ROM/Passport: best option for us? *Help!*

[JQ85 0]

My wife’s passport expires in January.. so 8 months from now.

 

Admittedly, we forgot they mentioned the ROM before she came to the US and we got married -so we’ve been married 3.5 years, never reported. I’ve read many threads here that say, “just say you didn’t know in the affidavit, shouldn’t be an issue”.. So not super worries about that. However:

 

We scheduled our Passport renewal appointment before discovering the ROM need. We’re wondering what our best move is here..

 

1. 8 months until Passport expires.. Do we cancel appointment, mail ROM and reschedule when it comes? Or will it take too long?

 

2. A friend of ours JUST went to DC and gave the application without having ROM (they never did the ROM either). She did her Passport Renewal form in her married name - no idea what the outcome will be. Do we “go for it” like they did? I understand they keep your current passport, so what happens if there is a hiccup?

 

3. 3rd option, people seem to keep saying it’s easy to just renew in her maiden name. Is this bad though? We’re not trying to fabricate anything as her green card/social are in my (husband’s) last name. Is she still able to renew in her maiden name, even if her name here is different? Of course we would still say she’s married on the form, but confused here.. Like would she fill out the form in her maiden name if we go this route - even if her green card/social are in her married name?

 

Really need help/guidance here. If the maiden name is the easiest route (since we have an appointment scheduled already very soon), is that “legal” and okay since she took our married last name? What do you guys recommend? It seems like filing the ROM and renewal “the same day” in DC doesn’t work that way with appointments being mandatory now (and we did not schedule a ROM appointment). No outreaches scheduled for 2021 - appreciate all help!!

[Hank_ 9,174]

Get an appt at the consulate to file ROM in person, make sure the ROM appt is first and make to it is a couple hours before the passport appt.   Bring the documents from the ROM filing to the passport appt.   That should meet the ROM requirements.

 

Yes we did this, and yes others have done this.

 

 

[payxibka 10,045]

Some people's experiences were pre pandemic, so logistically what was then, may not be now.

Edited May 19, 2021 by payxibka

[Chancy 6,240]

31 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

Get an appt at the consulate to file ROM in person, make sure the ROM appt is first and make to it is a couple hours before the passport appt.

 

Due to COVID restrictions, consulates don't allow in-person ROM filing anymore.  ROM will need to be filed by email, a few weeks ahead of the passport appointment.

 

1 hour ago, JQ85 said:

We scheduled our Passport renewal appointment before discovering the ROM need. We’re wondering what our best move is here..

 

How far out is your passport renewal appointment?  You may not need to re-schedule if the date is not very soon.

 

In any case, just file ROM as soon as you can.  I don't know which state you got married, but anyway, here's the ROM process for the consulate in NY -- https://newyorkpcg.org/pcgny/civil-registration/report-of-marriage-of-a-filipino-abroad/

 

Note that if you just recently filed ROM, the PSA-authenticated version (described in step 4) is NOT required for passport renewal using married name.

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by Chancy
clarification

[Hank_ 9,174]

Sorry about that ..  wasn't thinking about the beer virus .. my bad.   Things have opened up around here.