Post # 1
Member
38 posts
Newbee
Hello Bees!!
My fiance and I are going to San Francisco City Hall tomorrow to get our marriage license. We’re getting married this Saturday! One of the questions on the marriage license application is if I want to change my name. However, it also says that it does not automatically change my name with the government.
My question to you is, if I state my new last name on the application, will it affect my passport? We plan on travelling next week. I attached a screen shot of the actual application. Any recent SF brides have any issues with this?
Thank you!!!
Post # 2
Member
56 posts
Worker bee
As long as the name on your passport matches the name on your plane ticket and hotel reservation, you are fine. You would still have to go to SS and the DMV to change your name. I’m assuming you’ll do that after your honeymoon.
Congrats!
Post # 3
Member
22 posts
Newbee
- Wedding: May 2019 - City, State
Not from California but the marriage license just gives you the ability to change your name when you get around to it (some states require you to do this within 3 or 6 months I think). So your name on your license and social security card and passport wont change until you start the process after you get back from your honeymoon.
Post # 4
Member
4505 posts
Honey bee
As long as your passport matches your ticket, you are fine.
Post # 5
Member
380 posts
Helper bee
CA Bee here. Putting your intent to change your name on the document does not change your name, it just gives you the ability to change your name. If you do not put your intended name change on the marriage license, it will be VERY difficult to actually change your name after marriage and you need to go to court – so be sure you put your new desired name here! Once you get married, your officiant files the license with the county and you get the official marriage license back in 2-3 weeks. Then you take that license to the Social Security office and DMV and to change your passport. So like everyone has said, you are fine – your current drivers license and passport are in your maiden name, and your plane ticket should be in your maiden name as well.
Post # 6
Member
4505 posts
Honey bee
Actually, filing your completed marriage license with your new name legally changes your name in CA. You then take the recorded marriage certificate to the various agencies to prove that you have changed your name and then they update your records.
That being said, as long as your passport and ticket match, you are fine as it takes a few weeks for the license to be processed and no one checks those records when you are traveling.
Post # 7
Member
763 posts
Busy bee
Even if it’s legally changed, it doesn’t matter. Like the others said, your ticket name just has to match your passport name. I just took an international trip on my maiden name passport and my name has been legally changed for 6 months. I plan to keep using it until it expires.
Post # 8
Member
380 posts
Helper bee
zl27 : I’m sorry, but that’s just not true. The marriage license does NOT change your name legally. Changing it at the social security office does. The marriage license just
allows you to go to SS to change it.
Post # 9
Member
4505 posts
Honey bee
temeculabride : Go read up on it a bit further and then we can have this argument.
Hint: why would you need a court order (from a CA court) if you don’t change it via the marriage license?