Change of my Last Name

[memmy 3]

It is about 4 years until you become a citizen. Alla kept her maiden name for the ROC also.

It costs nothing to change your name with citizenship and is done by the same district court that administers the oath of citizenship. It cost $15 to change her name on the drivers license, but that varies by state. Nothing else cost any money, it is just a matter of notifications. Some of her credit cards and things are still in her maiden name but who cares? All her ID and SSN are in her married name now

Oh, wow, thanks. I did not know it took 4 years, I thought it was only 2 years. Thanks a lot for clarifying! What did Alla do with her Ukrainian international passport? Did she change it to her new last name ( that is yours), when she became naturalized? My international passport is valid till 2015, and I have no idea what to do next ( where to change it, to what last name and so on).

[Dave&Roza 748]

And if I will travel back to Ukraine while still waiting on my temporary GC ( that is on my Travel Parole), what will I have to show to the airline representatives in Ukraine? My pasport won't have a visa, so I will show them my parole of entry document, my international passport, and that's it?

First, I would like to point out that it is not a temporary GC but rather a GC. It expires in 2 years, but it is still a GC with all of the responsibilities and rights associated with a 10 year GC. Yes, you will show them your passport and the AP card as proof that you have authorization to re-enter the US.

Good luck,

Dave

[memmy 3]

First, I would like to point out that it is not a temporary GC but rather a GC. It expires in 2 years, but it is still a GC with all of the responsibilities and rights associated with a 10 year GC. Yes, you will show them your passport and the AP card as proof that you have authorization to re-enter the US.

Good luck,

Dave

Ok, thank you very much for your replies! They have been very helpful!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Oh, wow, thanks. I did not know it took 4 years, I thought it was only 2 years. Thanks a lot for clarifying! What did Alla do with her Ukrainian international passport? Did she change it to her new last name ( that is yours), when she became naturalized? My international passport is valid till 2015, and I have no idea what to do next ( where to change it, to what last name and so on).

You must be a Permanent Resident for THREE years before you can apply for citizenship. Add in the wait time to become a Permanent Resident and the wait time to become a citizen and you are pushing 4 years from your arrival IF you file everything as soon as possible. Alla arrived in September 2008 and became a citizen in April 2012...and she was approved for citizenship just 15 days after becoming eligible.

She forgot to change anything in her Ukrainian passport. She uses her US passport to travel to Ukraine.

When the Ukrainian passport will expire she will renew it when visiting Ukraine just as anyone normally would and knowing her will probably "forget" to tell them about any changes again.

The US does not inform any country of your becoming a US citizen, so unless you tell them they will never know. Ukraine has a strange way of handling dual citizenship with an on again, off again policy and vague wording. A lot of people say Ukrainians cannot be dual citizens but that is not exactly true. You CAN, provided the current government doesn't get into another leg pissing contest with Russia over gas prices or something, OR Russia doesn't pull another invasion of Georgia to "protect Russians living there". That made Ukraine nervous and Yushenko exercised his power to declare dual citizenship illegal. He did not want to wake up and find Donetsk Oblast belonging to Russia to "protect Russian citizens" living there. Yushenko is gone and Yanukovich has not reinstated the ban, and the law specifically states the "President can declare..."

The advantages for a dual citizen is...

Visa free travel to FSU republics, including Russia. When we traveled through Moscow this summer, we had a layover and Alla waved her Ukrainian passport at them and walked out to meet our daughter-in-law to be for tea. I stayed in the airport. Best news, you do not even need the international passport for this, your internal passport is good enough.

IF you ever have to "overstay" your US passport entry in Ukraine(90 days) just show them your Ukrainian passport when you leave and you are good to go (Actually happened to another VJ member fairly recently)

The main disadvantage is that if you are a male, age 18-25 you must still file for draft deferments (don't we know? We have two sons of that age)annually. They can get them by registering for the draft in the USA or by being students.

[vbtwo 54]

Visa free travel to FSU republics, including Russia. When we traveled through Moscow this summer, we had a layover and Alla waved her Ukrainian passport at them and walked out to meet our daughter-in-law to be for tea. I stayed in the airport. Best news, you do not even need the international passport for this, your internal passport is good enough.

I heard somewhere that they're changing the rules for this and you'll be required to have an international passport and internal will not be good enough to travel between FSU countries anymore (at least between Russia and Ukraine). Can anyone confirm if this is the case?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I heard somewhere that they're changing the rules for this and you'll be required to have an international passport and internal will not be good enough to travel between FSU countries anymore (at least between Russia and Ukraine). Can anyone confirm if this is the case?

I strongly suggest any Ukrainian living here keep their Ukrainian International passport up to date. There are already visa requirements for SOME former Soviet Republics such as those that joined the EU, and for some of the former Central Asian Republics but so far not for Ukraine or Belarus

[memmy 3]

I strongly suggest any Ukrainian living here keep their Ukrainian International passport up to date. There are already visa requirements for SOME former Soviet Republics such as those that joined the EU, and for some of the former Central Asian Republics but so far not for Ukraine or Belarus

Will I be able to update my international passport in 2015 at Ukrainian Embassy in Ukraine, or I will I need to go back home to Ukraine and re-new it there? THanks

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Will I be able to update my international passport in 2015 at Ukrainian Embassy in Ukraine, or I will I need to go back home to Ukraine and re-new it there? THanks

I think you mean the Ukrainian embassy in the United States.

You will not be able to renew it here UNLESS you register with the Ukrainian government as being a US permanent resident and/or citizen. We did not want to do that. We make twice annual trips to Ukraine and will simply renew it when we are there the way any Ukrainian would. You can get a passport renewal in most passport offices in Ukraine in as little as 3 days by paying the expedite fee (and probably a bribe also) We often visit for a month or more at a time, so it is not a problem for us. With a bit of planning you could do the same in a much shorter visit

Incidentally if you happen to be there within two years of the expiration you can renew it AND you can renew it at any time you "lose" the passport. So if your passport expires in 2015, you would be able to renew it in Ukraine anytime in 2013 or 2014...OR...if you were there any other time you could, OOPS!, lose your passport and have to get a new one which would be good for 10 years. It happens.

[memmy 3]

I think you mean the Ukrainian embassy in the United States.

You will not be able to renew it here UNLESS you register with the Ukrainian government as being a US permanent resident and/or citizen. We did not want to do that. We make twice annual trips to Ukraine and will simply renew it when we are there the way any Ukrainian would. You can get a passport renewal in most passport offices in Ukraine in as little as 3 days by paying the expedite fee (and probably a bribe also) We often visit for a month or more at a time, so it is not a problem for us. With a bit of planning you could do the same in a much shorter visit

Incidentally if you happen to be there within two years of the expiration you can renew it AND you can renew it at any time you "lose" the passport. So if your passport expires in 2015, you would be able to renew it in Ukraine anytime in 2013 or 2014...OR...if you were there any other time you could, OOPS!, lose your passport and have to get a new one which would be good for 10 years. It happens.

Thanks a lot for such valuable info!!! You are being extremely helpful!