Consulate General, Edinburgh
Name Changes
If you have changed your name, you may apply to have this change reflected in your passport. As of September 2005, U.S. passports can no longer be amended; you will need to apply for a new passport.
Follow the instructions on the Passport Renewal webpage for your age and circumstances. If you qualify to renew your passport by mail, and your name has changed due to marriage, you are not required to appear in person. You may complete the DS-82 and renew by mail. Include the original marriage certificate with your application package. Original documents will be returned to you. Fill in the application form with your new name.
If you have changed your name through means other than marriage, you will need to appear in person at the Consulate to submit your application.
To revert back to a birth name or previous married surname due to divorce or death, or if your name was changed in a U.S. court, complete the DS-82 (if you qualify). For all other name changes, complete the DS-11 application form. Bring the original documents when you appear.
To change your name through usage, you will need to submit at least three pieces of official identification showing use of the new name for at least five years. Acceptable pieces of identification may include:
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School Records
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Tax Records
- Military Records
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Medical Card/Records
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Driver's License
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Federal/State/Local Government Card
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Deeds to Property
- Insurance Records
- Foreign Passport
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Employment Records
- Bank Books
- Credit Cards
- Utility or Phone Bills
In lieu of one piece of identification, you may have two friends or family members accompany you to the Consulate and complete an Affidavit of Witness in Support of a Name Change. These witnesses must be over 18 years old and present their valid passports. *Please note: Statutory Declarations and Deed Polls are insufficient to change your name in your U.S. passport.
If you do not have sufficient documentation for five years, we can print your new name in the back of your passport as a "Known As" name. You can then accumulate the documentation and change the name in your passport the next time you renew.
Renewing A Passport Issued Less Than 1 Year Ago
If you are renewing a passport that was issued less than 1 year ago, use the DS-5504 application form. There is no fee and you are not required to appear in person; you may
renew by mail
. Do include your Special Delivery envelope with your application. If it has been more than 1 year since the issue date of your passport, you must follow standard renewal procedures using the DS-82 or DS-11 form. Regular fees apply and applicants under 18 must appear in person.
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