Name Change for a Passport Application
My question involves name change laws in the State of: Montana
Hi everyone,
I have a question relating to legalizing an existing name change. When I was a child, my parents changed our family's last name through usage but neglected to fill out any forms to make the change legal. As a result, my birth certificate has one name, while my social security card, tax forms, employment record, driver's license, etc., all have the changed name on them. I now need to apply for a passport and they want me to show my birth certificate. However, I have no documentation of the name change. What is the best course of action? Is there a simple way to legally declare the name change?
Re: Name Change on Passport
You can contact the Department of Vital Records to see if there is a way to "correct" your birth certificate without going to court. I suspect that given the number of decades that have passed since your birth and the fact that the name on your birth certificate was the name your parents put on the application for the birth certificate, they're going to tell you to change your name by judicial process -- but you won't know until you ask.