Renewing Ukrainian Passport Abroad

[GP1977 288]

My wife wants to renew her passport that expires in March of next year.  We were supposed to fly back in May of this year to Ukraine and she figured she would knock it out then when she was back home.  Of course with everything going on, she doesn't know when she will be going back home.  So she said she should just renew her passport in the US.

 

My questions are:

 

1) Her passport is in her maiden name.  Her GC is in her married name.  On the Ukrainian embassy website, it says they want a copy of your GC that shows valid entry and residency in the US when renewing the passport.  Is this going to pose any problems with her having a different name.  Can her Ukrainian external passport remain in her maiden name?

 

2) She has the old passport and not a biometric passport.  Can she retain her existing passport while they are preparing her biometric passport?

 

We have international travel planned in September and then again for the new years, all countries which require 6 months of validity in the passport.  We are both hopeful she can get back before then, but a lot is up in there not only from COVID19 but other scheduling on our end.

 

Thanks for any assistance.

 

[Ksenia_O 696]

19 hours ago, GP1977 said:

My wife wants to renew her passport that expires in March of next year.  We were supposed to fly back in May of this year to Ukraine and she figured she would knock it out then when she was back home.  Of course with everything going on, she doesn't know when she will be going back home.  So she said she should just renew her passport in the US.

 

My questions are:

 

1) Her passport is in her maiden name.  Her GC is in her married name.  On the Ukrainian embassy website, it says they want a copy of your GC that shows valid entry and residency in the US when renewing the passport.  Is this going to pose any problems with her having a different name.   - No problem with having different last name on a green card. Green card won't be a basis for a name change or something like that. Only serves as a proof of your residency. That's it. 

 

Can her Ukrainian external passport remain in her maiden name?  - Her new passport will be given under her maiden name anyway. To get it under married name she would have to change her last name in her interior passport  FIRST. Which can be done ONLY in Ukraine and the actual process is quite a pain in one's behind.  

 

2) She has the old passport and not a biometric passport.  Can she retain her existing passport while they are preparing her biometric passport? -  She can keep the old passport. She will have to request it though, TELLING them and  filing the certain Form once at the Embassy.

 

We have international travel planned in September and then again for the new years, all countries which require 6 months of validity in the passport.  We are both hopeful she can get back before then, but a lot is up in there not only from COVID19 but other scheduling on our end. - Well, unpredictable at this point.. When Embassy works by regular schedule, the passport renewal/issuance doesn't really take a lot. Ours took a month or so. But now.. I don't thing the Embassy even will make a move during quarantine. And if it gets extended - rumors say  it can, up to mid of May , then who knows what's gonna happen...

You can try and email them - to see if they even do that kind of services right now. But my experience with contacting Chicago Consulate wasn't successful  - never answered. Thankfully we were helped in Washington. Where MO belongs. You, I'm afraid, will have to deal with Chicago.

Hope things will work out for you, somehow..

 

Keep in mind - she will have to apply for a passport in person, and to  pick it up in person as well. 

 

Thanks for any assistance.

 

 

[GP1977 288]

35 minutes ago, Ksenia_O said:

 

Thank you for answering those questions.   We are actually based in Baltimore, MD so I would assume we would deal with the Washington DC consulate.  I will have my wife reach out to them and see what they say, but I am sure everything is temporaily closed as they are probably only taking emergency appointments at the moment.  Thanks again for your help, very much appreciated!

 

[Ksenia_O 696]

1 hour ago, GP1977 said:

Thank you for answering those questions.   We are actually based in Baltimore, MD so I would assume we would deal with the Washington DC consulate.  I will have my wife reach out to them and see what they say, but I am sure everything is temporaily closed as they are probably only taking emergency appointments at the moment.  Thanks again for your help, very much appreciated!

 

Sorry, didn't realize you are from MD - I saw Chicago first and decided that was it  

Well, it makes things better - DC is actually responsive. Maybe not always the phone calls and I understand now why, after being in there couple times - only few people work there.. But they are pretty good with answering emails. 

 

Good luck and stay safe!

[GP1977 288]

On 4/13/2020 at 3:11 PM, Ksenia_O said:

Sorry, didn't realize you are from MD - I saw Chicago first and decided that was it  

Well, it makes things better - DC is actually responsive. Maybe not always the phone calls and I understand now why, after being in there couple times - only few people work there.. But they are pretty good with answering emails. 

 

Good luck and stay safe!

Thank you so much for your suggestion.  My wife sent them an email today with a question about when they would process a new passport and the representative asked for her phone number and said she would give her a call tomorrow.  What great service! 

Stay safe as well!

 

[Shiran 1,134]

The in-person requirement is no joke. They absolutely will not give out passport to anyone. When we at SF Consulate we witnessed woman in tears because she flew in from Denver I think to get passport for her husband, she had letter of trust, and bunch of evidence they were married, he could not fly due to job, and according to her when they did apply for renewal they told her it was ok for spouse to pick it up, but months later, after renewal they would not give it to her. 

