Passport question, does anyone know...

[Rajah]

...if the passport offices want to *keep* the copy of your marriage license that you bring in to show proof of name change?

I'm wanting to update my passport with my married name (haven't had a use for it since I got married) so I can maybe go with DH to Switzerland this June (yeah, like that's going to happen. *sigh* ). I found the form for a name change, found the closest place to get a passport update (I know, you can mail it in, but I'd rather not trust the mail if I don't have to) and have our only copy (note: *copy*, not original) of our marriage license.

I don't really want to give away our only copy (again: *copy*, not original) so if they're going to want to keep the copy, I want to go get another copy before I try to get my name changed. But if all they need to do if you do it in person is sign a form saying "Yup, she had a marriage license" or something, then I can go do that this afternoon.

Anyone with experience on this?

 

[katerkat]

I don't know, but I'd like to find out! I'm still traveling with my passport in my maiden name and a copy of my marriage license.

 

[DoeWDW]

We just finished the passport process for my DS. We had to send in a birth certificate. They sent it back with the passport.

I'm guessing they'll send the marriage certificate back to you.

 

[dcgrumpy]

no they give it back

 

[CEDmom]

You will get it back but you might want to check whether they will accept a copy. We had to send DD's original birth certificate plus her original adoption papers from China (impossible to replace) when we got her passport. Everything came back fine but I was a little nervous about it.

 

[wdwfam]

We, too, just got passports, and you have to send originals, not copies. Like others have said, they do send back the originals. We got ours back in about three weeks. We filled the paperwork out at the post office and the postal service took care of making sure everything was filled out and sent it in for us.

 

[jel0511]

I applied for another passport after I had gotten married (other one had expired and couldn't be renewed). I did have to send in my original marriage license, along with my birth certificate. They did send everything back to me, nothing was lost. They do need the original, the one with official seals, just like birth certificates. So, if you don't have that one, you'll have to contact the city or county where the license was filed to obtain an official certificate.

 

[Rajah]

It says something about being able to send in a certified copy as opposed to the original. I really don't like sending the original out. :/

So even if you go to the post office to update the passport, all they do is look over your paperwork before sending it in and otherwise it's the same as mailing it yourself?

 

[suzannen]

Originally posted by Rajah
So even if you go to the post office to update the passport, all they do is look over your paperwork before sending it in and otherwise it's the same as mailing it yourself?

Yep, that's about it.

Earlier this year, I went in with DD in person to the Passport office to get her first passport. They insist on original birth certificates (documents) and do keep everything and send it in. Everything was returned with her passport in about 3 weeks.

 

[Rajah]

Well, shoot, if they're just going to mail it in as well, why bother going down there in person? I'll just mail the silly thing instead.

Thanks everyone. Now I'm (or, rather, DH is) trying to track down where we can get an official certified copy of our license. I know from one of the county offices around here, but not sure which one. Since the form says an official certified copy (not a notorized xerox) is acceptable, I'd rather do that than risk the original.

 

[Fire14]

I know when I requested copies of my mariage license I got the certified copies at county clerks office for county I was married in.

 

[Rajah]

Well, that was easy. Got the certified copy of the marriage license, so now I can mail all of that in to get my passport updated.

Thanks for the help everyone.