Renewing passport in USA but From Quebec

[TrinaBee 0]

I am SO happy I found this website! Hopefully someone can shed some light!

I got married four years ago after coming to the USA on a k1 visa. My Canadian passport expires on May 10th and it has been HELL trying to get everything together because I can't use the new simplified form! But then I realized, since I am from Quebec, can I even change to my married name though I am living in the states? Would they still see me as my maiden name and not as my married name?

A part of me would be relieved because I would be able use the simplified form, but it would also be nice to have my married name on it instead. Can anyone help my overdrived brain??

Thanks!

Trina :-)

[TrinaBee 0]

Also, could I just reapply for it in my maiden name even if I wasn't from Quebec to avoid the guarantor headache?

Thanks!

[antda 13]

I am SO happy I found this website! Hopefully someone can shed some light!

I got married four years ago after coming to the USA on a k1 visa. My Canadian passport expires on May 10th and it has been HELL trying to get everything together because I can't use the new simplified form! But then I realized, since I am from Quebec, can I even change to my married name though I am living in the states? Would they still see me as my maiden name and not as my married name?

A part of me would be relieved because I would be able use the simplified form, but it would also be nice to have my married name on it instead. Can anyone help my overdrived brain??

Thanks!

Trina :-)

Also, could I just reapply for it in my maiden name even if I wasn't from Quebec to avoid the guarantor headache?

Thanks!

[La Souris 19]

Did you legally change your name? If so, I think you have to use your new legal name... what name is on your Green card? But, I'm not sure you would have problems if you just sent the application in your maiden name - I remember my mom used to have papers in different names when they changed the law (in the 80s?) in Quebec. Maybe you would have to keep your marriage certificate with your passport, in case someone asks questions in the future. Good luck!

Edited March 22, 2010 by La Souris

[antda 13]

Hi TrinaBee,

In answer to your question:

Unfortunately, if you are renewing/applying for a passport in your married name, you have to use the long form...

However, if you are renewing with your maiden name, you can use the short form...

Lol..I've "been there, done that"....As my previous passport was in my maiden name, and I needed a new passport in my Canadian name...And yes, I applied after I was in the USA (for about 3 years or so) too...

Oh yeah, and not to mention that it is bothersome to get guarrantors, references, and Canadian photo specs too...

Sigh, I wish Canadian passports were valid for 10 years instead of 5 too...

I had a hard time finding guarrantors and references, and literally had to "beg" for one....

With all that hassle, it makes me wonder if I would ever renew my Canadian passport ever again...(and at that time I had no choice...due to the stupid I-751 delays and needing a valid passport for an I-551 stamp...)

Lol..It could be worse...At least it's not as bad as applying for an American passport (that's another story)...

Good luck with the rest of your journey and good luck in getting a Canadian passport too.

Ant

P.S. If you don't have a guarrantor, you can do a "in lieu of a guarrantor" form...Not sure how that works exactly, but it might be a delay if you decide to go that route...

Edited March 22, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[La Souris 19]

Hi TrinaBee,

In answer to your question:

Unfortunately, if you are renewing/applying for a passport in your married name, you have to use the long form...

However, if you are renewing with your maiden name, you can use the short form...

Lol..I've "been there, done that"....As my previous passport was in my maiden name, and I needed a new passport in my Canadian name...And yes, I applied after I was in the USA (for about 3 years or so) too...

Oh yeah, and not to mention that it is bothersome to get guarrantors, references, and Canadian photo specs too...

Sigh, I wish Canadian passports were valid for 10 years instead of 5 too...

With all that hassle, it makes me wonder if I would ever renew my Canadian passport ever again...

Lol..It could be worse...At least it's not as bad as applying for an American passport (that's another story)...

Good luck with the rest of your journey and good luck in getting a Canadian passport too.

Ant

Starting (sometime) in 2011, Canadian passports will be good for 10 years

[antda 13]

By the way...

The name in your passport has to match the name in your tickets...

So if you use your married name for the tickets, then you need to get your passport in your married name too...

And if you use your maiden name for the tickets, then you need to get your passport in your maiden name....

Ant

Starting (sometime) in 2011, Canadian passports will be good for 10 years

LaSouris-Really? Is this true?

Do you have a link that says that?

Hmm...I wonder if I can trade in a 5 year passport for a 10 year one?

Btw..Are they ever going to come out with passport cards (wallet-sized) too?

Definitely a good thing if this is true, indeed!

Ant

[La Souris 19]

LaSouris-Really? Is this true?

Do you have a link that says that?

Hmm...I wonder if I can trade in a 5 year passport for a 10 year one?

Btw..Are they ever going to come out with passport cards (wallet-sized) too?

Definitely a good thing if this is true, indeed!

Ant

Passport cards: no, I don't think so and I don't see the point (since many countries would required a paper passport to stamp it).

Trade: hmmm, no. You would have to get a new one, as I understand it.

