What to Enter for the Place and Date of Name Change on Form DS-82

Key Takeaways

• Use the date of the legal name change event (marriage date, court order date, or the date listed on a divorce decree if it restored your name).
• Use the place tied to that legal event (city and state where the marriage happened or where the court issued the order).
• Don’t use the date you updated your Social Security card or driver’s license unless that’s also the date of your legal name change.
• Match what you enter to the document you’re submitting with your DS-82.

If you’re renewing your U.S. passport with Form DS-82 and your name has changed, you’ll be asked for the place and date of name change. This part often confuses people up because the documents updated later (like a Social Security card) might not match the date the name legally changed.

Here’s the simple rule: enter the place and date from the legal name change document that proves the change. That way, the place and date you put on your renewal application lines up exactly with your supporting paperwork.

What Counts as a Legal Name Change

For passport purposes, a name change needs to be supported by an official document. The most common are:

• Marriage certificate (showing a name change after marriage)
• Divorce decree (if it restores your prior name after the divorce)
• Adoption decree or amended birth certificate (must show prior name, new name and legal authority that authorized the change)
• Court order (specifically granting a name change)

Updates you make later with other agencies can be helpful for consistency, but they don’t replace the legal document that created the name change.

What to Enter for “Date of Name Change”

Use the date on the legal event that changed your name:

• Marriage: the date of the marriage ceremony
• Divorce decree (name restored): the date shown on the decree for restoring your name (often the decree date)
• Adoptiion decree: the date shown on the decree or amended birth certificate
• Court order: the date the judge signed the order (or the effective date shown on the order)

If you updated your name with Social Security or your DMV at a later date, don’t use those dates. They are not acceptable as legal proof of a name change.

What to Enter for “Place of Name Change”

Use the city and state where the legal change happened:

• Marriage: city and state where you got married
• Divorce decree (name restored): city and state of the court that issued the decree
• Adoption decree: city and state of the decree or amended birth certificate was issued
• Court order: city and state of the court that issued the order

When in doubt, look at the document you’re including with your DS-82 and use the location on that.

Why Getting This Right Helps

The goal is to make your application easy to verify. If the date and place you put on the passport renewal application form DS-82 is different from what is on the document you submit as proof of legal name change, it will cause delays.

Before You Submit: A Fast Checklist

• Use the same date shown on (or tied to) your legal name change document.
• Use the city and state where the event or court action happened.
• Make sure your supporting document clearly connects your old name to your new name.
• Double-check spelling so it matches your paperwork.