Legal Jamaica Wedding-Passport Help Needed

[RPTB2014]

My husband and I had our legal wedding in February in Jamaica. I have changed my name legally at home (Social Security Administration, DMV, etc) but am having issues getting my name changed on my passport. I submitted all of the requirement information, including a certified copy of the marriage certificate with my application. I received a letter from the National Passport Center stating I need to submit "A certified copy of the court order or marriage certificate reflecting your legal change of name. Photocopies and notarized copies of these documents are not acceptable for passport services."

 

The person I spoke with initially stated that what I submitted was an "unacceptable" document. I submitted the certified copy of the marriage certificate that the pastor handed to us after he announced us as husband and wife. They keep telling me I have to submit the certified copy and when I tell them that is what I have submitted and it is the only thing I have, they tell me that is "unacceptable". I asked them what is an acceptable document and they repeat "a certified copy of the marriage certificate". I am clearly unable to get any assistance as I have spoken with the NPIC and they have sent 3 separate notifications to another office to have someone call me. It has been 5 weeks and I still haven't spoken with someone. 

 

Has anyone else had this same issue that could provide me some assistance? Thank you in advance.

[acw271011]

I'm sorry you're having so much trouble. I'm in canada so I'm not sure how much help I could be. I'm reading your post and wondering a couple of things. Did you receive the very colourful marriage certificate from Jamaica? We were also married there, and after almost 3 months we received 2 originals of the certificate of registration of the marriage. We were told that what the minister gave us after the wedding was not official documentation for a name change, only as temporary proof of marriage. I'm not sure how the US does things, but have you actually applied to change your name? I don't mean with the DMV and SSA, etc. I mean actually change your name? It sounds like what the passport office is asking for, and again I'm only reading what you wrote, is the proof that you've actually changed your name. Just because you have a marriage certiicate doesn't mean you're changing your name. I'm not. But there is a difference between a notarized copy and a certified copy. One needs to be done by a lawyer. A notary can notarize any document, but we had to do certified copies of our divorce documents to send to Jamaica, and we had to take the originals into a lawyer, and he had to make a copy, then do an affidavit certifying that it was a true copy of the original.

 

Don't know if that helps you or not, and I'm sorry if it doesn't. Good luck!