passport - maiden name, green card -new name

[Stepha 0]

I've just received my Green Card and we would like to travel to Japan this spring which should be no problem. Still my passport is on my maiden name and the Embassy ceased processing any applications for renewal of passports for the moment .

Is it possible to travel like this + marriage certificate? Should there be any problem? Has anyone else been in this situation?

[callas 0]

So in the past, this was easy - you book your ticket in your passport name. However, this last December when I came back through to the US with my passport in my married name but my green card in my maiden name, with plane tickets issued in my married name, the US immigration officer at the border advised me that there's a new DHS program whereby your plane ticket name has to match your identification name; for re-entry into the US even though you need a passport, it's the green card that establishes your residency and not your passport, and he advised that I have my green card changed prior to further travel (or issue tickets in my maiden name, which then the passport/ticket name don't match and you can imagine the hassles now).

What a pita this is. I've spoken to USCIS and i've been to the San Francisco field office, where USCIS confirmed the officer's account and the SF field office denied it. I'm going to change my green card since i'm no longer conditional, but it's currently a 4 month process, and you shouldn't be leaving the country in the meantime. FYI. I'd suggest you visit your local field office and get their take; i'm inclined to trust the border folks but with conflicting stories it's becoming difficult to assess which is true.

[Anh map 2,098]

Book international tickets in the name that is on your passport. They have to match.

My wife left JFK last Saturday to visit her family in Vietnam. Passport and tickets in her maiden name, GC in married name. No problems.

She does have a copy of our marriage certificate just in case she needs it when she comes back in to the US.

[Krikit 1,164]

My passport is in my former name (and, subsequently, any tickets I may purchase) and my greencard is in my married name. I have travelled numerous times out of the country (20+) over the past 3.25 years and have never encountered a problem with reentry. I did carry my marriage certificate with me the first few times but now I don't bother. Once they swipe your greencard they have your former name and data which connect the two anyway.

[thongd4me 69]

My passport is in my former name (and, subsequently, any tickets I may purchase) and my greencard is in my married name. I have travelled numerous times out of the country (20+) over the past 3.25 years and have never encountered a problem with reentry. I did carry my marriage certificate with me the first few times but now I don't bother. Once they swipe your greencard they have your former name and data which connect the two anyway.

When your Canadian passport comes up for renewal will you change your name or leave it as is?

In Thailand it would be preferable for her to keep her Thai name because if she changed it there

might be some downside risk to the land she owns as a Thai citizen. They don't want

Thai citizens to control land in Thailand as proxies for foreigners; it's kinda complicated but

we would not want to run those kinds of risks. I didn't buy any of that land or seek to convert

it to my use but the Thai government is looking for those kind of things.

[Stepha 0]

Thank you so much for your replies, I'm not so worried anymore. It is possible!

[Krikit 1,164]

When your Canadian passport comes up for renewal will you change your name or leave it as is?

In Thailand it would be preferable for her to keep her Thai name because if she changed it there

might be some downside risk to the land she owns as a Thai citizen. They don't want

Thai citizens to control land in Thailand as proxies for foreigners; it's kinda complicated but

we would not want to run those kinds of risks. I didn't buy any of that land or seek to convert

it to my use but the Thai government is looking for those kind of things.

I renewed my passport last year and kept my former name.

[ruby_7 45]

When you travel to Japan, bring your marriage certificate...because u need it when u re=enter back in the US since your green card last name doesn't match with your passport's last name to avoid hassles and interrogations especially now the security is getting tighter due to recent issues of the attempted bombing on plane.