Can I use a notarized copy of marriage certificate instead of the original?

by Irene
(Washington DC)

Question: I tried getting a certified copy from Vital Records but they said the marriage was too soon (April 2010) and returned my application.

Can I have a copy of the original made in front of a notary and they notarize it to be submitted for my passport name change? It is hard for me to send in the original for that length of time (4-6 weeks) since I still need it for various other name change documents.

Answer: The marriage certificate you send must either be the original or a certified copy from the vital records office. Notarized photocopies are not acceptable.

If you are concerned about the length of time that your document is gone, you can expedite the process and get them returned in 2-3 weeks. There is an additional $60 fee for this. You can even get it faster through a professional expediting service.

Also, you are encouraged to use secure packaging such as a Tyvek envelope and a traceable delivery method to ensure that your documents are better protected. For more information, click the link below.

Apply for Passport Name Change

Expedite Passport Name Change