How Can I Change My Legal Name In My Passport?

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Declaring a passport is one of the best modes of identification here in our country. Why? Because a passport goes through the process of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA); it’s a long process and it would include relevant details such as: your name, citizenship, date of birth, etc. In addition, it also serves a purpose and this is of course for you to travel to different countries. Without it, you won’t be eligible for traveling. Having a passport is not that difficult. Although it’s tedious, we still need to go through the process if we plan on leaving the country.


But there are instances when we need to change information in our documents. An example would be if a woman marries. Yes, we can easily change the printed records on our name but in passports? It’s kind of complex. Despite this scenario, we will be giving you the requirements and the procedure on how you can change your name in your passport.

Read: Requirements and Procedure For The Replacement Of A Lost or Damage Passport

Before anything else, we need to know why we need to change our name in our passports. As a matter of fact, the Philippine law has some guidelines on when you are approved in changing your name in your passport.

Legal names in Philippine passports are susceptible to change if:

  • A person’s name changes due to marriage;
  • The surname of a legitimated child changed of a subsequent marriage of parents;
  • Change of name due to adoption;
  • The name changed due to death of spouse; or;
  • Annulment of marriage;
  • Change of name due to divorce (valid only for those Filipinos who did not act as Plaintiff in the divorce proceedings. For example, the Filipino spouse did not initiate the divorce proceedings; not valid for couples who were both Filipinos at the time of the marriage);
  • Lastly, change of name as duly ordered by Philippine courts or the Civil Registrar General

Above are the sole reasons on why a person is legally accepted to have their name changed in their passports.

Under Republic Act 9048:

Republic Act (RA) 9048 authorizes the city or municipal civil registrar or the consul general to make the following changes in name, without the need of a judicial order:

  • The correction of typographical or clerical errors as regards to any civil registry documents. Exclusions would be corrections involving the change in sex, age, nationality and civil status of a person
  • Change of a person’s first name in his/her civil registry document under certain grounds specified under the law through administrative process

Without further ado, here are the requirements you need to submit before you process the name change in your passport:

Requirements in Philippine passport name-change

  • Duly-accomplished passport application form typed or printed legibly in black or blue ink
  • The latest copy of the original passport. One photocopy of the page of data in the passport (note: the original will be returned)
  • A self-addressed return envelope. Together with appropriate stamps for express or priority mail with tracking numbers via US Postal Service; or with pre-paid mailing envelope from private courier of choice, if Passport is to be mailed back.
  • Any kind of proof that the applicant has not applied for foreign citizenship
  • A passport fee of $60.00 which is non-refundable. This is payable in cash, money order, bank draft, certified check or cashier’s check; made payable to the “Embassy of the Philippines.” You can use “Philippine Consulate General”, if the application is made at one of the Philippine Consulates General in the U.S.). Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted.

Since there are multiple reasons on why a certain individual would have their name changed, here are the specific requirements you need to secure in each scenario:

Change of name due to marriage


  • PSA-(previously NSO)-certified original copy together with one (1) photocopy of marriage certificate secured in Security Paper (SECPA). This is if the marriage was solemnized in the Philippines. The original one shall be returned.
  • The original, together with one (1) photocopy of marriage certificate. The duly-accomplished Report of Marriage Contracted Abroad Form (refer to Report of Marriage requirements in the List of Consular Services); if the marriage was solemnized abroad .

Change of name due to death of spouse, annulled, and divorce marriages

  • The validated and authenticated death certificate of husband; or authenticated court order of presumptive death which is for widowed applicants.
  • Marriage Contract with annotation reflecting the annulment of marriage; for annulled marriages.
  • The original and one (1) photocopy of Divorce Decree; for divorced applicants (allowed only in cases where the Filipino spouse did not act as the plaintiff; not allowed when both parties were Filipino citizens at the time of the marriage).

Change of name due to legitimization by subsequent marriage of parents and/or as ordered by the Philippine Courts or by the Civil Registrar General

  • PSA-certified Birth Certificate with annotation displaying the change of name due to legitimation.
  • Requirements for change of name due to adoption;
  • PSA-Birth Certificate that reflects the adoptive surname.

Procedure

First thing you need to do is to set an appointment. You can follow our guide how to set appointment online. Before you go to the appointment, ensure that 100% of the requirements are complete for you not to go back and forth. The regular processing takes up to 15 business days.

Important points

  • You can download and print the application form by clicking here.
  • There is a price when you have this issuance. It’s approximately Php950.00
  • Processing can take up to 15 days. But if you want express processing, the price would be Php1, 200.00 and it will take you 7 business days.

So now you know that you can actually change your legal name in your passport. Take note that marriage is not the only reason why you can change the legal name of you passport. Apart from that, you can also try and include suffixes in your process. Moreover, the process is actually not that difficult. What’s difficult is getting a hold of your requirements. Most often than not, that’s the cause of delay of the process. Nevertheless, you can now be sure that your passport’s legal name can be modified.

There are also other requirements you need to submit if you married in a specific country. Check this out for further, more detailed information. What I gave you is just for basics without much complication. Look at that link above and follow what else is needed.

Read Also:

Source: Gov.ph


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