Help! Minor Passport Renewal: Name at Time of Parent's Birth

[Anonymous]

It's your maiden name. Should match your child's birth certificate. We just did this and that's how we filled it out. Got kids passports today

[Anonymous]

This question makes no sense. As the parent of minor applicant I didn't have a last name at my parents birth as I wasn't alive when they were born.

[Anonymous]

I'm not getting what's so hard about this question. As the parent you list your name at the time of your birth. Isn't that what the application says?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not getting what's so hard about this question. As the parent you list your name at the time of your birth. Isn't that what the application says?

I understand why some people are confused. To echo one other individual's concern, here's my situation:

When I was born, my last name was Carter.
When I was 4, I was legally adopted by my stepfather. At that point, my official birth certificate was revised to reflect his last name, which is Abshire.
I have since married and am applying for a passport for my children. If I list my name at the time of my birth as Carter, it will not match my birth certificate. And actually, I do not have any paperwork that shows that my birth certificate was revised.

I'm assuming in this case, I need to list the name that appears on my birth certificate because for all intents and purposes, that is my given name at birth**

**not the actual name I was given at birth

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not getting what's so hard about this question. As the parent you list your name at the time of your birth. Isn't that what the application says?

I understand why some people are confused. To echo one other individual's concern, here's my situation:

When I was born, my last name was Carter.
When I was 4, I was legally adopted by my stepfather. At that point, my official birth certificate was revised to reflect his last name, which is Abshire.
I have since married and am applying for a passport for my children. If I list my name at the time of my birth as Carter, it will not match my birth certificate. And actually, I do not have any paperwork that shows that my birth certificate was revised.

I'm assuming in this case, I need to list the name that appears on my birth certificate because for all intents and purposes, that is my given name at birth**

**not the actual name I was given at birth

NP, but I think that's right, PP. In your case, Abshire would be your legal name at your birth (even if it wasn't actually your name at your birth). I can see how this would be confusing given your circumstances. But I think the important thing is to have the names you provide on your forms match the names on your supporting documents (i.e. birth certificate).

[Anonymous]

Unbelievably poorly conceived government form which does NOT have to be so misleading or interpretive. Whomever designed this form should be dismissed and made to assemble IKEA furniture!!!

[Anonymous]

They are not going to care that it is the same. Write what it was, really this is not astrophysics!

[Anonymous]

You should NOT need your marriage license since on your child's birth certificate, your names at birth should be on there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, PP. I'm wondering if I need to bring a copy of my marriage license, since my current passport and driver's license have my married name.

I don't remember this being on the form when we applied for his first passport 5 years ago.

All you need is your driver's license. It doesn't matter if it matches.

Just submitted one last week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This question makes no sense. As the parent of minor applicant I didn't have a last name at my parents birth as I wasn't alive when they were born.

You're not the sharpest crayon in the box. YOU are the parent in this instance.

You're making this way more complicated than it actually is. What name were you given at birth? Put that. Problem solved.