marriage certificate to get passport???

[MamaParrotHead]

I applied for, and received a passport last year. Provided the necessary documentation...my original birth certificate, photo ID, pictures, necessary forms. Then my 2 YO got a hold of it a few months ago and illustrated with a permanent black marker :eek: . So, I went down a few days ago with the same documentation, along with my marred passport, and was told I needed a certified copy of my marriage certificate (as my birth certificate had my maiden name on it, obviously, and I wanted a "different" (my married) last name on the passport). Sounded odd to me, but I went down to the darn courthouse, paid my $15 to get the copy, and went back to the passport office. Where someone other than the person I had spoken to earlier was on duty, and questioned why I was including my marriage certificate. I was like, "I don't have a clue. I know I didn't need one last time I applied for a passport" and she said, "Oh well, that was Mike and he knows ALL about passports". Fine, whatever.

 

Then I went online today to check the status of my application, to see if they'd received it yet. And out of curiosity looked at the required documentation, and nowhere did it state anyone needed a marriage certificate. I'm confused.

 

Was this guy smoking crack, or what? And did he cost me $15 (on top of the $97) unnecessarily?

[bguppies]

My Wife didn't need one, when we applied for ours back in July.

Don't know if it had to do with the fact that we applied together and paid for both passports together.

 

Bill

[L2J]

I applied for, and received a passport last year. Provided the necessary documentation...my original birth certificate, photo ID, pictures, necessary forms. Then my 2 YO got a hold of it a few months ago and illustrated with a permanent black marker :eek: . So, I went down a few days ago with the same documentation, along with my marred passport, and was told I needed a certified copy of my marriage certificate (as my birth certificate had my maiden name on it, obviously, and I wanted a "different" (my married) last name on the passport). Sounded odd to me, but I went down to the darn courthouse, paid my $15 to get the copy, and went back to the passport office. Where someone other than the person I had spoken to earlier was on duty, and questioned why I was including my marriage certificate. I was like, "I don't have a clue. I know I didn't need one last time I applied for a passport" and she said, "Oh well, that was Mike and he knows ALL about passports". Fine, whatever.

 

Then I went online today to check the status of my application, to see if they'd received it yet. And out of curiosity looked at the required documentation, and nowhere did it state anyone needed a marriage certificate. I'm confused.

 

Was this guy smoking crack, or what? And did he cost me $15 (on top of the $97) unnecessarily?

 

Mama - you may want to call the CS number for the passports folks.

[Mysticks1]

Mama - you may want to call the CS number for the passports folks.

 

Is that where you report the Crack Smokers? :D

I just applied for the first time 2 weeks ago. I didn't need my marriage certificate.

[hughvh]

I wonder if you could get the replacement directly from the State Dept. Renewal and stollen passports go through them, I don't see why damaged ones couldn't go through them too.

 

I check the State Dept web site, but there is no info about damaged passports. Try contacting them directly. You maybe able to skip the local courthouse all together.

[MamaParrotHead]

Passport info CS confirmed that the guy was a total crack smoker. MAN...that $15 is atleast 2-3 foo-foo drinks down the drain! I then felt obligated to call the local office and inform them they're falsely obligating people to spend money for no reason. She was like, "Oh, I'll let Mike know". Yeah...you do that, and tell Mike I'll be expecting a check in the mail, too. Argh.

 

As for the question regarding what to do about a damaged passport...I was told that a damaged passport voids it completely, so you have to start over and reapply from Square One. The only reason anyone would need a certified copy of a marriage certificate is if there would need to be a name change from an existing passport.

 

Thanks, guys!

[L2J]

I wonder if you could get the replacement directly from the State Dept. Renewal and stollen passports go through them, I don't see why damaged ones couldn't go through them too.

 

You maybe able to skip the local courthouse all together.

 

All passports go though the State Dept but someone (post office or court) still hase to witness and all that.

 

I don't think so.

[VentureMan_2000]

We needed a marriage certificate. SOunds very reasonable... otherwise, how would they know the name change was on the up-and-up...?

[cherylandtk]

While Ventureman was told the Marriage Certificate was needed, it is NOT a usual requirement. Whether Ventureman truly needed it or was another victim of an ill-informed processor (as was the OP) is unknown without more details.

 

But to everyone else out there who is married and wondering, no, most applications from married women DO NOT need the marriage license. Your birth certificate proves your citizenship, your ID proves your identity, which is also your current legal married name. If the BC first/middle names and birthdate match up to the ID names and birth date, you are fine.

 

to Ventureman: the 'Up and Up-ness' of the name change was proved when your bride got her LEGAL ID in her new name. It is not necessary to prove it twice.

[Vanessa L]

I applied for, and received a passport last year. Provided the necessary documentation...my original birth certificate, photo ID, pictures, necessary forms. Then my 2 YO got a hold of it a few months ago and illustrated with a permanent black marker :eek: . So, I went down a few days ago with the same documentation, along with my marred passport, and was told I needed a certified copy of my marriage certificate (as my birth certificate had my maiden name on it, obviously, and I wanted a "different" (my married) last name on the passport). Sounded odd to me, but I went down to the darn courthouse, paid my $15 to get the copy, and went back to the passport office. Where someone other than the person I had spoken to earlier was on duty, and questioned why I was including my marriage certificate. I was like, "I don't have a clue. I know I didn't need one last time I applied for a passport" and she said, "Oh well, that was Mike and he knows ALL about passports". Fine, whatever.

