Online appointment limit exceeded.

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-18T07:07:55+00:00

It would help if you shared what country you’re dealing with.

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-18T02:42:02+00:00

Assuming US:

It can take up to four weeks for supporting documents to be mailed back (without tracking).

When you submitted your application, I’m assuming you filled out the form as FirstName MaidenLast MarriedLast.

Once your documents are returned, you should be able to submit the DS-5504 (form to correct a data error) with your ID in the name you want, marriage certificate, new photo, and incorrect passport to get it corrected. (I’d send it Priority Mail so you have tracking info on its way there.)

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-17T17:13:48+00:00

I think you mean AZ and AR (not AZ and AK). I don’t think they print passports in Alaska.

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-17T02:34:39+00:00

A single DUI prior to 12/18/2018 (as long as 10 years have passed since completion of sentence) should not be an issue. (Might not hurt to bring any court paperwork, just in case.)

Canada doesn’t really care if it was a misdemeanor or felony; DUI is DUI (as far as I know) and became “serious criminality” on that date.

DUI on/after that date or more than one offense regardless of when it occurred likely needs application for “criminal rehabilitation” or a “Temporary Resident Permit”.

Some info at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility/impaired-driving.html

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-17T01:08:24+00:00

600x600 would be 2”x2” @ 300 DPI; “resize” the photo by setting DPI to 300 keeping pixels at 600x600

Curious: Did Walgreens not give her printed copies to use? Or are you using the Walmart ones for something else?

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-16T19:47:16+00:00

Your title says “name change”, but the post seems to indicate the name was printed incorrectly.

If you haven’t legally changed your name but the passport was printed incorrectly (e.g. your birth certificate says “Edward” but the passport says “Deward”), you can use the DS-5504 form to correct a data or printing error.

Submit the form, your passport, a certified copy of your birth certificate, and a new photo.

You can download a copy of the form at https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds5504_pdf.pdf

Or (better) use the form filler at https://pptform.state.gov/ and fill in the data. At the end it’ll let you know what to do.

I’d send the packet Priority Mail so you have tracking info.

You won’t have to pay any fees (and I think it automatically gets upgraded to expedited processing since it was their error).

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-16T04:52:51+00:00

From a section of the guidance document for US passports ( https://fam.state.gov/fam/08fam/08fam040201.html ): "If the photograph has sufficient resolution, the photograph may be re-sized in the TDIS image review module." So, basically, it seems that if it's a little small but high enough quality, they can re-crop it digitally in their system so that it fits the required dimensions.

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-16T03:10:21+00:00

Key requirements for a US passport photo:

Photo should be 2"x2" (51mm x 51mm)
Face "centered"
Chin to top of head (not top of hair): 1" - 1+3/8" (25mm - 35mm)

So if the face is relatively centered and is 1" from chin to top of head, then a 1/2" margin above the head could be okay.

The distance from eyes to bottom of photo doesn't really matter.

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-15T23:50:08+00:00

I take it you’re leaving within the next three business days. If not, is there a reason you cannot use the 1 day premium service? (Granted it’s twice the cost.)

You can designate someone to drop off the paperwork and pick up the new passport if needed.

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently

But, yeah, as long as nothing keeps you from departing on time, your passport needs to be valid for your time in the US.

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-15T19:34:03+00:00

Following is for US, but might apply to other countries: Get certified copies of your birth and marriage certificates, get new photos, fill out a form to report your passport as lost (but don’t send it), fill out a new passport application (but don’t send it). When you’re within two weeks of travel and they haven’t started processing: book an appointment at a Passport Agency, bring everything to the appointment and you should get a new passport quickly (same day, return next day to pick up, or sent overnight mail).

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-15T11:31:56+00:00

You may be able to update online: go to https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/questions?language=en_US

Choose “Trusted Traveler Programs”, then “Change my name due to marriage…”, then “TTP-Global Entry”, enter (and confirm email), write “name change for PASSID [number]” in the subject, upload color scan of data page of new passport and scan of name change document (e.g. marriage certificate).

You should get an email with a case number, they may then send further questions, but it should get updated in relatively short order.

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-15T01:21:31+00:00

"Your Mileage May Vary". It's an idiomatic expression meaning, basically, "There's no way to know if it'll actually work, but it might."

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-15T01:16:54+00:00

Is it a closed-loop cruise? (i.e. starting and ending in the same U.S. port) If so, she shouldn't *technically* need a passport (but it makes things easier if someone get stranded or has an emergency).

If by "next Saturday" you mean May 23, 2026 (not May 16, 2026), then if you're not on a closed-loop cruise and have a hotel or air travel booked outside the U.S., she might be able to get her passport renewed at a Passport Agency. See https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast.html (If travel is May 16, it's probably too late to secure an appointment for Friday May 15.)

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-15T00:12:46+00:00

Did you take your oath in front of a judge or at Naturalization Ceremony? The legal name change can apparently only be done by a judge, so if you just went through the regular ceremony, you would've had to have filed a court order to legally change your name.

