Changing name legally after marriage is something quite common. It is a part of tradition and culture to take your husband’s last name after marriage. Changing your name legally is not an easy task. It requires effort, concentration and attention to every single specific detail. Different questions can come up in your mind when you thinking of getting your name legally changed. You will wonder on how to get started, what the procedure is and how to get started for this process. This is the time where you need to fill several forms, make payments here and there and also visit offices. Understanding the prerequisites for this process and preparing yourself accordingly is utmost important. It is a long process so most of the couples tend to complete it after their honeymoon.
If you want to legally change your name after marriage in New York, you need to do the following-
• Change your name on the social security card
• New York’s driver license name change
• Vehicle title and registration name change
• NY voter registration name change
Changing your name with the SSA
The very first thing you need to so is changing your name with the Social Security Name Change. It is very important to go with SSA as later when you go with DMV or vehicle registration, they need to verify your social security number. There is no provision of applying for the name change online, so you have to either send an application through mail or apply in person. To find the nearest office to your place, you need to check with your area zip code in the SSA.Gov website.
Known as for SS-5, you need to complete this application for Social Security Card. For this the documents that are needed are as follows-
• Marriage certificate, this is the legal name change document
• ID proof such as driver’s license, state issued non-drovers ID card, US passport. SSA can also accept employee ID card, health insurance card, US military ID card
• You need to provide US citizenship such as US birth certificate, US Consular Report of Birth or Certificate of Citizenship
The entire process of name change with SSA does not involve a single penny. It is absolutely free. The important thing you need to remember here is to submit originals of the documents or certified photocopies. Regular photocopies are not accepted in this place. You need to pay a small amount of fee to get certified photocopies but that will help you to have a peace of mind and not get worried about submitting original documents. Your new Social Security Card will be mailed to you after the application process is over.
Change your name with the New York DMV
Your next destination is Department of Motor Vehicles after you get the Social Security Card. You can get your driver’s license name change along with vehicle title and registration name change done here with ease. DMV does not accept name change application through mails or online. You need to get the entire process done by being present at the DMV office. Check the DMV.NY website to figure out the nearest DMV office to your place. The documents needed for name change are as follows-
The current DMV documents where you need to get your name changed
Valid New York’s driver license or a combination of the following documents-
Social Security Card
Marriage Certificate
US military photo
US passport or passport card
Apart from the following documents mentioned above you need to complete the application form known as MV-44. You can get the driver’s license or learner’ permit here for $13 and New York non driver ID card for $5. However, vehicle registration and certificate of title are free of charge here. When you apply for the name change process in DMV, you will get your new driver’s license, registration and the title in the next ten days.
Update records of voter registration
You can go for updating the voter registration records to get your name change after marriage. You can go for this process at the same time you apply for name change in DMV. Till the time your request is processed, you won’t be allowed to go to the polls. You need to use the New York State Voter Registration form to update your voter information directly with New York County Board of Elections.
The last thing that you need to do is change your name with US passport. This is an important part of legally change your name after marriage process in New York. If your passport was issued less than one year before your name change then you need to go for form no DS-5504. If your passport was issued more than a year before your name change then you need to go for form no DS-82. You need to be very careful and do each of the steps carefully for your name change process.
If you want to legally change your name after marriage in New York, you need to do the following-
• Change your name on the social security card
• New York’s driver license name change
• Vehicle title and registration name change
• NY voter registration name change
Changing your name with the SSA
The very first thing you need to so is changing your name with the Social Security Name Change. It is very important to go with SSA as later when you go with DMV or vehicle registration, they need to verify your social security number. There is no provision of applying for the name change online, so you have to either send an application through mail or apply in person. To find the nearest office to your place, you need to check with your area zip code in the SSA.Gov website.
Known as for SS-5, you need to complete this application for Social Security Card. For this the documents that are needed are as follows-
• Marriage certificate, this is the legal name change document
• ID proof such as driver’s license, state issued non-drovers ID card, US passport. SSA can also accept employee ID card, health insurance card, US military ID card
• You need to provide US citizenship such as US birth certificate, US Consular Report of Birth or Certificate of Citizenship
The entire process of name change with SSA does not involve a single penny. It is absolutely free. The important thing you need to remember here is to submit originals of the documents or certified photocopies. Regular photocopies are not accepted in this place. You need to pay a small amount of fee to get certified photocopies but that will help you to have a peace of mind and not get worried about submitting original documents. Your new Social Security Card will be mailed to you after the application process is over.
Change your name with the New York DMV
Your next destination is Department of Motor Vehicles after you get the Social Security Card. You can get your driver’s license name change along with vehicle title and registration name change done here with ease. DMV does not accept name change application through mails or online. You need to get the entire process done by being present at the DMV office. Check the DMV.NY website to figure out the nearest DMV office to your place. The documents needed for name change are as follows-
The current DMV documents where you need to get your name changed
Valid New York’s driver license or a combination of the following documents-
Social Security Card
Marriage Certificate
US military photo
US passport or passport card
Apart from the following documents mentioned above you need to complete the application form known as MV-44. You can get the driver’s license or learner’ permit here for $13 and New York non driver ID card for $5. However, vehicle registration and certificate of title are free of charge here. When you apply for the name change process in DMV, you will get your new driver’s license, registration and the title in the next ten days.
Update records of voter registration
You can go for updating the voter registration records to get your name change after marriage. You can go for this process at the same time you apply for name change in DMV. Till the time your request is processed, you won’t be allowed to go to the polls. You need to use the New York State Voter Registration form to update your voter information directly with New York County Board of Elections.
The last thing that you need to do is change your name with US passport. This is an important part of legally change your name after marriage process in New York. If your passport was issued less than one year before your name change then you need to go for form no DS-5504. If your passport was issued more than a year before your name change then you need to go for form no DS-82. You need to be very careful and do each of the steps carefully for your name change process.
