Name Change on Passport

[soulprovider915 4]

We've only been married in the USA. I have three questions:

1) Does her name on her Green Card have to match her passport?

2) Does she only change the passport when she gets married in her country?

3) If we travel outside the USA what if the name on Passport doesn't match the name on the Green Card?

Thank You!!

[saratara 0]

Hi, I am gonna tell you my experience, but in general everything is individual.

I got my GC on my new last name, and I have my passport on maiden last name. I was gonna travel with it, and have my marriage certificate with me, but last time when my friend was coming from my country she had problems, and they almost didn't let her in USA even though she had marriage certificate.

So because of that I decide to change last name on my passport here.

I just called my embassy and they sent me all application.

Anyway is depend from you. Maybe someone else have different experience :-))

[Carlawarla 1]

No, her name on her GC does not have to match her passport at this time. Applying for your GC with your maiden name, especially if it's only good for two years, could possibly cause problems for her when she's applying for jobs, SSN's, bank accounts etc. If you want to get her maiden name changed on her GC before the 2 years, then it's going to cost BIG bucks! So my advise would be to have her GC in her married name. You can change it when requesting to lift conditions by filling out your application with her married name at that time, but before, or after your card has been issued, it's a lot of money to change it.

When travelling, she would bring her passport from whatever country she is a citizen of. Depending on when it expires, and what her country says insofar as when she can change her passport, you can look into that. For an example, my passport expires next year, and Canada doesn't do name changes anymore, so I'm carrying my GC in my married name, my passport in my Maiden name, and my marriage certificate to show the change of name.

When booking tickets where you're going to use your passport, you must book your tickets in the name of your passport! Bring a copy of your marriage certificate again, to show the change of name from marriage from what her passport says and her GC says.

Hope this helps.

[Tex'n'Brit 0]

No, her name on her GC does not have to match her passport at this time. Applying for your GC with your maiden name, especially if it's only good for two years, could possibly cause problems for her when she's applying for jobs, SSN's, bank accounts etc. If you want to get her maiden name changed on her GC before the 2 years, then it's going to cost BIG bucks! So my advise would be to have her GC in her married name. You can change it when requesting to lift conditions by filling out your application with her married name at that time, but before, or after your card has been issued, it's a lot of money to change it.

When travelling, she would bring her passport from whatever country she is a citizen of. Depending on when it expires, and what her country says insofar as when she can change her passport, you can look into that. For an example, my passport expires next year, and Canada doesn't do name changes anymore, so I'm carrying my GC in my married name, my passport in my Maiden name, and my marriage certificate to show the change of name.

When booking tickets where you're going to use your passport, you must book your tickets in the name of your passport! Bring a copy of your marriage certificate again, to show the change of name from marriage from what her passport says and her GC says.

Hope this helps.

It's a difficult position to be in, isn't it!

I should tell you that I have flown to/from the US/UK on American Airlines three times since getting married. My ticket was in my married name and my UK passport was (still is) in my maiden name. It was absolutely fine each time. The first time I only had my passport and my marriage certificate - that was OK. The other two times I also took my green card of course. In fact the last time was in January this year, more than two years after marrying and after the US passport ID rules changed. Again, no problems at all.

My marriage certificate shows not only both my maiden and married names, but also has my current address. Whether the address is important I don't know. I decided I would use my married name so that my ticket matched both my marriage certificate and green card and I hoped that it might make things simpler when returning to my hubby here in the US.

Still ... rather than relying on us for our personal opinions, I would highly recommend you check with the relevant airline/s to see what they say you should do before booking. (AA's rep said it was OK either way, as long as I took the marriage certificate with both names on it (plus the green card too, if available)). You can also call the immigration office at the relevant airport as well. That's what I did. (The guy in DFW also said it was OK either way.)

Obviously everyone's experiences with airport/border security and immigration are very different. I think you're in the lap of the gods every time - Even if every document is absolutely in order!

Whatever happens - Happy travelling!

Edited March 27, 2008 by Tex'n'Brit

[Elmira 1]

I have different problem... I called to Kazakh Embassy in DC and they told me they will not change my passport only if I show copy of my GC and SSN and it will take 6 months before I receive new passport... when in Kazakhstan you apply and get it in 5 days .... + to get new passport from Embassy you need to have special stamp from Kazakh Home office saying that they agree with your relocation.... so I guess our government still practices Soviet style of migration control... so we will try to get it through Kazakh Embassy and if not will go back to Kazakhstan to get new passport....

[Tex'n'Brit 0]

I have different problem... I called to Kazakh Embassy in DC and they told me they will not change my passport only if I show copy of my GC and SSN and it will take 6 months before I receive new passport... when in Kazakhstan you apply and get it in 5 days .... + to get new passport from Embassy you need to have special stamp from Kazakh Home office saying that they agree with your relocation.... so I guess our government still practices Soviet style of migration control... so we will try to get it through Kazakh Embassy and if not will go back to Kazakhstan to get new passport....

Sorry to hear about that - the immigration process really can suck at times, can't it. Good luck anyway.