Changing Russian Passport

[Scribble 1]

Hello everyone!

I have a question I'm a bit confused about. So I married my husband and decided to take his last name. My GC is in his last name. Now I need to change my Russian passport (both of them). I have been on the embassy's website (the one in DC) and got a bit confused in regards to their requirements. Our marriage certificate is perfectly fine. however during the wedding I was not asked if I wanted to keep my name neither it says anywhere on it that I am changing it to my husbands last name. However on the website it says that the marriage certificate has to have that on it and it also need an apostile (I think thats what its called) or a judge decision to grant me ther name change...

In short- what all do I need to change my last name to my married name in my Russian passport?

Any advice will be great!

[slim 1,525]

Hello everyone!

I have a question I'm a bit confused about. So I married my husband and decided to take his last name. My GC is in his last name. Now I need to change my Russian passport (both of them). I have been on the embassy's website (the one in DC) and got a bit confused in regards to their requirements. Our marriage certificate is perfectly fine. however during the wedding I was not asked if I wanted to keep my name neither it says anywhere on it that I am changing it to my husbands last name. However on the website it says that the marriage certificate has to have that on it and it also need an apostile (I think thats what its called) or a judge decision to grant me ther name change...

In short- what all do I need to change my last name to my married name in my Russian passport?

Any advice will be great!

It'll be dependent upon which embassy you go through but basically they'll require some documentation of your married name. Typically they keep your Russian papers Russian (with the same name as before) and then add a "stamp" that acknowledges you're "also known as XXXXXX."

If you'd like to change your name on your Russian stuff (you don't have to) just email the embassy and they'll let you know what you need.

Also, if your green card and Russian passport(s) don't match, it's no big deal. Airlines, border guards, etc., all understand that a married woman is going to have a different name on her passport and green card. It's your choice what you want to be called.

[Scribble 1]

Thanx for the reply. The point is I want to chnage my name legally in Russia, so the only way to do it from here is to chnage my passports I suppose. I will be going to the embassy in DC and the guidelines about the documents on their website are not very clear... So I need to bring documents in my old and new name?

[slim 1,525]

Thanx for the reply. The point is I want to chnage my name legally in Russia, so the only way to do it from here is to chnage my passports I suppose. I will be going to the embassy in DC and the guidelines about the documents on their website are not very clear... So I need to bring documents in my old and new name?

Give them a call or shoot them an email. They'll tell you what you need to bring or send in.

[san diego 407]

Just a piece of advice: you may not want to change your last name in Russian passport if you still have property in Russia... in the future you may have a problem.. in Russia

[SMR 368]

Hello everyone!

I have a question I'm a bit confused about. So I married my husband and decided to take his last name. My GC is in his last name. Now I need to change my Russian passport (both of them). I have been on the embassy's website (the one in DC) and got a bit confused in regards to their requirements. Our marriage certificate is perfectly fine. however during the wedding I was not asked if I wanted to keep my name neither it says anywhere on it that I am changing it to my husbands last name. However on the website it says that the marriage certificate has to have that on it and it also need an apostile (I think thats what its called) or a judge decision to grant me ther name change...

In short- what all do I need to change my last name to my married name in my Russian passport?

Any advice will be great!

My first bit of advice on the subject is that it isn't worth it. A simple stamp in your international passport that says you are also known as ______ will be sufficient for all practical purposes.

If you really want to do it, there are some things to consider. Your international passport must match your internal passport, which you must change first. In order to change your internal passport, you must either register with the embassy as a Russian living abroad or you must travel back to the place you are registered to get your internal passport changed. Registering with the embassy as living abroad is easier if viable but it means not being registered (прописан) anywhere else which may mean that you forfeit property rights, etc. and may make returning to Russia more difficult depending on how much money you have.

Whether you try to exchange your internal passport in Russia or the embassy, you will need documents supporting the name change. Many US marriage certificates don't explicitly state that the bride is changing her name (it depends on the county that you were married in). While a marriage certificate can be sufficient to document a name change in many cases, it may not be sufficient (I have heard conflicting stories). This would mean that you need to get a court order documenting the name change. You may need to get that court order authorized by an apostille.

Once you change your internal passport, the international passport will follow without much trouble at all.

The way I see it, if you don't plan on going back to Russia, it doesn't matter what your official name is in Russia. If you plan on going back, the name change might have various repercussions when you do. If you have personal reasons to change, go ahead. But it's a complicated process. I have not gone through the process so what I have said here is based on second and third hand sources. Some of it may have changed or may have never been accurate but this is my understanding.

[Neonred 3,562]

My wife tried to do this a few years ago. To change your name in your Russian international passport I believe you must first change your name in your Russian internal passport and that can only be done in Russia. It is also a big pain in the #### and requires a lot of documentation. In our case we were not successful. We did have her new name added to her passport which made international travel easy, but I understand the embassy is not currently doing that.

In reality there is no compelling reason to change the name in either passport. Having the marriage certificate with you to show the name relationship is all that is necessary.

[san diego 407]

My wife tried to do this a few years ago. To change your name in your Russian international passport I believe you must first change your name in your Russian internal passport and that can only be done in Russia. It is also a big pain in the #### and requires a lot of documentation. In our case we were not successful. We did have her new name added to her passport which made international travel easy, but I understand the embassy is not currently doing that.

