Visa still valid after passport name change?

[BobbyL 0]

Hi,

 

Just as a heads up I have Googled this and found many different answers. Also, the US embassy in Bangkok have emailed me back with automated answers which don't specifically explain what needs to be done. Nobody answers the phone 😀 and the main US visa website also has a different answer to what the US embassy replied to me so I am pretty confused. 

 

Background -

 

I am UK citizen that currently lives and works in Bangkok. My wife (Thai citizen) has a valid B1/B2 tourist visa that expires in 2027. She obtained this visa from the London US embassy when we lived in England together from 2015 - 2017 and we went to New York on holiday in 2017. Even though this visa is still valid for another 8 years, her passport in which it is in has now expired.

 

This obviously wouldn't normally be an issue (present both her old and new passports to border control), however since we moved back to Bangkok she has got a new passport and as we're married added on my surname to the end of her first name and maiden name. Meaning that the name on her original valid visa (in her expired passport) is slightly different to the name in her new passport. 

 

We're planning on going on holiday to America again either this Christmas / Easter 2020 so would like to be able know what is the best way to sort this out before booking any flights etc. The question that I have tried to get answered is if we plan to go there on holiday is her current valid visa (expires in 2027) still fine to use even though it is in an old expired passport, and her new passport has had my surname added in it? 

 

So far I have seen 4 different answers about what should be presented to border control in the US - 

 

1. Yes it is fine just take both passports to show (old one with valid visa in and the new one)

 

2. Yes it is fine just take both passports to show (old one with valid visa in and the new one) and documentation in English of her legal name change in Thailand as well as our English marriage certificate 

 

3. No the visa is no longer valid as the names are different so you need a new visa

 

4. Go to the MFA in Bangkok and have them endorse your new passport so that states you are the same person, your valid visas are still fine to use and take both passports with you (old one with valid visa in and the new one).

 

Quite a long post but all the different answers have been quite confusing and we certainly don't want to travel across the world and have issues. 

 

Thanks a lot for any help. 

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

Personal experience, #2 works. Hassle to travel with all the documents though 

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

#2, as noted above. 

 

1. valid visa in passport

2. new passport

3. evidence of name change in english

4. marriage certificate in english

[BobbyL 0]

Brilliant. Thanks for the info.