 

I don't know if you call it bureaucracy running rampant, or just being through. 

[GP1977 288]

The representative from the Ukrainian consulate called my wife today - that was interesting.

 

1) She said they are still under quarantine and they are now scheduled to re-open on the 24th of April. That could change but she said they follow Ukrainian quarantine regulations.

2) When my wife asked if she could keep her passport (She asked this because she wanted to keep it while they were processing the new one in case she had to go back home.  It doesn't expire for another year). Well the lady told her that the Ukrainian passport is not a souvenir and that if she looked at the back of the passport - its not her passport - its the property of Ukraine!    

3) My wife told her she has a different last name on her GC then whats on her passport and she got an earful about that.  Was told that all of her documents US and Ukraine should have the same last name.  My wife explained she knows many other people who have this setup and she kind of read her the riot act saying shes not following proper procedures.  Short story is its okay but she told her she should change her internal passport when she goes back home and then change her external passport. blah blah

 

 

[Ksenia_O 696]

6 hours ago, Shiran said:

The in-person requirement is no joke. They absolutely will not give out passport to anyone. When we at SF Consulate we witnessed woman in tears because she flew in from Denver I think to get passport for her husband, she had letter of trust, and bunch of evidence they were married, he could not fly due to job, and according to her when they did apply for renewal they told her it was ok for spouse to pick it up, but months later, after renewal they would not give it to her. 

 

I don't know if you call it bureaucracy running rampant, or just being through. 

Sorry for the woman - really feel for her. But t's always been that way , apply in person and pix up in person. And Embassy website clearly states that. And her husband should have known that.

[Ksenia_O 696]

23 minutes ago, GP1977 said:

The representative from the Ukrainian consulate called my wife today - that was interesting.

 

1) She said they are still under quarantine and they are now scheduled to re-open on the 24th of April. That could change but she said they follow Ukrainian quarantine regulations.

2) When my wife asked if she could keep her passport (She asked this because she wanted to keep it while they were processing the new one in case she had to go back home.  It doesn't expire for another year). Well the lady told her that the Ukrainian passport is not a souvenir and that if she looked at the back of the passport - its not her passport - its the property of Ukraine!    

3) My wife told her she has a different last name on her GC then whats on her passport and she got an earful about that.  Was told that all of her documents US and Ukraine should have the same last name.  My wife explained she knows many other people who have this setup and she kind of read her the riot act saying shes not following proper procedures.  Short story is its okay but she told her she should change her internal passport when she goes back home and then change her external passport. blah blah

 

 

Really sorry your wife had to deal with someone like that....Sushi an ignorance and disrespect

 

That "lady" probably doesn't know green card has nothing to do with name change. It only serves as a proof of the residency. 

Lady also, seems like,  is not familiar vith the Law. Although she should be. Anyway, One is allowed by Ukrainian Law to have TWO passports at the same time if ithey issued under the same name. So really shouldn't be a problem at all for the Embassy to process ANOTHER, second passport for your wife, under sane name as her old /current one is. 

 

So if you decide to renew the passport through the Embassy, bring wife's old passport, request an application to keep current one (easy form, fills out within seconds while Embassy representative is checking on your paperwork), green card and it's copy, Marriage certificate and it's copy, driver license and it's copy. Also Money order - payment for Embassy service s .They do not take cards or cash - only Money order. The passport will be issued under maiden name.

Fingers crossed you will get a nice and knowledgeable person once you are there!.

 

About changing the last name. Yes, to have it changed she would have to change her last name on her interior passport first. A "basis" required to make such change . Take a look at your Marriage Certificate. There may be (not every State does it) the statement that after marriage last name was changed from XXXXX to. ZZZZZZ. Something like that. If there's no statement - no basis. Nobody will change her last name in her interior passport then. So no change in that one - no change in Travel document/International passport.

Also, it  can take weeks  to process interior passport....  

If there is a statement and your wife wants to change her last name , then plan  a long stay in Ukraine.... 

Also you would need an Apostille on your Marriage Certificate. Can be done at Secretary of State. And then - translated and notorized. Better in Ukraine.

 

Again - so sorry for horrible experience with the Embassy. I see people got replaced and there is a new "crew" there now... 

 

From my understanding quarantine will be extended. Most likely. They are planning up till mid of May. For now. But who knows.....

 

Hope everything will work out for you and your wife!!!

 

 

 

[GP1977 288]

25 minutes ago, Ksenia_O said:

Really sorry your wife had to deal with someone like that....Sushi an ignorance and disrespect

 

That "lady" probably doesn't know green card has nothing to do with name change. It only serves as a proof of the residency. 

Lady also, seems like,  is not familiar vith the Law. Although she should be. Anyway, One is allowed by Ukrainian Law to have TWO passports at the same time if ithey issued under the same name. So really shouldn't be a problem at all for the Embassy to process ANOTHER, second passport for your wife, under sane name as her old /current one is. 

