U.S. Passports
The process to change your name on a U.S. passport varies, depending on your situation, such as your age or when your previous passport was issued.
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You must apply in person using Form DS-11 if at least one of the following is true:
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You are applying for your first U.S. passport
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You are under age 16
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Your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under age 16
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Your previous U.S. passport was lost, stolen, or damaged
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Your previous U.S. passport was issued more than 15 years ago
If none of the above statements apply to you, you may be eligible to apply by mail to:
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Update name on a passport issued less than 1 year ago using Form DS-5504
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Renew a passport issued more than 1 year ago using Form DS-82.
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Children under 16 must apply using Form DS-11 and appear in person with both parents or legal guardians (see Section 4 of Form DS-11 for additional parent / guardian information).
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Passports for children under 16 are valid for 5 years.
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Most applicants age 16 and 17 must apply in person using Form DS-11.
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Some may be eligible to Renew a Passport by Mail if they meet certain criteria .
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Passports for applicants 16 and older are valid for 10 years.
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The process to change your name on a U.S. passport varies by your situation.
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You will need a certified court order to change your name on your passport.
Selecting your gender marker
Updating a gender marker on a U.S. Passport has been suspended by the State Department following the executive order issued by Trump on January 20, 2025.
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On Janurary 23, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the State Department employees that applications requesting X gender markers and applications requesting gender marker changes
(from F to M or M to F) should be "suspended" until further guidance could be issued.
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Please note: U.S. Passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad that have already been issued (including those with the X gender marker) remain valid until replaced or expired.
Lambda Legal is an excellent resource for additional information and updates. Click here to learn more.