Changing name on Russian Passport

[captainofiron 2]

Well Ladies and Gents

Last week Yana and I took the plunge and got married, but now we are starting the process of changing over everything, I already added her to all of my work stuff, i.e. beneficiary, insurance and what not. But Yana wanted to change her name on her social security card as well as her Russian Passports.

Which brings me to our question.

How would you go about changing her name on her Russian international/internal passports

I checked and as I understand it we are in (Las Cruces, NM) the "jurisdiction" of the San Fransisco Russian Consulate??

Do we contact them? Any ideas how much it costs and how long it would take?

Could we travel back to Russia and get it done there, would there be a difference in price/wait?

Thanks everyone

[KGSodie 0]

My understanding, from my wife's research, is that you can do it either way - either by sending it off to a consulate here in the US or by travelling back and doing it. As far as how long it takes, I'm afraid I have no idea. Our daughter is going to go back next summer, when she turns 14, so that she can get her new Russian passport as well as her international passport.

Good luck!

[captainofiron 2]

My understanding, from my wife's research, is that you can do it either way - either by sending it off to a consulate here in the US or by travelling back and doing it. As far as how long it takes, I'm afraid I have no idea. Our daughter is going to go back next summer, when she turns 14, so that she can get her new Russian passport as well as her international passport.

Good luck!

Thanks

Did you have any problems re-entering the USA after traveling abroad with the "wrong" name on the passport?

[Neonred 3,517]

You need to read this thread from a few weeks ago

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/267491-name-change-in-russia/

Basically the name must be changed first on the internal passport which can only be done in Russia. After that she can change her name in the international passport. Also, the embassy and consulates here in the US are no longer doing the name change or renewals by mail.

Returning to the US is no problem, just have your marriage certificate.

Edited August 16, 2010 by Neonred

[captainofiron 2]

You need to read this thread from a few weeks ago

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/267491-name-change-in-russia/

Basically the name must be changed first on the internal passport which can only be done in Russia. After that she can change her name in the international passport. Also, the embassy and consulates here in the US are no longer doing the name change or renewals by mail.

Returning to the US is no problem, just have your marriage certificate.

My wife just got off the phone with the consulate in San Fran, and they told her it was juts a 35 dollar stamp and that they wouldnt even need to change the name on her passport, I am a bit apprehensive about this as it is very different from what I have heard

[Rob_Lesya 4]

My wife just got off the phone with the consulate in San Fran, and they told her it was juts a 35 dollar stamp and that they wouldnt even need to change the name on her passport, I am a bit apprehensive about this as it is very different from what I have heard

What the Consulate will do is put a notation in the passport which states that "This person is also known by the name XXXXXX XXXXXX" This has been pretty standard practice for the Russian Embassy and Consulates for quite some time and has been the route that many took due to the difficulties in actually changing the name on a Russian passport.

Because of a recent change in law in Russia which simplifies the process for changing the name in a passport, the Russian Embassy in Washington will no longer issue this stamp. But as you've discovered, many of the Consulates (at least for the moment) are still doing it.

As for the change in law and your ability to change the name once you/she returns to Russia --- as you've already discovered, there is very little consistency in anything Russian. At least for the forseeable future, any attempt to change the name in Russia should be looked upon as an "adventure" --- and the process and the amount of difficulty is bound to vary greatly from Oblast to Oblast, city to city, and even between individual clerks within the same office. All I can do is provide our recent example--

My wife went to the office in Chelyabinsk and filled out a form stating that she wanted to change her name so that it would be consistent with that of her husband. She gave them a certified copy (not even an apostilled copy, just a regular certified copy) of our marriage certificate along with translation. She also gave them a copy of her birth certificate -- this was the document that presented a small problem. The copy she gave them was a simple photocopy, not an actual certified copy. But instead of making her go back and obtain a certified copy of the document, they simply phoned the small city where the document had been issued and verified over the phone that the information was correct. A few days later, she had a document in hand stating that she had the right to change her name to Lesya XXXXXX. With that document in her possession, getting a new internal passport and then international passport was a piece of cake. The whole process took about 2 weeks from start to finish.

