I got married about a month ago, and I was pretty adamant about keeping my last name so my marriage license doesn’t have anything about changing my last name to my husbands. However, I’ve had a change of heart and I began considering it.
I’m moving to a new state soon and my passport is expiring soon anyway. Is it easy to change my last name without the name change being stated on my marriage license? Or do I have to formally change my name before a judge before it’s on my ID and passport?
Comments
Are you aware of the SAVE Act?
You absolutely have to make the formal, legal name change prior to any new documents being issued in that name. It might still be soon enough after the marriage to go that route, and a name change following marriage/divorce is much more straightforward in most states than a just-because name change, so start there. It’s not just going to a judge — you have to file paperwork, and some states have steps like publishing notice of the name change in a local newspaper, etc.
I would suggest perhaps going socially by his last name and keeping yours as the legal last name. As another post mentioned, Congressional Republicans are trying to make it harder to vote by basing your right to vote on the name on your birth certificate. If you do want to change your legal last name due to marriage you need to update you SSN then you can update legal docs. Some states do make it harder to get a new id so you will need to look up the requirements for your new state.
I’m not sure if this is state specific but my marriage license had my maiden name and I was still able to change mine without going to a judge. They told me to use my maiden name on the marriage certificate even if I was planning on changing my name. I made an appt at the social security office and brought my marriage license and then they changed it to what I wanted. I just added his last name on to mine as a double barreled name. It’s a little annoying to change it everywhere after that, but I made sure to change my drivers license, passport, and work stuff first.
From what I’ve researched, you use your marriage license to get a new social security card, then you use that and your marriage license to change everything else. There’s no time limit on doing this after you’re married, I don’t see why your state would matter. if you plan on keeping your passport active and/or keeping your paperwork handy, you won’t have to worry about the save act.
Don’t do it. You may not be able to vote!!!!!!!!
If you live in the US, don’t do this.
If you’re in the US, don’t do it. Flat out, do not do it. Even if the SAVE Act doesn’t make it through Congress this year (it cleared the House but not the Senate thus far), there’s no guarantee they won’t keep trying to pass it. Other bills could come up as well which “coincidentally” disproportionately target women such as a “Stop Terrorists From Banking Act” which makes it near impossible to open a bank account or have a credit card if your legal name doesn’t match your birth certificate.
If you live in another country, I’m still not sure it’s worth it.
As others have mentioned, you can use whatever last name you want socially (including in a professional context) while keeping your maiden name legally. I know multiple people who have done this at least partly because their work involved lots of certifications and licensure, which can be a real pain to change.
I hyphenated my last name when I got married and even though it was over 12 years ago now, I still have bad memories of the process to change my last name on every. single. thing. The social security office and passport change were easy – it was everything else (bank accounts, credit cards, student loans, etc.) that was an incredible pain. It was months of continually discovering new things that hadn’t been updated.
DO NOT CHANGE YOUR NAME.
The Republicans in congress are trying to pass the SAVE act. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281 a bill which requires proof of voting eligibility by proving that the original birth certificate matches your name.
People know you professionally by your current name.
You do not know the future. You and your husband may get divorced. You might want to shed his last name. Which will entail a bunch of work.
By your own admission it is not that big a deal for you
Don’t change your name. It’s a bad idea for a number of reasons. Any children you have should also have your surname.