I've decided to change my last name to my husband's surname. Should be a simple task. I downloaded all the necessary forms, and armed with my birth certificate, my old social security card, my marriage license, and my old driver's license and car registration, I embarked on what I thought would be a three stop, simple process.
First Stop: Passport office - 10 minutes away
Easy Peazy. In and out in 10 minutes. They took my picture, took my marriage certificate, took my form - filled out and signed with my new name on it -- and took $110.00. I mailed it off. FATAL MISTAKE.
Second stop: Driver's License Center- another 5 minutes up the road.
A MIRACLE - Only a 15 minute wait, but uh oh.. I need a new social security card with my new name on it in order to do ANYthing here at all.
Third stop: Social Security Administration - 45 minute drive in heavy traffic.
After waiting 45 minutes -- 30 of which was taken up with another woman insisting over and over again that she was told she could change her name without her birth certificate -- they called my number. They asked me for my driver's license, (new or old name, didn't matter), my birth certificate, and my marriage certificate. Uh oh. Marriage certificate was in the mail to US State Department.
45 minute drive home in heavy traffic.
So.... after nearly 3 hours I am home again. The passport office said it will take two weeks to get my new passport. As soon as I do I will go get my SS card, which will take 2 to 6 weeks to get. Then I will go to the driver's license center to get my license and title changed, and by then it will be election day and I MIGHT have my new ID in time to vote!
And can I just ask.. why is it easier to get a passport than it is to get a driver's license??? I'm probably missing something.. I'm guessing it's the SS Card. The State Department will probably look at my application for a changed passport and check the SS number which will show my old name, and they will send it back unprocessed. We shall see.
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