Here is the article, in French: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/national/201003/18/01-4262102-le-passeport-electronique-pour-tous-des-2011.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_les-plus-populaires-title_accueil_ECRAN1POS2

"Le passeport électronique sera valide pour 10 ans (5 ans pour les Canadiens de 16 ans et moins)" - so, valid for 10 years for people over 16.

---

The 5 year passport is why I went with my other citizenship passport for so long, same price, good for 10 years.

[antda 13]

La Souris- Merci beaucoup pour passeport Canada information en Francais! Je ne parle pas Francais...But...

My guess at the exact translation (lol..based on the little bit of French I took in school) would be: "The electronic passport will be valid for 10 years (5 years for Canadians 16 years and under)."...

So that's good enough for me..

Darn..Too bad I can't trade it in....Sigh..I can't believe I have to get a new one....What an expense!

By the way, did the article say how much a Canadian 10yr passport is going to cost?

On the bright side, at least this time around I think I can use the simplified form (not sure though), since my current passport is in my married name and my next passport will be in my married name too...

As for a passport card, the reason being is that I need it to travel back to Canada...I would like something that I can conveniently fit in my wallet for cross-border road trips that require no passport stamps...

Plus passport cards are cheaper than books...(at least that's how it is here in the USA..)

By the way, if you don't mind me asking, what other citizenship/passport do you have? And do you have problems travelling with another passport too?

Lol..I admit, that's one of the reasons why I like getting an American passport instead of a Canadian one...As American ones are valid for 10 years instead of 5 years...However, there are other problems I'm running into with the American passport, and thus, in some weird way, makes it easier for me to get a Canadian one instead..lol...

But who knows, maybe after my Canadian passport expires..I might not renew it, nor will I get an American one...

Which is ok I guess...Just kind of funny though, that I have dual citizenhips..but with no passports and/or birth certificates from either country....lol..

Nevertheless, I agree, Canada should have 10 year passports! Other countries have such, then why not Canada?

Ant

Passport cards: no, I don't think so and I don't see the point (since many countries would required a paper passport to stamp it).

Trade: hmmm, no. You would have to get a new one, as I understand it.

Here is the article, in French: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/national/201003/18/01-4262102-le-passeport-electronique-pour-tous-des-2011.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_les-plus-populaires-title_accueil_ECRAN1POS2

"Le passeport électronique sera valide pour 10 ans (5 ans pour les Canadiens de 16 ans et moins)" - so, valid for 10 years for people over 16.

---

The 5 year passport is why I went with my other citizenship passport for so long, same price, good for 10 years.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[TrinaBee 0]

Thanks everyone.

I know that if my passport is in my maiden name, it has to be the same on my ticket (I travel back home every year :-)).

I never legally changed it because in Quebec they don't recognize married names, women just keep their maiden. So in Canada I guess I'm still J*****n. So I guess having it in my maiden wouldn't be a problem?

[antda 13]

Thanks everyone.

I know that if my passport is in my maiden name, it has to be the same on my ticket (I travel back home every year :-)).

I never legally changed it because in Quebec they don't recognize married names, women just keep their maiden. So in Canada I guess I'm still J*****n. So I guess having it in my maiden wouldn't be a problem?

TrinaBee-No problem, glad to be able to help you here.

Interesting to learn too, about the rules in Quebec..I never knew about that before.....hmmmm...Odd, indeed.....

And by all means, you are legally allowed to use your maiden name, regardless...As that is the name that you were born with after all..

So if you want your passport in your maiden name, that is ok too (and is probably easier to renew your passport this way too..)

The only thing you will have to do is carry your marriage certificate, in case they question you further, especially more so if your green card is in your married name.

And yes, remember to book the tickets in the same name as your passport.

So let's see...Canadian passport (maiden name) + marriage certificate (maiden and married names) + ticket (maiden name) + US green card (maiden or married name).....

Shouldn't be too much of a problem there...

If it makes you feel any better, I travelled before back to Canada with my maiden name passport (with married name notation), marriage certificate, and married name green card...and had no problems there....

Hope this helps too. Happy travels! Good luck in renewing your passport too....

Ant

Edited March 22, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[TrinaBee 0]

Thanks!

Oh the weight that has been lifted from my shoulders!

I swear the paperwork was easier immigrating to the country I am not a citizen in!

[TrinaBee 0]

Why do they need my employment history for the last two years? Are they going to call my place of work to verify?

That means they'll ask for Trina J*****n and not, B****n, and my work will say no one works here with that name. Or am I just allowing this to stress me out more than I should?

[TrinaBee 0]

Bumpity bump

[trailmix 77]

Hi Trina,

I didn't read all the replies in this thread, however, you can request your passport be in either name, you decide whether you provide documentation in your married name or maiden name - both are your legal name, you don't lose one in favour of the other

The 'from Quebec' thing is not an issue - Passports are federal documents - not provincial.

I'm not sure if they will call your old place of work to verify your identity. If you left on good terms you might want to email them with your new name anyway - in case you use them as a reference for a new job?

Ant - By the way, if you don't mind me asking, what other citizenship do you have?