[captainofiron 2]

What the Consulate will do is put a notation in the passport which states that "This person is also known by the name XXXXXX XXXXXX" This has been pretty standard practice for the Russian Embassy and Consulates for quite some time and has been the route that many took due to the difficulties in actually changing the name on a Russian passport.

Because of a recent change in law in Russia which simplifies the process for changing the name in a passport, the Russian Embassy in Washington will no longer issue this stamp. But as you've discovered, many of the Consulates (at least for the moment) are still doing it.

As for the change in law and your ability to change the name once you/she returns to Russia --- as you've already discovered, there is very little consistency in anything Russian. At least for the forseeable future, any attempt to change the name in Russia should be looked upon as an "adventure" --- and the process and the amount of difficulty is bound to vary greatly from Oblast to Oblast, city to city, and even between individual clerks within the same office. All I can do is provide our recent example--

My wife went to the office in Chelyabinsk and filled out a form stating that she wanted to change her name so that it would be consistent with that of her husband. She gave them a certified copy (not even an apostilled copy, just a regular certified copy) of our marriage certificate along with translation. She also gave them a copy of her birth certificate -- this was the document that presented a small problem. The copy she gave them was a simple photocopy, not an actual certified copy. But instead of making her go back and obtain a certified copy of the document, they simply phoned the small city where the document had been issued and verified over the phone that the information was correct. A few days later, she had a document in hand stating that she had the right to change her name to Lesya XXXXXX. With that document in her possession, getting a new internal passport and then international passport was a piece of cake. The whole process took about 2 weeks from start to finish.

wow so for you it was relatively simple, geez

I think we will go with the stamp, it seems alot more simple

[Neonred 3,517]

We got the stamp in the passport and it has worked well for us. A lot less hassle and never a problem traveling.

[Kailey 3]

To get a new last name on her international passport, your wife will need to change her internal passport first, and for this her presence is required.

I don't know what "Oblast to oblast or city to city" rules are but I know this is what the official govrenment site says: http://www.fms.gov.ru

and instruction about issuing internal Russian passports http://www.fms.gov.ru/upload/iblock/024/preg339001.pdf (for example see page 21st).

If she has any relatives or somebody who could go to the local passport bureau and ask them that would be great but most likely local officials will just reply what

the gov. site says.

Also, if she has any property in Russia, to be on the safe side, I think it's good to change her ownership documents too. But this can take months.

We (my husband and I) actually stopped at the following solution: my American documents will bear a double last name (mine + husband's) and for other moments as registering in hotels or when meeting people i just introduce myself with my husband's last name for short (it also sounds cool ).

This is still not 100% perfect from the Russian authorities point of view and I will have to deal with it one day in the future, but sort of an option..

Edited August 18, 2010 by Kailey

[captainofiron 2]

To get a new last name on her international passport, your wife will need to change her internal passport first, and for this her presence is required.

I don't know what "Oblast to oblast or city to city" rules are but I know this is what the official govrenment site says: http://www.fms.gov.ru

and instruction about issuing internal Russian passports http://www.fms.gov.ru/upload/iblock/024/preg339001.pdf (for example see page 21st).

If she has any relatives or somebody who could go to the local passport bureau and ask them that would be great but most likely local officials will just reply what

the gov. site says.

Also, if she has any property in Russia, to be on the safe side, I think it's good to change her ownership documents too. But this can take months.

We (my husband and I) actually stopped at the following solution: my American documents will bear a double last name (mine + husband's) and for other moments as registering in hotels or when meeting people i just introduce myself with my husband's last name for short (it also sounds cool ).

This is still not 100% perfect from the Russian authorities point of view and I will have to deal with it one day in the future, but sort of an option..

Thanks I appreciate it, We had been thinking of going to the local consulate and getting the "stamp" and then next time we go back to Russia for her to try and get the name changed, so I appreciate this input.

