Can my adopted stepchild get a passport with my last name in South Carolina?

Yes! After the adoption is finalized in South Carolina, your child can get a passport reflecting their new legal name and your name as the parent.

How to get the passport:

1. Obtain the new birth certificate from South Carolina DHEC Vital Records (or use the adoption order)

2. Apply at any passport office — post office, county clerk, or passport agency

3. Submit:

- Adoption order (certified copy) or new birth certificate

- Two passport photos of the child

- Both legal parents' identification

- DS-11 application form

Important: Both legal parents (your spouse and you, as the adoptive parent) must consent to the child's passport application. This is a protection for your family — it means the terminated biological parent cannot obtain a passport for your child.

International travel after adoption:

• You travel as the child's legal parent — no consent letters needed from the other parent
• The adoption order eliminates previous travel complications
• No more explaining your relationship at borders or customs

Before adoption: International travel with a stepchild requires consent letters, may involve questioning at borders, and can be refused by other countries.

Cost of adoption: $349 + court fees | Timeline in South Carolina: 3-6 months