843.html

The address you'll be sending to is located on the DS-82 form. This process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, so make sure to expedite in case of travel emergency.


Social Security card--once you get your passport, you'll have solid ID stating your new name. A new social security card is another thing that you can get via mail, provided your mailing address is not in Queens or Brooklyn (or Las Vegas, Orlando, or Phoenix). You're just send in your passport (you'll receive your old one back along with your new one), your marriage license with your new name, and a filled-out SS-5, which you can get here:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5.html

You'll need to send it to your local social security office, which can easily be found here. This process takes approximately four weeks, but your accompanying documents, such as your marriage license, may be returned to you before your card is shipped.

Driver's License--this is the only one you MUST do in person. You must bring your old license or other photo document, your marriage license, a check for $15, and a filled-out MV-44, which you can get here:

http://www.nysdmv.com/forms/mv44.pdf

This too should take approximately four weeks. I recommend saving the driver's license until after you've received your new social security card because I've heard of people having trouble with this, but it doesn't appear from the website that there should be any problem.

Please note that security restrictions and requirements change all the time, so feel free to check and make sure you've got all the necessary stuff. The directions at www.travel.state.gov, www.socialsecurity.gov, and www.nysdmv.com are easy enough, so take a minute to look it all over. Happy name change!