I'm planning to spend a week in Canada this summer during the same time frame that I was going to change my name. Do I delay the name change? What should I do?

(Further complication, my birth certificate doesn't match the rest of my legal documents because my parents changed their surname a few years after I was born.)

Anything else I need to be wary of as well? I don't know anything about this process except the activism that has been done on this issue. I know, weird.

Okay, another question. In my state to change your name you go to a judge and pay hundred$ in court fees (can you say racket?). Can the judge postpone their order by a couple of weeks?

When the court approves your name change, they just send you a copy of the court order in the mail (or have you pick it up from the court house). No one else knows that you've changed your name at that point, you have to go and get all of your documents updated. You could use the passport you currently have and then update it after your trip. Just make sure if you're buying any plane tickets that they are in the name listed on your ID.

I think you're technically supposed to update any identification you have within 30 days of a name change, but in my experience, no one is going to fine you for it if it takes you too long.

Thanks!

Quote from: FTMax on March 29, 2016, 05:06:01 PM
When the court approves your name change, they just send you a copy of the court order in the mail (or have you pick it up from the court house).

Here in Florida, you have to go to court and the judge approves/signs the order during the hearing. You can purchase certified copies at the Clerk immediately after the hearing.

QuoteI think you're technically supposed to update any identification you have within 30 days of a name change, but in my experience, no one is going to fine you for it if it takes you too long.

Driver's License -- I'm pretty sure you are required to update your License within a certain time frame. In Florida, the DMV requires the name on your license to match exactly with what Social Security has, so at least here you have to update Social Security at least 1 day before going to the DMV.

Birth Certificate -- My birth certificate was amended (to reflect my new name) automatically once the court notified the vital records folks, though I did have to pay $20 or so for an "amendment fee" before they would issue me a certified copy of my new birth certificate.

Social Security -- Even if you aren't required to update SSA to get a new license, having the wrong name/gender with the SSA can create problems with your employment. While I have never run into one, there is something called a "No Match Letter" which the SSA will issue if the information your employer provides to SSA differs from what SSA has on file. Sex/Gender is optional (employers don't have to confirm it with SSA, but can), but if your employer includes it, it can cause a "No Match Letter" to be generated as can having the old name still listed with SSA. You should always update SSA to avoid employment issues.

https://www.ssa.gov/employer/ICEinsert.pdf

US Passport -- You don't have to update this, but you should if you can, especially if you live in a state that either will not correct or will only correct your birth certificate after SRS. A 10 Year US Passport is accepted almost everywhere in place of a birth certificate as proof of identity and US citizenship. You can update your gender marker without surgery (at least for now).

Creditors -- You should update them because even though everything is supposed to be by SSN, I discovered when changing my name it is not so. I was turned down for a loan shortly after my name change for "lack of credit history". Essentially, all 3 credit bureaus were returning a blank credit history when they ran my new name even with my SSN. You might also notify the cards you owe the least to first. The first one that changed my name was relatively new and near the limit (0% balance transfer card), which dropped my credit score to 550 for a couple months until everyone else updated and started showing up. On a side note, it didn't take long to receive offers for SECURED credit cards with 40% APRs  (what used to be known as "usery"). After about 3 months, my score went back up to where it was before.

What is your suggested order/timeframe? And how many copies of the order am I going to need?

Quote from: AnxietyDisord3r on April 10, 2016, 09:31:38 AM
What is your suggested order/timeframe? And how many copies of the order am I going to need?

See what your state requires for a gender marker change if you want one. Then change your name and get whatever documentation you need for the gender marker.

Then (1) Social Security, (2) Driver's License, (3) Birth Certificate and/or Passport, (4) Loans, Bank Accounts, and Creditors.

I was able to do all of that in a day. SSA was an instant update with a new card in the mail 2 weeks later. Driver's license also an instant update and it came in the mail a week later. I haven't updated my birth certificate yet because I haven't needed to. My Passport came a month after I submitted the paperwork. Loans, bank accounts, and creditors were all updated instantly. My credit report took a year to roll over everything to my current name.

I got a total of 5 certified copies of my name change order. Scan them and make some unofficial copies of your own. All of my creditors accepted an electronic copy of mine, and all of my certified copies were returned to me by SSA, DMV, and Passport office.

In Florida, most of the IDs can be printed on the spot. I made an appointment for the DMV ahead of my court date for the day after my court date. I was in and out with a new license and registration (went ahead and renewed my tags while I was there) in about 10 minutes. The best part is they now have regional offices where you can renew, update, etc...a CWP, so I was also able to get a new card (renewed at the same time since it was expiring in a few months anyways) in less than an hour (with an appointment) vs. 1-2 months the last time I renewed when you still had to do renewals, changes, etc...entirely by mail.

Voter registration unfortunately still had to be done by mail. You can drop it off at certain acceptance sites like libraries, but they still send them to someone else and you have to wait for a new card. The interesting part is you don't really need a voter registration card anymore in Florida. They have new systems (for the last few elections) where they just swipe your license (at the polling place) through a card reader on a tablet (I think they used to use PCs, but switched to tablets this year) an up comes your voter registration information along with a place to sign.

I expedited my new passport and had it in 11 days door to door. My passport card arrived a day or two later and my documents (except my doctor's letter which they apparently kept) a couple days after that. Social Security consistently takes about a week (7 days) to arrive here. That will vary depending on how far you are from Baltimore (where they send them from) and any weekends, holidays, etc...