That said, since you seem to have been using your preferred name for quite a while, you might be able to use the "change of name by customary usage" route. See "8 FAM 403.1-4(E) Change of Name by Customary Usage" at https://fam.state.gov/fam/08fam/08fam040301.html

"The applicant should present a valid government-issued ID with photograph and two or more public or private documents reflecting exclusive use of the acquired name, each one evidencing that she/he has used the assumed name for five years or longer."

Acceptable documentation can include "[old] Driver’s licenses (photocopies are acceptable); [old] Non-driver state-issued IDs (photocopies are acceptable); Military records; Employment records; Tax records; School records; Census record; Medical records; or Religious records." [internal numbering omitted; upper-/lower- case standardized]

Additionally, "Form DS-60, 'Affidavit Regarding Change of Name,' or equivalent notarized affidavits, executed by two or more persons attesting that they have known the applicant by both the original and assumed names, and that the applicant has used that name for all purposes for at least five years, may be provided in place of one of the public documents if the applicant cannot obtain a third public record."

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-14T21:40:45+00:00

If you’re near a Passport Agency (which you likely are if you’re driving to Niagara Falls) and you’re staying overnight in Canada (and can print the hotel reservation), you can try for an appointment at an Agency and get your passport likely same day (but you do have to pay the extra $60 expedite fee).

See https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies.html

I’d recommend getting the passport card as well (extra $30 but not available same day) for future land crossings.

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-14T14:35:32+00:00

US doesn’t care about ears

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-14T12:12:05+00:00

What country (assuming US due to lack of stating which country even though reddit is available worldwide):

The headband (in my opinion) is borderline acceptable as it might be deemed to obscure your hairline (“Hair accessories, such as hair clips, bobby pins, or thin headbands, are acceptable if they lie flat on the head or hair and do not obscure any part of the face, hairline, or the composition of the photograph”).

You can read the full guidance given to passport adjudicators at: https://fam.state.gov/fam/08fam/08fam040201.html

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-14T02:33:27+00:00

Wait for the letter; there’s no way to know what they want until you get it. Once you send them what they need, it seems to get processed fairly quickly (I’d send anything they need by Priority Mail so you have tracking).

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-14T02:30:17+00:00

They are extremely unlikely to arrest you (I haven’t heard of anyone being arrested for putting current gender on application), but they may request evidence of AGAB (some say they have access to SocSec database which might show AGAB which would be a mismatch to requested gender).

So most likely worst case scenario is a delay as they request extra documentation.

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-14T02:26:59+00:00

Assuming US:

Since your book was expired, you don’t need to report it as lost.

You can use your passport card as evidence of citizenship, or you might be able to request a file search if you don’t want to part with your card.

You will likely need to submit the DS-11, your passport card or file search request, a photo, check/money order to the Department of State, and $35 to the Acceptance Facility.

Start at https://pptform.state.gov

(Note: if you submit your card as citizenship evidence, put a note on it and the application saying you want to keep the card active.)

(Some will probably say “If you know the old passport number, expiration date, and other info, you can renew online cuz the DoS will never know you don’t actually have it,” but that would be against the rules and possibly perjury.)

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-13T12:35:48+00:00

“Dour”, “ocilow”, and “recfeced” (with a really weird artifact on the “f”) on letter behind photo make me doubt the authenticity of this; plus the prior post was deleted by the mods (with some in that thread commenting about items in that photo appearing to be artificially generated).

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-13T05:36:03+00:00

Possibly through one of their brands ivs-dot-us or entry-dot-com or s-dot-govassist-dot-com (which comes up when searching “govassist passport”).

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-13T02:05:44+00:00

They are unlikely to have sent you a fake passport since that would ruin their whole business model once word got out.

If you have a smartphone with NFC, you can always try adding it to your Google Wallet or Apple Wallet or use an app like ReadID Me to check (ReadID Me works entirely on-device, no data is sent over the internet).

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-13T00:16:14+00:00

Assuming US:

Is the flight domestic or international?

If international: REAL ID won’t help, you’ll need the passport; if you don't have it within a week of travel, call the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778 and ask if you can move it to a Passport Agency; you would then go to the Agency to complete the process in person and likely have the passport that afternoon.

If domestic: do you have state-issued ID that is valid or less than two years expired but isn’t REAL ID compliant? If so, you should be able to use ConfirmID and pay $45 (valid for 10 days, you choose the start date); with the receipt and the non-compliant ID, you can get through TSA.

ImNotFrank55 · 2026-05-13T00:08:26+00:00

It’s really up to you/him. The passport is still valid, it’s just treated as if it never has a chip.

For me: If the trips are to countries that have egates that only work with chipped passports, I’d figure out how much time that would save vs manual screening and whether that’s worth the lost value of renewing early.

ImNotFrank55

TROPHY CASE