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Change Minor Son's Name in Passport

by Aime
(San Diego, CA)

Question: I changed my son's first name last year. What forms do I need to file for a new passport? And can I do it through the mail?


I need his passport as soon as possible. I changed his name last September, so it has been well over a year. I am a single mother and the only one listed as a parent on his birth certificate. The passport he has is the passport card.

Answer: You cannot apply for a passport name change for a minor by mail. You need to appear in person with your son at a San Diego passport office or the Los Angeles passport agency.

You will get the passport in 2-6 weeks at the passport office or in one day at the regional agency.

In order to apply for your son's passport, you must submit Form DS-11, evidence of his U.S. citizenship, evidence of your relationship to him, your photo ID, a copy of the identification document and one passport photo.

You also need to present evidence of the legal name change. This must be an original or certified copy of the document which proves his name was changed legally.

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UPDATE: Mailing delays and high demand are impacting passport processing. The Department of State's processing times begin when applications are received at a passport agency or center and not when you mail them or apply at a local acceptance facility. Standard service may take between 8 and 11 weeks. This timeframe does not include delivery time. Mailing times vary across the country.

Expedited service takes from 5 to 7 weeks excluding mailing times on the front and back end. Current mailing delays are significant. Requesting 1-2-day mailing service is recommended.

Regional passport agencies are offering two types of appointments: Life-of-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service.

Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, and grandparent) that require you to travel outside the United States within 3 business days.

If you need to travel due to a qualified life-or-death emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center for an appointment:

Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. ET, call 1-877-487-2778 (TDD/TTY:1-888-874-7793) Outside of these hours, call 202-647-4000.

For Urgent Travel Service, you need to call 14 days before your scheduled international travel or 28 days if you also need to secure a foreign visa.

If you need to travel urgently for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency, please call the NPIC at 1-877-487-2778 Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. ET.

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