First name on my birth certificate differs from driver's license.
Question: My first name on my birth certificate is Frankie. My first name on all of my other documents (driver's license, credit cards etc.) is Frank.
I recently applied for a passport and completed the form with my name as FRANK, however I was asked to provide my birth certificate and copy of my driver's license.
I am looking to make a reservation to travel in 3 weeks and am waiting for my passport to arrive however I am not sure how my first name will appear on my passport. I would like to make this reservation as soon as possible before the cost of airfare increases, but do not want to make it with the incorrect spelling of my name.
Can you advise which name will appear on the passport?
Answers: While derivatives of a name are usually accepted for passports, the agent that processes your application will have the final decision concerning the name that is included in your travel document. Therefore, there is no way to affirm which name will be included until the process is completed.
Note, if you entered the name Frankie on the application and that is what is on your birth certificate, then that is the name that will most likely be included in your passport.
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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)
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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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