Ukraine name change on passport

[Spartacus 0]

My Ukranian wife took my name. She is hearing horror stories from her friend that she may be trapped in Ukraine when we visit if her passort doesn't match her green card. Then, apparently the letter of the Ukrainian law is that first she must change her blue passort and tell the gov't that she no longer lives there. This may or may not involve renouncing claims to any property that she has an interest in. THEN, after the blue domestic passport is changed, she can change her red int'l passport.

Is it really that freakin' complicated to get her name changed on her int'l passport? Is it a problem to have a different last name on her ukranian passport?

I applied for her advance parole, will those papers replace her passport for travel, eliminating the problem?

My wife is freaking out.

[Case Not Found 0]

My Ukranian wife took my name. She is hearing horror stories from her friend that she may be trapped in Ukraine when we visit if her passort doesn't match her green card. Then, apparently the letter of the Ukrainian law is that first she must change her blue passort and tell the gov't that she no longer lives there. This may or may not involve renouncing claims to any property that she has an interest in. THEN, after the blue domestic passport is changed, she can change her red int'l passport.

Is it really that freakin' complicated to get her name changed on her int'l passport? Is it a problem to have a different last name on her ukranian passport?

I applied for her advance parole, will those papers replace her passport for travel, eliminating the problem?

My wife is freaking out.

My first name on GC didn't match the name on the passport. Had no problem entering and exiting the US. Also, as far as I know, the passport is red not blue.

Edited March 17, 2007 by Case Not Found

[payxibka 10,045]

My first name on GC didn't match the name on the passport. Had no problem entering and exiting the US. Also, as far as I know, the passport is red not blue.

US entry/exit is not his concern it is her home country.....

[flutter95 4]

Hmm my best advice would be to look on the Ukraine consulate website HERE to see if you can find what you need there or contact them to find out for sure.

[Spartacus 0]

Hmm my best advice would be to look on the Ukraine consulate website HERE to see if you can find what you need there or contact them to find out for sure.

The Ukraine site seems to have been written and supported by idiots, with conflicting info. They also will not return my wife's calls, nor her emails. Typical customer service. It seems these may be leftover soviet laws, and they don't know exactly how to deal with them.

For the other respondent: Duh, the internal is blue, the external is red.

Has no one gone back to the Ukraine with a changed married name and a green card/travel docs?

[pak 0]

Has no one gone back to the Ukraine with a changed married name and a green card/travel docs?

You guys are first, let us know what happens as we might have the same issue soon.

P.S. As much as I hate the practice, $100 usually solves pretty much any problem on the spot. Speaking from very unfortunate personal experience.

[Spartacus 0]

I can't be the first.

Has no one gone back to the Ukraine with a changed married name and a green card/travel docs?

You guys are first, let us know what happens as we might have the same issue soon.

P.S. As much as I hate the practice, $100 usually solves pretty much any problem on the spot. Speaking from very unfortunate personal experience.

[ambitious-outsider 0]

My wife and I have gone back to Ukraine twice with her name maiden name in her passport. It's no problem if you bring your marriage cert. However, on our last trip the passport control guy said she needed a stamp in her passport. I think it has something to do with registering with the Ukraine embassy here in the states. That is my big problem now. They said they could hold her if she returns to Ukraine without the stamp. Nobody at the Ukraine embassy answers the phone. I have faxed the DC, SanFran and Chicago consulates, but have received no reply. Their website directions are in Ukrainian and seem to be somewhat insane (according to my wife). I'm a bit lost right now and looking for a lawyer. Her friend from England doesn't have any stamp issues, so I'm not sure why they are picking on us.

Has no one gone back to the Ukraine with a changed married name and a green card/travel docs?

You guys are first, let us know what happens as we might have the same issue soon.

P.S. As much as I hate the practice, $100 usually solves pretty much any problem on the spot. Speaking from very unfortunate personal experience.

[Nancy2015 2]

I'm not from Ukraine, I'm from Russia, but the bureaucratic machine seems to work the same way in these two countries. Anyways, although I haven't been to Russia yet, someone knowledgeable told me that it's a good idea to have the international passport stamped at the consulate - with a stamp that says: "Jane Smith is also known under the name of Jane Doe", and that may be sufficient.

As for changing the last name - most likely one has to change the domestic passport first, because the red international passport is based on it. I wanted to do it, but it is so hard that I gave up Costly too.

[Nancy2015 2]

I applied for her advance parole, will those papers replace her passport for travel, eliminating the problem?

No. She will still need her passport to travel.

Maybe she could try to change her name through ZAGS? I don't know if Ukraine is different, but I changed my last name in Russia through ZAGS when I was 16. I took my mother's maiden name, because my father's last name was really horrible It was very inexpensive and fast. First they issue you a new birth certificate and a certificate of a name change, and then you take all this and apply for a new domestic passport at the police station. And after that you can change your foreign passport too - just make sure they spell your name correctly when they transliterate it. But again - it was Russia, not Ukraine.

[a1cpat 0]

Even with a name change, her original Ukrainian passport (with her maiden name) combined with either her AP document, or her actual Green Card (with her new surname) will be enough to leave Ukraine. We had our marriage liscence just in case, but never needed it. In our experience they really dont care where you are going...you just need to be sure you will be let back INTO the states when you guys get back.

We havent encountered any difficulty at the border in Ukraine.

We have gone back twice since she got here in December, and the only problem we had was a warning to me that I had almost accumulated too many days inside of Ukraine within a 90 period without a visa. I had stayed there for almost two months while we were waiting for her interview. Right now there is a waiver in effect for visa requirements for US Citizens and EU citizens. But only for short tourist stays.

Anyway, good luck to you guys!

[payxibka 10,045]

Also, if you are still concerned... try the VIP service at the airport upon departure.... I think you will experience less hassle on your issue....

[mr111 0]

I have similar concerns. My wife's passport was stolen and we returned to the Ukraine to visit and to apply for a new passport (we were told a replacement passport from here would take over 1.5 years by the consolute involving coordination with a residency change with the Ukrainian government). The plane tickets are in her married name in anticipation of the name change. We scrambled to obtain a marriage rtificate and have it Apostilled before departure. At the airport leaving the US they needed a copy of the marriage certificate to let her board. Once there, we tried to apply for the new passport in her new name (supported by the marriage cert now translated and notarized in addition to the apostille, her green card and her social security card) and were turned away. Apparently the marriage certificate doesn't actually state what her new name is, just her maiden name. As for the green card and social security card, they told us that they might mean something in the US, but in the Ukraine they're not even fit for toilet paper. So we applied for the passport once again in her maiden name. Now my questions.

1) With her passport in her maiden name, but her plane ticket and green card in her married name, will we be able to board?

2) What document can I get from the US (social security administration?) that verifies her name change and will be acceptable to the Ukraine?

Any help will truly be greatly appreciated, especially since my wife is stuck over there and I just returned back to the states.