Can newly naturalized wife with changed name check in for flight to USA using passport in maiden name?

[jaysaldi 213]

For the last couple of years, my wife has had a green card in her married name and Cambodian passport in maiden name.

 

When she flies to the USA, we book in her maiden name, she shows her Cambodian passport in maiden name, and then the airline will ask for proof she can enter the USA and we show her green card in married name and marriage certificate proving name change. And they accept that.

 

My wife should be naturalizing and getting a US passport later this month. This is faster than we expected. I have already booked her on a one way trip from Cambodia to the USA in August, in her maiden name.

 

Her new US passport, like her soon to be confiscated green card, will be in her married name.

 

So here is the question.

 

Can she keep the August reservation in her maiden name, check in for the flight, and when the staff says "Where is your proof you can enter the USA'' she just shows US passport in married name and marriage certificate, like she did with the green card before.  And then when she arrives in USA, she shows the American passport?

 

Or does she now have to do a name change on the August ticket?

 

 

Edited March 6 by jaysaldi

[Timona 4,207]

Is she in US right now or Cambodia?

[jaysaldi 213]

5 minutes ago, Timona said:

Is she in US right now or Cambodia?

US now.  She has her oath ceremony in a few weeks and then we plan to get her a US passport and fly to Cambodia, returning in August. 

[Timona 4,207]

2 minutes ago, jaysaldi said:

US now.  She has her oath ceremony in a few weeks and then we plan to get her a US passport and fly to Cambodia, returning in August. 

 

So why's her return flight your only concern? 

 

Book everything in US PP name. Wait till you get it. No rush

[jaysaldi 213]

12 minutes ago, Timona said:

 

So why's her return flight your only concern? 

 

Book everything in US PP name. Wait till you get it. No rush

Because Ive already booked the flight back in August under her maiden name. I haven't booked the flight there.

[OldUser 6,624]

She should update her Cambodian passport to show married name.

 

Then travel in and out of the US on US passport but show Cambodian passport to border control in Cambodia.

 

 

[OldUser 6,624]

Make sure she carries marriage certificate explaining how the name got changed if the names don't match.

[Timona 4,207]

29 minutes ago, jaysaldi said:

Because Ive already booked the flight back in August under her maiden name. I haven't booked the flight there.

 

Well, you'll gave to carry 2 PPs then as @OldUser advised. Doable. 

[jaysaldi 213]

17 hours ago, OldUser said:

Make sure she carries marriage certificate explaining how the name got changed if the names don't match.

 

17 hours ago, Timona said:

 

Well, you'll gave to carry 2 PPs then as @OldUser advised. Doable. 

 

This is what she has done for the last two years, when the green card that authorizes entry to the USA bears a different name from her Cambodian passport.  She carries the marriage certificate.

 

But in those situations, she would be "flying on the Cambodian passport" under her maiden name and CBP would get its advance passenger information of her arriving on the Cambodian passport, despite her having green card in married name.

 

I just thought maybe the process might have to be different now. Like she can't show passport A to match the booking and then   show passport B in new name as proof she can enter the country. I worry the airline won't allow it.  Maybe I'm overthinking this.

[Demise 1,280]

47 minutes ago, jaysaldi said:

 

 

This is what she has done for the last two years, when the green card that authorizes entry to the USA bears a different name from her Cambodian passport.  She carries the marriage certificate.

 

But in those situations, she would be "flying on the Cambodian passport" under her maiden name and CBP would get its advance passenger information of her arriving on the Cambodian passport, despite her having green card in married name.

 

I just thought maybe the process might have to be different now. Like she can't show passport A to match the booking and then   show passport B in new name as proof she can enter the country. I worry the airline won't allow it.  Maybe I'm overthinking this.

You probably are, it's common for one spouse to take another's last name on marriage (generally wife taking husband's with other options being possible), if the photos and dob match, and you have a marriage certificate that bridges the two names then the airline will understand that this is the same person. Their biggest concern is boarding people who are not authorized the enter US because they get fined for that.

[JeanneAdil 6,491]

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/chapter5.pdf

page 9

 

Apply for a U.S. Passport. We strongly recommend that you apply for a U.S. passport soon after your oath. You will not be able to travel abroad until you have your U.S. passport. Please allow sufficient time between your ceremony and any planned travel to receive your passport

[Bob in Boston 699]

What Airline are you flying? Korean Air let me change the name for like $35. I had to send old and new passports (Copys) but they will do it no problem. Problem solved

[JeanneAdil 6,491]

she can check in using any photo ID

but to leave and return ,  US passport is needed/  reason being she will no longer have a green card to reenter the US

green card is turned in at oath ceremony

[jaysaldi 213]

1 hour ago, JeanneAdil said:

she can check in using any photo ID

but to leave and return ,  US passport is needed/  reason being she will no longer have a green card to reenter the US

green card is turned in at oath ceremony

She will have a US passport to fly back to the USA.

 

The US passport is in her married name.

 

Her Cambodian passport is in her maiden name.

 

The ticket was already booked months ago in her maiden  name.

 

The question is do we need to change the name on the ticket to her married name or can she just show her US passport and the marriage certificate and check in with her Cambodian passport.

[OldUser 6,624]

27 minutes ago, jaysaldi said:

She will have a US passport to fly back to the USA.

 

The US passport is in her married name.

 

Her Cambodian passport is in her maiden name.

 

The ticket was already booked months ago in her maiden  name.

 

The question is do we need to change the name on the ticket to her married name or can she just show her US passport and the marriage certificate and check in with her Cambodian passport.

I think that's the question to airline more than anybody else.