Frequently Asked Questions

A few frequently asked questions with answers provided to assist in understanding the name change process.

Q. Can I change my name before I get married?
A. No. You must have your marriage certificate to change your name, this comes after the wedding from the county or country in which you were married and has an embossed county/country seal on the document.

Q. When can I start the name change process?
A. After you receive your certificate of marriage, approximately 2-3 weeks after your wedding.

Q. I am getting married in a couple months, we are going to honeymoon out of the country, do I need to change my passport?
A. You will have to wait until you get back from your honeymoon to
change your passport. Therefore, you will still be using your maiden
name when traveling on your honeymoon. Make your flight reservations in your maiden name so your passport/drivers license match.

Q. What if I want to hyphen/non-hyphen my maiden and married name, do I still need to make a name change?
A. Yes, even if you are hyphenating/non-hyphenating your maiden with your married name you must notify the appropriate government agencies and your personal records to effectively change your name.

Q. What record do I change first?
A. The kit walks you through six steps and provides all the official forms and addresses of your area taking you through a complete name change process. Our recommendation is to start with your social security record (our 1st step).

Q. Can I change my name by mail?
A. Most all records can be changed through the mail. All forms and addresses are included in the kit to facilitate your mailing option. The record you must make a personal appearance for will be your State Drivers License or State Identification Card.

Q. Do I have to change my name on everything?
A. Our recommendation is that you make a complete and comprehensive name change, the reason being there can be considerable confusion if you do not. Our kit is designed to take you through every conceivable record you may have and provide a name change form for those records.

Q. What is the time frame for changing my name after marriage?
A. Most agencies want to be notified within a reasonable period of time (one month); however, some brides find that a large amount of time has passed before they actually have the time to devote to this process. We have helped many women who have waited up to 5 years to change their name.