Traveling with AP document and Passport in different names

[Sebas&Lily 3]

I have a question, since we are married now and filing our i485, can my wife travel with the AP document and her passport if they are in different names? The AP document will be in her new married name and her passport is still in her maiden name. Or should we apply in her maiden name for the i485 and AP and EAD all together to avoid any issues?

[HappyRs 8]

I have a question, since we are married now and filing our i485, can my wife travel with the AP document and her passport if they are in different names? The AP document will be in her new married name and her passport is still in her maiden name. Or should we apply in her maiden name for the i485 and AP and EAD all together to avoid any issues?

she will definitely need a copy of the marriage certificate that shows the name change...there shouldn't be any problems. I would apply in my new married name on all my new papers (EAD etc.); that's what I will do in a couple of months anyway... Will she go to the Romanian Consulate to change her Romanian ID and everything?

[M613 6]

You should apply with her new married name for the EAD/AP/AOS per the wonderfully detailed instructions provided by Vanessa&Tony in this link:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/235331-aos-ead-ap-from-k1-the-aussie-way-doc-list-included/

re: the different last names when traveling: I would think that bringing the AP (with her new last name), her passport (with her maiden name BUT had your info on the K-1 visa sticker inside) plus a copy of your marriage certificate would be enough to prove that it's her AND that she's not abandoning her green card application, of course.

If I'm wrong, I'd love to know, as I intend on traveling in October with my husband-thanks!

[Sebas&Lily 3]

Thank you for the responses, I think you are both right, Vanessa&Tony responded on this issue in another thread I ran across yesterday and the answer seems to be the same, carry the State Certified marriage certificate with you

All our AOS paperwork is done so far, everything in her new married name but the thought about traveling with different names just popped into my head yesterday so I had to ask.

Aleksa&Nico, I don't think she will have enough time to change her passport to the new biometrics one, first she has to declare her marriage in Romania before being able to change her name on all her documents

We will probably do this next year.

The new biometrics Passport is pretty fancy, I saw it yesterday and I was told that the embassy will not apply ANY visa to the old passport anymore, everyone will be forced to have the new biometrics Passport.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Just to re-confirm, no being different isn't an issue. Happens all the time. In fact, I know one girl going to Mexico shortly and her passport is in her maiden name, her GC in her married. She will need to book tickets in her passport name, and carry her marriage certificate to link her to the Greencard.

An important thing to check though is whether the airline will let her fly in her married name, or maiden name. Usually you should book tickets in your passport name.

As for passport being changed in time. For me, the process is quite convoluted and time consuming. Like you I would not have enough time to change it if I needed to make emergency travel, and I also didn't want to change ANYTHING until I had the greencard approved because if I did, the photocopy of my passport wouldn't match the passport I had, and I also need to send off my birth certificate and if I had an interview I wouldn't have it available.

So, in short names being different isn't an issue, just carry your marriage certificate

** moved from "Adjustment of Status (Green Card) from Family Based Visas" to " Working & Traveling During US Immigration" as this is relating to using the AP document not an AOS process qn**

Edited August 6, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[M613 6]

Hm-whilst on the Advance Parole topic: USCIS got my stuff July 22nd (AOS/EAD/AP)--am I being silly in thinking I'll have my AP by early October? We have a trip loosely planned for Oct. 8th-loosely because it's a roll of the dice w. timelines of course.

Any thoughts?

[Sebas&Lily 3]

from what I've read, the AP arrives in about 60 days, give or take a few

[M613 6]

Same here-still--I don't see alot of posts re: how long it takes for people to get their AP-it's all mostly (and understandably) about EADs and/or greencards