Holmgirlj

Hi All! I'm hoping you can help.
I'm a US citizen and moved back to the States with my husband who is a UK citizen. We have transitioned well and most everything has been simple!
However, I'm having a bit of an issue with changing my name on my US License. I was informed today that I would not be able to receive a new drivers license reflecting my name change due to my marriage license being from the UK. They have advised me I first need to change my passport.
Now, my question....Has anyone had to change their US Passport using a foreign marriage certificate? I'm just a bit hesitant to send off my application for passport renewal, with my UK Marriage certificate, just to have it sent back to me without a new passport (and them taking my money!).
Just was wondering if any of you have gone through this with your US spouses and have some advice??
Thank you all in advance for your help and guidance!

MrBaker2011

As I recall, my wife had a similar problem. The DMV did not like her UK marriage certificate. The short story is we had to get a US marriage certificate - we had to essentially get married again in Colorado (where we live now) to get a US marriage license / certificate, nothing formal just with the registrar or whatever they call them out here. I cannot remember if this was needed for her to update her passport though?? Either way, we had to do it.

Jscl

I changed my name on my WA state driving license with just my UK Marriage Certificate, no problem. Have you gone back to the DMV and spoken to someone else? Sometimes just getting a different person to speak to fixes everything if the first person just didn't know what they were talking about!

MrBaker2011

Sometimes it's about taking the path of least resistance!

Jscl

Seems like you are in NY, and their DMV site does say US marriage license. It says if you change your name by court order in the US they will accept that... might be a less stressful option than changing your passport.

Bob

Be easier to go to SS office, update your SSN card.

Use that, job done and less cost.

MrBaker2011

You may find you need a US marriage cert to do this also.

Holmgirlj

Yes, I do live in NYC. I've already gone to the SS Office and changed my name and received a new SS Card with the change which was painless.
I was just surprised that despite having my new SS Card (with name change) they wouldn't accept my documents at the DMV. Oh well!!
I guess my question is more about if I will be able to submit my UK Marriage License with my Passport renewal for name change. Once I have my passport changed, I don't think I will have a problem with the license.
It's never easy!!!!

MrBaker2011

I can't remember the exact order of things, only that it was a total pain and we definitely needed the marriage cert for the DMV. My wife also had a UK passport in her new name and they still weren't having it! Good luck!

Off topic.... we used to live in St Albans also (I even worked there too!)

Holmgirlj

Thanks MrBarker2011! It's a small world that you lived in St Albans as well! We do miss it! Thankfully my husband's family is from there and we visit there often. Do you ever get back?
I'm looking at roundabout ways to figure out this whole license/passport thing. I can keep my license in CT and just change my name there as it looks a lot less complicated and not as strict. My mom lives there, and that is where my current license is from that I got when I returned from living in the UK. Then I can at least start to make changes to the rest of all the things I need to change! (Bank accounts, bills, etc.)

MrBaker2011

Been back once in 2 years. Miss family and friends, don't miss the lack of space and the weather.

Sorry I can't be more help with your name change issues, it's over 2 years since my wife had to go through all that. All I can say is, if it turns out you really do need the marriage cert, it really was easy (for us in CO at least).