Potentially stupid passport question
 

Okay so hi. Like the title says, I have a potentially stupid question regarding my passport. I HAD a passport years back but it got lost in one of a dozen moves. I haven't thought about it because I'd given up on ever going out of the country again so I figured I wouldn't need it.

Well, my husband and I are trying to plan a vacation to the UK for later on in the year so, of course, now I need my passport but there's another problem. I had my passport in college and I got married 2 years ago. Now what I'm wondering is this: how do I get a new passport? Do I apply for a new one or fill out the paperwork for a lost passport? And then how do I handle my name change? I mean if I have to apply for a new passport, the application requires my birth certificate but, legally, my birth name isn't my name anymore.

HELP!!! Please??? :confused:

Well, if the passport isn't expired yet, you could fill out the form for the lost passport.

A name change is handled by submitting a notarized copy of your marriage certificate. At least it was back in the dark ages when I got married... but then, times have changed since then.

If you choose to apply for a new one, same thing - submit both your birth certificate and your marriage certificate. The first time I had mine changed, they simply added a page at the back that said something like "Passport amended to" and listed my married name. But that was keeping my original one. When that expired and a new one was issued, it was simply in my married name.

I'm sure someone will chime in with more details. :)

Sort of the same thing happened to me. Had a passport, lost it in one of many moves and then needed one. Since mine was expired, and issued as a minor, I filled out the paperwork for a new one and also the paperwork for a lost passport (both found on the Travel.state.gov website) and took it to the post office with photos, DL and BC. The clerk said that since it had expired I didnt need the lost passport form but she took it since I had it. All you need for name change is your marriage cert.
The form asks if you have had a passport, the date of expiration and where it was issued. I answered "yes", "approx 1983" and "maybe Philadelphia".

New passport came in 3 weeks.
You shouldnt have any problem.... :)

Expired passports can be used to get a new one, I think. I'm not going to check on it, but I recall 5 or 10 years is the cutoff date.

They can indeed. You send in your old passport (with a check, of course) and they send you a new one back. Most times (I refuse to every say "always" when dealing with gov't agencies), they'll clip off a corner or punch your old passport and return it to you as well.

This won't help the OP though since she has lost the original passport - expired or not. :)

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All pertinent information, instructions, FAQs and download-able forms can be found on the Department of State's website:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html