Traveling on AP after K-1 marriage (name change)

[stacyt 209]

Hello,

 

I'm currently awaiting my AP/EAD card and planning to travel on it in summer. My situation is the following:

 

I've changed my last name to my husband's when we got married and my cards are going to be coming under the new name. I have 2 travel passports from my home country (Ukraine), both valid. Passport 1 is old type passport (w/o biometrics) and passport 2 has bio. They let me keep both because I had unexpired visas in the old one. My K-1 visa was put in the pass 1 and that's the passport on file with USCIS and all my applications.

 

Now, I'm planning to travel to Europe, but I was hoping to use my passport 2 because that one gives me visa-free entry to EU countries and I was planning to break up the trip somewhere in Europe. 

 

Question one: if I travel with the passport that has been never registered anywhere in the US, and then come back with my AP card, am I going to have problems entering back? Do they check passport or just EAD/AP card at US customs, plus can I show them passport 1 if requested, even though I didn't use it for flights or entering countries on my trip?

 

Question two: does anyone have general experience entering the US with AP card where the last name is different from the one in the passport?

 

Back story: this is my first time in the US, no illegal stay, came on K-1 and followed all the AOS procedures. will be traveling with my husband, US citizen via birth. 

 

Thank in advance!

[payxibka 10,045]

2 minutes ago, stacyt said:

Hello,

 

I'm currently awaiting my AP/EAD card and planning to travel on it in summer. My situation is the following:

 

I've changed my last name to my husband's when we got married and my cards are going to be coming under the new name. I have 2 travel passports from my home country (Ukraine), both valid. Passport 1 is old type passport (w/o biometrics) and passport 2 has bio. They let me keep both because I had unexpired visas in the old one. My K-1 visa was put in the pass 1 and that's the passport on file with USCIS and all my applications.

 

Now, I'm planning to travel to Europe, but I was hoping to use my passport 2 because that one gives me visa-free entry to EU countries and I was planning to break up the trip somewhere in Europe. 

 

Question one: if I travel with the passport that has been never registered anywhere in the US, and then come back with my AP card, am I going to have problems entering back? Do they check passport or just EAD/AP card at US customs, plus can I show them passport 1 if requested, even though I didn't use it for flights or entering countries on my trip?

 

Question two: does anyone have general experience entering the US with AP card where the last name is different from the one in the passport?

 

Back story: this is my first time in the US, no illegal stay, came on K-1 and followed all the AOS procedures. will be traveling with my husband, US citizen via birth. 

 

Thank in advance!

For re-entry purposes it is your passport, AP card and marriage certificate that shows the legal name change.  

 

Book all flights in passport name

[K1visaHopeful 2,814]

3 minutes ago, stacyt said:

Hello,

 

I'm currently awaiting my AP/EAD card and planning to travel on it in summer. My situation is the following:

 

I've changed my last name to my husband's when we got married and my cards are going to be coming under the new name. I have 2 travel passports from my home country (Ukraine), both valid. Passport 1 is old type passport (w/o biometrics) and passport 2 has bio. They let me keep both because I had unexpired visas in the old one. My K-1 visa was put in the pass 1 and that's the passport on file with USCIS and all my applications.

 

Now, I'm planning to travel to Europe, but I was hoping to use my passport 2 because that one gives me visa-free entry to EU countries and I was planning to break up the trip somewhere in Europe. 

 

Question one: if I travel with the passport that has been never registered anywhere in the US, and then come back with my AP card, am I going to have problems entering back? Do they check passport or just EAD/AP card at US customs, plus can I show them passport 1 if requested, even though I didn't use it for flights or entering countries on my trip?

Your foreign passport does not have to be "registered" in the US. It wont matter that USCIS does not have any record of it. You can show either one of them as long as it is valid. If your passport name has not been changed yet just provide your original MC so that the name matches your AP.

 

Question two: does anyone have general experience entering the US with AP card where the last name is different from the one in the passport?

Use you MC as your legal name change document in collaboration with your passport and AP.

Back story: this is my first time in the US, no illegal stay, came on K-1 and followed all the AOS procedures. will be traveling with my husband, US citizen via birth. 

 

Thank in advance!