 

Then I went online today to check the status of my application, to see if they'd received it yet. And out of curiosity looked at the required documentation, and nowhere did it state anyone needed a marriage certificate. I'm confused.

 

Was this guy smoking crack, or what? And did he cost me $15 (on top of the $97) unnecessarily?

 

When I renewed my passport my legal name had changed because I'd remarried. The post office stated that I would have to have a certified copy of my marriage license sent with the old info to prove my new name. I did so and they returned the marriage certificate with the new passport. I was led to believe by the post office employee that if your name has changed you have to present some official document to prove it.

[VentureMan_2000]

When I renewed my passport my legal name had changed because I'd remarried. The post office stated that I would have to have a certified copy of my marriage license sent with the old info to prove my new name. I did so and they returned the marriage certificate with the new passport. I was led to believe by the post office employee that if your name has changed you have to present some official document to prove it.

 

 

My wife was required to send in a certified copy of my marriage licence too.

 

The bottom line is, if they ask you to do it, you have to. You can argue the point all you want... but of your agency says you have to have it, then you have to have it.

 

Simple.

[MamaParrotHead]

When I renewed my passport my legal name had changed because I'd remarried. The post office stated that I would have to have a certified copy of my marriage license sent with the old info to prove my new name. I did so and they returned the marriage certificate with the new passport. I was led to believe by the post office employee that if your name has changed you have to present some official document to prove it.

 

because you all ready had been issued a passport in another name. the name on my old passport and my new one was the same.

[MamaParrotHead]

My wife was required to send in a certified copy of my marriage licence too.

 

The bottom line is, if they ask you to do it, you have to. You can argue the point all you want... but of your agency says you have to have it, then you have to have it.

 

Simple.

 

I knew the man was misinformed. And my first instinct was to have HIM call the national passport information line, while I was there, and ask someone that knew what s/he was talking about about my specific situation. If I would have done that, I'd have saved myself $15 and about an hour of my time (running from the post office to the court house then back to the post office). It's not the agency requiring it, and if it WERE an actual requirement, I'd happily comply. The problem is, it's NOT an actual requirement UNLESS you all ready have a passport that's been issued under another name. It wasn't the agency requiring it, it was the misinformed employee that was handling the paperwork.

[Vanessa L]

So, I went down a few days ago with the same documentation, along with my marred passport, and was told I needed a certified copy of my marriage certificate (as my birth certificate had my maiden name on it, obviously, and I wanted a "different" (my married) last name on the passport).

 

Sorry Mama, I read this to say that you wanted to change the name on your passport. I thought that your old passport had your maiden (or previous) name on it. My bad. :(

[bubbles1209]

:eek: Wow, I guess I was lucky yesterday when I applied for my passport. I've been married, divorced, kept the married name because of having the children (seemed easier), and I was never asked for marriage certificate, or certified copy of divorce, and actually had both with me when I went..........along with my certified birth certificate. Go figure.

[CrazieNCruisingGypsy2]

I have been married, divorced, re-married, divorced and remarried again and they didn't require my marriage certificate when we got our passports last year...

[cherylandtk]

Leslie and Bubbles, thats because your Legal ID matched the name that you applied with. Did not matter where you started or how many you had in between.

[bubbles1209]

Leslie and Bubbles, thats because your Legal ID matched the name that you applied with. Did not matter where you started or how many you had in between.

om, the op had the same documentation she had when she applied last year, but yet they asked her for her marriage certificate. That's what the whole thread is about. Why would she need it now, when she didn't need it last year...not to mention she also had the ruined passport with her current name on it. Now if she didn't need the marriage certificate last year, why would she need it this year? That's the original question, and we were only commenting on how it's our first time applying and we didn't need it.

[MamaParrotHead]

Leslie and Bubbles, thats because your Legal ID matched the name that you applied with. Did not matter where you started or how many you had in between.

 

all of my documentation (besides my birth certificate, obviously) matched, too.

[bubbles1209]

all of my documentation (besides my birth certificate, obviously) matched, too.

I thought I read that right, ty MamaParrotHead.:)

[bubbles1209]

all of my documentation (besides my birth certificate, obviously) matched, too.

I thought I read that right, ty MamaParrotHead.:)

[cherylandtk]

That's the original question, and we were only commenting on how it's our first time applying and we didn't need it.

Yes, I know. Was agreeing with you.

[cherylandtk]

all of my documentation (besides my birth certificate, obviously) matched, too.

Mama, yes, but you had the ill fortune to get the dunderhead processor who made you obtain the unnecessary certified marriage license. FWIW, I was not disagreeing with you (or Bubbles or Leslie) just trying to make the point that the Marriage license only proves a name change. You don't need it if your legal Identity document has the current legal name for a first time application for a passport.

 

Now, if Leslie or Bubbles re-divorce or re-re-marry, thats another situation entirely.

[BND]

I got my first passport at age 22 one year after I got married. I never had to show my marriage license to get it. I also had a military dependent's ID with my DH's name on it and used that as another form of ID along with my DL and BC, so that may be why it wasn't an issue the first time. The second time I had my old passport with my correct name.

And I reapplied last year for my new one since my old one expired after 5 years (they used to only be good for 5 years) in 1987 and had to start from scratch and didn't need my marriage license then either.

[serene56]

Boy, this is confusing. I was told I needed a marriage certificate to prove my name change. (im going on a cruise soon and dont have the extra money to get the document now til i get back)

 

How come some people need it and some dont? dont they all go through the same place?