Getting a passport when you have changed your name?

Question

My boyfriend is in need of getting a passport before March. We are going to get the express passport to make sure it comes in in time, but we are worried that something might get into the way of this. My boyfriend was adopted by his father when he was 1years old. So from the time he was born until then he had a different last name. One of the questions on the passport application is if he has ever gone by any other last names. We assumed he would need to put yes for that, but we weren't sure if we had to have some sort of proof. To his knowledge he has no documents showing his old last name, and his birth certificate has his adopted fathers last name on it. We are really confused, any help would be great!

Answer 1

To be honest with you, the name that's on his birth certificate is his legal name, so he needs to use that. If you submit any other name then they'll ask for some type of documentation, or it can raise suspicion. The government doesn't know him by that name, so maybe somethings are best left unsaid. Best of luck to you both, have a good trip.

Answer 2

if you have no documentation, how do you know he had a different name??
when you fill out the application, you answer "to the best of your knowledge"
if you have no record of a different name, then the answer to that question is simply no.

Answer 3

You did the right thing and I doubt he will have any problems.