How to change German passport to married name

[Betti 1]

Hi y'all,

My husband and I just got married a week ago and I am trying to figure out, where to go to change my name and get new documents.

I am in the US on a J-1 visa right now, just applied for AOS. I am still "gemeldet" in Bremen, Germany. Do I have to go to the Buerger-Service-Center on my next trip to Germany, bring my marriage certificate and apply for a new passport in my married name? Can I do that from Texas somehow, through the consulate maybe? Also, will our marriage just be valid in Germany or do I have to go somewhere and let them check the certificate to make it official?

So many questions, I hope some Germans have been there before and can help me out :-)

Thank you in advance and have a great Sunday!

Bettina

[Dr. ZoSo 0]

Hi y'all,

My husband and I just got married a week ago and I am trying to figure out, where to go to change my name and get new documents.

I am in the US on a J-1 visa right now, just applied for AOS. I am still "gemeldet" in Bremen, Germany. Do I have to go to the Buerger-Service-Center on my next trip to Germany, bring my marriage certificate and apply for a new passport in my married name? Can I do that from Texas somehow, through the consulate maybe? Also, will our marriage just be valid in Germany or do I have to go somewhere and let them check the certificate to make it official?

So many questions, I hope some Germans have been there before and can help me out :-)

Thank you in advance and have a great Sunday!

Bettina

You can wait and get the name change done in Germany, but the best bet would be to either call or go down to your local Consulate and ask for the correct forms to fill out. They can give you all the info you need. Just be advised they often take your old passport from you while your application for a name change is pending. Depending on the timeframe, that may be an issue.

As for your other questions....I honestly dont know. I know others around here do, but not me.

[Aubrey 10]

You can get an updated passport from the nearest German Mission, which in your case is in Houston. You have to apply in person, as they require fingerprints be taken at the time of the application.

Houston German Consul General

Passport info

[steffendanielle 0]

Hi,

My husband and I just went through getting our marriage registered in Germany. To do this, you will need to bring to the Standesamt (in the town where you are gemeldet):

Husband's birth certificate with an apostile, both translated to German by official translator

Marriage certificate with an apostile, both translated

A certified copy of the information page of your husband's passport

Your birth certificate

Your Meldebescheinigung from Einwohnermeldeamt

The recognition itself was 100 euros, plus 10 for the first copy and 20 euros per additional copy. It was kind of a pain. He is from a small town where nobody at the Standesamt had seen an apostile before. Hope this helps,

Danielle

[Betti 1]

Thank you for the answers...it sounds rather complicated to do all this.

My current passport is still vaild for a bit, I guess next time I am in Germany I'll just go and get "abgemeldet", so I can apply for my passport through the embassy in Houston when it's time to do so.

Thank you!!!

[Eveline 9]

Betti: It is not complicated at all. If you want to do it here in TX you will have to have the 'Abmeldebestaetigung" from your Einwohnermeldeamt otherwise you will not be able to do it. You have to go in Germany then. You can also have one of your parents go and 'un-register you and eventually send the paper to you which you include in your application for the passport. I don't think you'll actually get the new passport with a changed name while you are in Germany unless you want to stay for several months. It took the Standesamt in Berlin 5 months to get my name change through and then it took another month to make the passport.

You said the passport was still valid so I'd just wait and go to Germany, get un-registered and apply for the passport from the US.

Good luck.