How to Travel During Your Name Change

The wedding bells chimed, and you said, “I do.” Everything should be smooth sailing from here on out, right? Well, not exactly. If you plan on changing your name, prepare for some less-than-glamorous paperwork, post cake-cutting.

The process is complicated enough to begin with, and traveling in the midst of a name change on your identification documents adds yet another layer of difficulty. Enter Danielle Tate, the founder and CEO of MissNowMrs.com, an online name-change service for brides. Here, she breaks down the seven tips and suggestions on how to travel while changing your name.

7 Tips to Traveling During Your Name Change:

1.) Book your honeymoon travel in your maiden name. It will take two weeks for your marriage certificate to be issued after your wedding, so you will be traveling with identification in your married name.

2.) The TSA will not accept a marriage certificate as a form of identification. So, bring your driver’s license or passport when you fly.

3.) Most airlines will not update a name on a ticket, and will charge full fare for a new ticket in a different name. If you are concerned that your spouse will make a mistake with your name and travel plans, opt for travel insurance.

4.) If you filed for a new passport in your maiden name to travel for your honeymoon, you have 12 months from your wedding date to file for a free passport in your new name! Think of it as a wedding gift from the State Department.

5.) The State Department takes an average of 5 weeks to issue a new passport, so plan your travel and the name(s) on your tickets accordingly.

6.) Should you have a flight booked in your married name, you can use your ticket as proof to expedite the processing of your passport at a regional passport center in one day.

7.) If you travel for work, inform HR and the booking agency of your name-change plans. This will allow them to flag your account and make sure they book your travel in the correct name.