 

So if you decide to renew the passport through the Embassy, bring wife's old passport, request an application to keep current one (easy form, fills out within seconds while Embassy representative is checking on your paperwork), green card and it's copy, Marriage certificate and it's copy, driver license and it's copy. Also Money order - payment for Embassy service s .They do not take cards or cash - only Money order. The passport will be issued under maiden name.

Fingers crossed you will get a nice and knowledgeable person once you are there!.

 

About changing the last name. Yes, to have it changed she would have to change her last name on her interior passport first. A "basis" required to make such change . Take a look at your Marriage Certificate. There may be (not every State does it) the statement that after marriage last name was changed from XXXXX to. ZZZZZZ. Something like that. If there's no statement - no basis. Nobody will change her last name in her interior passport then. So no change in that one - no change in Travel document/International passport.

Also, it  can take weeks  to process interior passport....  

If there is a statement and your wife wants to change her last name , then plan  a long stay in Ukraine.... 

Also you would need an Apostille on your Marriage Certificate. Can be done at Secretary of State. And then - translated and notorized. Better in Ukraine.

 

Again - so sorry for horrible experience with the Embassy. I see people got replaced and there is a new "crew" there now... 

 

From my understanding quarantine will be extended. Most likely. They are planning up till mid of May. For now. But who knows.....

 

Hope everything will work out for you and your wife!!!

 

 

 

THank you so much for the additional information.  You have been very helpful and I appreciate it.

 

Now here is a question for you - if you know the answer to this.  .

 

I looked at our marriage certificate and it says they are uniting in marriage the following indivduals.

It then lists each of our names and our addreses.  Her maiden name for her and then my last name.

 

Doesn't say anything about her last name being changed from XXX to ZZZ.  SO I guess she does not have the "basis" required to make such change.

 

ITs really not a big deal for her to take my last name but we were planning to move to Ukraine and split our time. Maybe 6 months here, 6 months there - not sure on the exact split. COuld be 9 there and 3 here.  WHo knows but its something we want to do.  Something she asked before moving to the states if I would be open to once I retired.

 

But can I still  be granted permanent residency in Ukraine through Marriage if she doesn't have my last name in her passport?  I know there is the "business route" but I would rather do things the right way then try to beat the system.

 

I want the permanent resident in Ukraine so that I can stay legally stay longer than 3 months. I have heard stories of people just paying the fine when they exit the country, but again I would prefer to do things the right way and I also heard they are cracking down on that.

 

Thank you again!

 

 

 

 

[Ksenia_O 696]

13 hours ago, GP1977 said:

THank you so much for the additional information.  You have been very helpful and I appreciate it.

 

Now here is a question for you - if you know the answer to this.  .

 

I looked at our marriage certificate and it says they are uniting in marriage the following indivduals.

It then lists each of our names and our addreses.  Her maiden name for her and then my last name.

 

Doesn't say anything about her last name being changed from XXX to ZZZ.  SO I guess she does not have the "basis" required to make such change.

 

ITs really not a big deal for her to take my last name but we were planning to move to Ukraine and split our time. Maybe 6 months here, 6 months there - not sure on the exact split. COuld be 9 there and 3 here.  WHo knows but its something we want to do.  Something she asked before moving to the states if I would be open to once I retired.

 

But can I still  be granted permanent residency in Ukraine through Marriage if she doesn't have my last name in her passport?  I know there is the "business route" but I would rather do things the right way then try to beat the system.

 

I want the permanent resident in Ukraine so that I can stay legally stay longer than 3 months. I have heard stories of people just paying the fine when they exit the country, but again I would prefer to do things the right way and I also heard they are cracking down on that.

 

Thank you again!

 

 

 

 

Seems like no, there is no "basis" to change your wife's last name in Ukraine through marriage. 

 

 Answering your question - yes, you still can get Ukrainian residency through marriage in Ukraine.  It's not required for a woman to take her husband's last name.

Usually, yes, that's what Ukrainian women do, but it's BY CHOICE. There is no Law and it's all up to a woman - to change her last name or not. Well, I've seen few couples there a man took his wife's last name

 

So, no worries - you won't be denied the residency because your wife didn't change her last name. 

[GP1977 288]

1 hour ago, Ksenia_O said:

Seems like no, there is no "basis" to change your wife's last name in Ukraine through marriage. 

 

 Answering your question - yes, you still can get Ukrainian residency through marriage in Ukraine.  It's not required for a woman to take her husband's last name.

Usually, yes, that's what Ukrainian women do, but it's BY CHOICE. There is no Law and it's all up to a woman - to change her last name or not. Well, I've seen few couples there a man took his wife's last name

 

So, no worries - you won't be denied the residency because your wife didn't change her last name. 

Thank you very much again for clarifying this!

 

[Ksenia_O 696]

1 hour ago, GP1977 said:

Thank you very much again for clarifying this!

 

You are very welcome!

 

just don't forget to get Apostille on your Marriage Certificate  - pretty sure you'll need it once in Ukraine.