Thanks again

[slim 1,514]

I'll add here - you don't need to do anything. She'll have no problems keeping her "Russian name" on all her Russian documents and "American name" on all American documents since the two countries don't officially recognize each other's documents anyway.

Before you go changing the SSN card, make sure you apply for AOS first and give them a few weeks to update her in the SAVE system otherwise they won't be able to process it over at SSA. Her number won't change so the name on the card doesn't really matter. Once she gets her green card (or at least a correspondence from USCIS in relation to AOS - like something with her new name on it) then you can change her SSN card. SSA is hit or miss and it's really dependent on the knowledge of the person working there as to whether or not you get the card. You may walk in tomorrow and get the new card. Or, you may go back five times to try... only to be told to wait for the green card.

Either way... Good luck!

[captainofiron 2]

I'll add here - you don't need to do anything. She'll have no problems keeping her "Russian name" on all her Russian documents and "American name" on all American documents since the two countries don't officially recognize each other's documents anyway.

Before you go changing the SSN card, make sure you apply for AOS first and give them a few weeks to update her in the SAVE system otherwise they won't be able to process it over at SSA. Her number won't change so the name on the card doesn't really matter. Once she gets her green card (or at least a correspondence from USCIS in relation to AOS - like something with her new name on it) then you can change her SSN card. SSA is hit or miss and it's really dependent on the knowledge of the person working there as to whether or not you get the card. You may walk in tomorrow and get the new card. Or, you may go back five times to try... only to be told to wait for the green card.

Either way... Good luck!

Actually it does alot, my bank and several other institutions will not allow me to add her to my accounts and what not because the name on the marriage certificate and her social security card do not match

I talked to my lawyer about the ss card and he said that if we waited for her to get her work permit then she could then proceed to change the name on the ss card, so we will see

[slim 1,514]

Actually it does alot, my bank and several other institutions will not allow me to add her to my accounts and what not because the name on the marriage certificate and her social security card do not match

Funny that your bank won't allow you to add whomever you wish to your accounts. Personally, I wouldn't bank somewhere that had stupid rules like that.

I talked to my lawyer about the ss card and he said that if we waited for her to get her work permit then she could then proceed to change the name on the ss card, so we will see

If you've applied for AOS (which I take it has already been done since work permit is on the way) she should be updated in the SAVE system sometime before you get the actual permit in the mail.

Give them a shout to see if she's been updated yet and check back every couple of days. Once she's in there, you're good to go with SSA.

[Kailey 3]

Slim, applying for AOS and getting a work permit are sometimes different things. Some apply for work permit based on K1 just upon arrival and they say some ports of entry (NY if i'm not mistaken) can

stamp a work permit in the passport of the newly arrived fiancee .

captainofiron, you can change your wife's name on SSN card immediately after marriage based on the marriage certificate but! it should be done prior to 14 dates until the expiration date on I-94.

We arrived one day later (none of us knew about 14 days back then) and they didn't change my name. It had nothing to do with the person at SS office, the system just blocks the profile and doesn't let them change anything.

Btw, while that I-94 90 days term is still valid I also think it's worth while getting a state ID (if you have them in your state) with her new name.

[captainofiron 2]

captainofiron, you can change your wife's name on SSN card immediately after marriage based on the marriage certificate but! it should be done prior to 14 dates until the expiration date on I-94.

We arrived one day later (none of us knew about 14 days back then) and they didn't change my name. It had nothing to do with the person at SS office, the system just blocks the profile and doesn't let them change anything.

Btw, while that I-94 90 days term is still valid I also think it's worth while getting a state ID (if you have them in your state) with her new name.

is that 14 days from her arrival in the US or 14 days from the date of marriage?

the I-94 is the little paper they stapled to the inside of her passport right?

Thanks, fortunately the SSA office is pretty close to my house.

Yes we had been trying to get her a state ID, but you need 1 photo ID (visa) 1 proof of ID (SS card) and 2 proofs of residency in NM

so we had 2 out of the 4, so we were waiting on the SS card name change which would then let us put her name (new not maiden) on my bank account which would give us all 4 for the state ID