Today I did something that I have been meaning to do for the past 2 months--I changed my name with the social security administration, the DMV, and the passport agency. The process was harder than I thought it would be, though that is partially because we got lost trying to find the social security building (because why would the government make their agencies easy to find).
First stop was social security--destination of the sad, downtrodden, and newly married. My birth certificate is MIA, but the man on the phone said that my passport "should be ok" as proof that I am who I say I am--and he was right. Lucky for my, they had a line that was devoted to name changes, and I filled out all of the paperword ahead of time, so we were in and out in 15 minutes.
Next stop was the DMV--conveniently, right down the street from the social security building. We waited in a line, got an application to fill out, got back in line, got a number, waited for 20 minutes, and then I paid $20 and got my photo taken and surrendered my license and received a temporary license. (An interesting note--the woman told me that I hadn't changed my name with social security yet--I said I just had--she asked for proof--I said that my husband had it--she said it was ok, she trusted me--guess I look trustworthy--but if you're doing a name change, go to SS first).
As we walked out to the car, I realized that I hadn't changed my name on my registration. I remembered from my Florida tenure that the issuing state of your license has to be the same as the state that issues your plates, and I assumed that names have to match, as well. We returned to the building, waited in line, got an application, got back in line, got a number, and waited for another 20 minutes--this time the fee was $15, and I got my new registration.
Next stop--the post office. If get married, you can still renew your passport through the mail if you can send a certified copy of your marriage certificate. Both of our passports are due to expire in the next year or so, so we decided to renew them at the same time. Last weekend, we had new passport photos taken ($16 each! Shocking!), and we filled out the applications and submitted the fees and popped them in envelopes--and the race is on! I wonder which passport will arrive first.
Just as long as they arrive before next September...Viva Italia!