In reality there is no compelling reason to change the name in either passport. Having the marriage certificate with you to show the name relationship is all that is necessary.

I agree. In addition, there are only downsides.

[Neonred 3,562]

And yes, the marriage certificate must show the old name AND the new married name. This was one of our problems.

[Scribble 1]

Thank you guys.

Well, the only reason I want to chnage my name is that I'm going to be traveling home to see frienda and family somewhat often (couple of times a year) and I dont want any problems crossing any of the borders, since my GC is in one name and my passport is in a different name. So, basically, how do I get that magic stamp in my passport that will say that I'm also known my my married name?

I'm not worried about property and what not back homev it's all settled. My dad is my official legal representative back home and I'm pretty comfortable with him being the only owner, since all I have I got from him anyway lol

Plus in 3 years, when I will be trying to get citezenship my Amercian passport would be in a different name as well, however I do not wish to abandone my Russian citezenship (once again- I want to visit) but I guess I will worry about that when I get to it.

So my final question is- what do I need to have to get the "also known as..." stamp?

and Another quick one- do I have to register at the Embassy?

[sofya 10]

My first bit of advice on the subject is that it isn't worth it. A simple stamp in your international passport that says you are also known as ______ will be sufficient for all practical purposes.

If you really want to do it, there are some things to consider. Your international passport must match your internal passport, which you must change first. In order to change your internal passport, you must either register with the embassy as a Russian living abroad or you must travel back to the place you are registered to get your internal passport changed. Registering with the embassy as living abroad is easier if viable but it means not being registered (прописан) anywhere else which may mean that you forfeit property rights, etc. and may make returning to Russia more difficult depending on how much money you have.

Whether you try to exchange your internal passport in Russia or the embassy, you will need documents supporting the name change. Many US marriage certificates don't explicitly state that the bride is changing her name (it depends on the county that you were married in). While a marriage certificate can be sufficient to document a name change in many cases, it may not be sufficient (I have heard conflicting stories). This would mean that you need to get a court order documenting the name change. You may need to get that court order authorized by an apostille.

Once you change your internal passport, the international passport will follow without much trouble at all.

The way I see it, if you don't plan on going back to Russia, it doesn't matter what your official name is in Russia. If you plan on going back, the name change might have various repercussions when you do. If you have personal reasons to change, go ahead. But it's a complicated process. I have not gone through the process so what I have said here is based on second and third hand sources. Some of it may have changed or may have never been accurate but this is my understanding.

I went through name change on the international passport at the DC Embassy. It was very easy and quick, just a 3-day turnaround. They put a stamp in the passport saying "The matrimonial name of the passport holder is________________" My marriage certificate was the same as yours - not specifying the name change. And it worked absolutely fine, no questions asked. You can travel with that document just fine. Although I got a state ID with my married name (which can be done after changing your name on SSN card) and traveled in the US just with the state ID.

However, to change both your russian passport and the international passport, I would advise you to wait till your international passport expires. Then either do the whole carousel via registering at the embassy, or go to Russia, change your name here at ZAGS, and then get the new passports in a regular fashion - that's what I did. To tell the truth, it made my life a bit easier. Also, if you change your name through ZAGS you get a свидетельство о перемене имени, which you can use when dealing with property documents etc.

[SMR 368]

I went through name change on the international passport at the DC Embassy. It was very easy and quick, just a 3-day turnaround. They put a stamp in the passport saying "The matrimonial name of the passport holder is________________" My marriage certificate was the same as yours - not specifying the name change. And it worked absolutely fine, no questions asked. You can travel with that document just fine. Although I got a state ID with my married name (which can be done after changing your name on SSN card) and traveled in the US just with the state ID.

However, to change both your russian passport and the international passport, I would advise you to wait till your international passport expires. Then either do the whole carousel via registering at the embassy, or go to Russia, change your name here at ZAGS, and then get the new passports in a regular fashion - that's what I did. To tell the truth, it made my life a bit easier. Also, if you change your name through ZAGS you get a свидетельство о перемене имени, which you can use when dealing with property documents etc.

Yes, you can get the stamp really rather easily. But you didn't change the name in your international passport. In order to do that you have to change the internal passport first. That is all I was saying.

[Neonred 3,562]

Are they doing the "Matrimonial name" notation again? I understand they quit doing that a year or two ago. I also understand you must make a personal appearance at the embassy to renew your passport.

[SMR 368]

Are they doing the "Matrimonial name" notation again? I understand they quit doing that a year or two ago. I also understand you must make a personal appearance at the embassy to renew your passport.

My wife got the note added in her new passport this month and I don't remember the word matrimonial being used.

[sofya 10]

Are they doing the "Matrimonial name" notation again? I understand they quit doing that a year or two ago. I also understand you must make a personal appearance at the embassy to renew your passport.

Right, I heard about the stamp notation potentially changing but never saw what that changed it to - I got mine over three years ago. But essentially, the effect is the same. I also had good experience talking to the embassy folks on the phone, so I would call them first to make sure where you have to be there in person or not.

SMR - I'm with you on all your comments, no arguing intended; sorry if my posting came across in such a way.