Wedding Recap and Withdrawal

Name Change Process

Hi everyone!

To those who have changed their name after the wedding (or whenever), how long did that process take you?  How long until you at least had the new SS card and Driver's License?  Here's my situation:  I'm getting married in the middle of July.  I start grad school in the fall (I'm not sure where yet, but it will be between 14 and 27 hours away from home).  My new husband and I will have to leave just under a month after our wedding before the move, and I'm worried that my name won't be "fully" changed in time (with the SS and DL).  I've heard it takes around 10 days to receive the Marriage License by mail.  Then, I've heard it takes another 10 days or so to get a new SS card after visiting the office to change it.  By that point, almost a month will have gone by, and at the very least, I would have to have a new license done in person.  Most likely, I won't be able to come back to my home state until Christmas.  Starting at a new college will be a lot easier if the essentials of my name change are complete before the move.  Thoughts?  How was this process for you?  Thanks for your help!

Re: Name Change Process

  • Check your state laws. NJ uses the point system for your DL so I actually was able to change with without my new SS card. I just had to show my ML. I did things backwards. I did my DL on Friday and SS on Monday.  I got my new card withing 2 weeks.
     
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  • Thanks!  Unfortunately I do need both my ML and SS card to do the change in my state!  It's too bad though!  I like the way NJ does it!
  • CA requires you to have your ML and SS card to change your DL too. See if you can go to your local registrar's office to get your ML. We did that right after we got back from our honeymoon and picked up our ML. It at least cuts down on the delay to get it mailed. Our county doesn't automatically mail them out though, they need to be requested.

    Check with your local DMV to see if you need a special form to change your name. CA requires a form that you can't get online since it has a special bar code or some junk. I called and requested one to be mailed to me so I would be ready.

    I got my SS card less than 2 weeks after I went to the office and changed it. So I imagine if you have everything ready for the DMV right after you get your SS card you might be okay.

     

  • AddieCakeAddieCake member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    edited March 2013
    I just did this all recently. I spent about one hour at the SS office and DMV and both cards came within a week. I want to say our marriage license came within a week as well. Might have been a wee bit longer, but not much. I didn't need my SS card to get my new license; just my marriage license. 
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  • hutchslhutchsl member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    edited March 2013

    We had a friend as our officiant. We also did not leave immediately for a HM. I took the papers to the court house to be filed and left with a copy I could use for SS and DL. I think SS gave ne paperwork i could use to get my DL before the card showed up. (My biggest problem was they would not change my work badge until I had final SS card and DL.)  See if your area has that option if the situation applies to you. We asked when we got our marriage license

  • When I got married the probate office was great, they had a cheat sheet to give all brides on what to do & what order to do them in. After reading this thread, it sounds like laws vary from state to state. In Ohio you have to wait for license, take it & go get new license & then you can go to Social Security office with new driver's license & marriage certificate to file for new card. Once I did that I think I had it in about 2-3 weeks. But my guess is no matter where you are, you can't do anything until you get your Marriage License after it's been filed (tip...include an envelope w/stamp to whoever is doing your ceremony to make it that much easier for them to get it off in the mail quickly for you, my pastor was overjoyed when I did that). Since you are moving so soon after getting married, it might just be easier to get marriage license & make changes after moving.
  • Thanks so much!  I'll do more research and get as prepared as I can for this.  Unfortunately, I have to have this done before I leave.  If I have the new name when I start, there will be a lot less paperwork to deal with if I wait to change it.  I think that no matter what, my school email will still be stuck with my maiden name, but if so, I'll deal.  The problem with waiting is that I won't be able to come home until at least Christmas, and that's a long time to wait for a new license.  If that's what I have to do, then I'll do it.  It sounds like the process only takes a few weeks, so hopefully it will all work out!  Thanks for your advice!
  • It took a solid two weeks for me to have my marriage license sent to Virginia (we married in North Carolina).  After that I spent 30 minutes at the SS Office.  My new SS card came with in 10 days and then you can go to the DMV right away.  You will be cutting it close!
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  • Thanks for posting!  I'm very nervous that this won't happen in time!  I guess I'll just have to make sure I have everything I need in advance and hope for the best!
  • A month is plenty of time. 

    Your officiant will file the marriage cert on Monday after the wedding, and that will come back to you, having been officially filed, in about six days.  In my area, the wedding cert is in the mail you pick up when you get back from the HM, so there is no delay at all.

    Then I went to the SS office  in person, sat in line, and got my new SS card in about six days. 

    Then I went to the DMV and had that finished in about 2 hours.

    So you'd be done in 12 days from your wedding.  A month is about 30 days.  Plenty of times.
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