Philippines passport name change

[EatBulaga 314]

Kumusta po, the Philippines Embassy at DC will be coming to our US city for consular outreach.

https://philippineembassy-dc.org/consular-outreach-missions-may-to-august-2024/

 

My Filipina spouse would like to get a new passport with her marriage name.

https://philippineembassy-dc.org/e-passport-renewal/

We already have our Report Of Marriage. 

 

Has anyone ever experienced renewing their Philippines passport with name change at the Philippines Embassy in the US?

How long is the process?

How long will they hold the old passport because our original K1 visa is in it?

Are there suggestions or tips and pointers to make the process more smooth?

 

Thanks in advance. 

[top_secret 2,385]

They are mainly going to want to see the Report of Marriage.  Have you filed that and got the PSA copy?  If so it should be easy.  Passport apps have to go through the Philippines so it may take 6-8 weeks.  If you haven't filed the Report of Marriage it may be possible to do it concurrently with a passport application if the embassy or consulate doing the outreach has consular jurisdiction over where the marriage took place.  But basically the entire name change revolves around the Report of Marriage.  The passport application is secondary.

[EatBulaga 314]

10 hours ago, top_secret said:

They are mainly going to want to see the Report of Marriage.  Have you filed that and got the PSA copy? 

We filed for the Report of Marriage with the Philippines Embassy since our marriage was in the US.

The Philippines Embassy sent back 4 copies signed and stamped by the Philippines Consulate and the National Statistician and Civil Registrar General, Philippines Statistics Authority.

I assume those are the PSA copies?

Or do we have to order the PSA copies separately?

[EatBulaga 314]

@top_secret Also, the Philippines Report of Marriage does not list any name change, unlike our US marriage certificate where it lists "...who wishes to use the name...after marriage".

 

How does the Filipina spouse declare the name change with the passport application if there is no name change on the Report of Marriage?

[top_secret 2,385]

"Philippines Statistics Authority" IS PSA. So, if you have that you are good.  Her existing passport and the Report of Marriage would be the main requirements for renewal with name change. Check if they need fees for in the form of a money order and self-addressed stamped return envelope. Every embassy and consulate like to do some things differently so best to get their specific requirements.

 

The Report of Marriage is the document that the Philippines will use to determine that your wife has the legal right to use your name if she wishes to. They would not let her change her name on her passport without one.  With the Report of Marriage, she is legally able to write your surname on a passport application and have them honor it.

 

Essentially Report of Marriage is the consulate or embassy certifying that your US marriage license is legit.  Because the Philippine passport office has no idea what US documents are even supposed to look like and would not accept you US marriage certificate alone.

[RufusDawes 12]

Just recently went through getting a new Ph passport, but not your situation.

The process takes about 3 or 4 weeks total if you pay extra for an "expedited process".

The situation for my Pinay is that her first name was misspelled on her current passport and a new passport was needed.

Had to get a birth certificate, local police clearance, and make an appointment with the closest passport office in her province (which was a 2 hour bus ride!).

The passport fee was something like $37 US.

[EatBulaga 314]

@top_secret @RufusDawes We scheduled an appointment for passport renewal with the consulate outreach since there is no specific form for passport name change to marriage name.

 

We can't find any specific form for name change except for the "Petition for Change of First Name", which I don't think applies to marriage name change?

https://philippineembassy-dc.org/forms/

 

So we are assuming that there is no specific form for marriage name change, but just bring the necessary documents for the passport renewal with the "Additional Requirements for Change of Family Name"?

https://newphembassy.wpengine.com/e-passport-renewal/

 

Edited June 23 by EatBulaga

[top_secret 2,385]

It should be an ordinary passport renewal.  She just completes it in her married name.  When they ask proof she is entitled to use that name, she shows the Report of Marriage. https://philippineembassy-dc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/passport-v2.pdf

[EatBulaga 314]

Thanks to @top_secret @RufusDawes for the tips above, we went to the Consular Outreach here in Atlanta to update my Filipina spouse's passport name change. We met many fine folks who drove in from all around the southeast just for this outreach. Here are some things that might interest others who may need to do the same.

 

1) In addition to organizing all the required documents for a passport renewal name change,

https://philippineembassy-dc.org/e-passport-renewal/

registering and scheduling is highly recommended and the spots get filled up fast.

https://www.passport.gov.ph/

Even though the outreach site says walk-ins for passport renewals are welcome, we met a couple from out-of-state without an appointment and they told them to wait till the end of the day to see if the spots become available.

 

2) For the "Original or notarized copy of proof that the applicant is still a Filipino and one (1) photocopy. Such proof may be, but not limited to, a green card, visa, notice of action, work permit, or dual IC.", we made 2 photocopies of the green card (front and back), and wrote on top "This is a copy of the actual I-551, Permanent Resident Card" and signed and notarized at a UPS office for $10. Also, took the actual green card for the passport officer to verify as well.

 

3) The consulate officer will try to push the Philippines voter registration as part of the passport renewal. Technically, that is separate and not required. But bureaucratically, just go along with it because the passport will already take 6-8 weeks. The last thing you want is to piss the officer off to where your passport application goes to the bottom of the pile or lost. The passport officer probably gets more credit for more voter sign-ups. This was what another Filipino told my spouse while waiting in line so she went ahead and registered to vote for the Philippines as well.

Plus, the voter registration provides a 2nd valid Philippines ID name change along with the passport. For those who have ever tried to name change in the Philippines, having 2 IDs already makes the next ID change easier.

 

Has anyone else ever experienced this? Or can verify?

Or have other recommendations? Thanks.

Edited July 26 by EatBulaga

[top_secret 2,385]

1 hour ago, EatBulaga said:

The consulate officer will try to push the Philippines voter registration as part of the passport renewal. Technically, that is separate and not required. But bureaucratically, just go along with it because the passport will already take 6-8 weeks. The last thing you want is to piss the officer off to where your passport application goes to the bottom of the pile or lost. The passport officer probably gets more credit for more voter sign-ups. This was what another Filipino told my spouse while waiting in line so she went ahead and registered to vote for the Philippines as well.

Plus, the voter registration provides a 2nd valid Philippines ID name change along with the passport. For those who have ever tried to name change in the Philippines, having 2 IDs already makes the next ID change easier.

 

Has anyone else ever experienced this? Or can verify?

Or have other recommendations? Thanks.

 

A Philippine Voter ID is amongst the most serious, legit and respected ID's in a land of sketchy ID's.  Yes, a Philippine Voter ID is good to have.

 

(I think the US is the only so called democracy on the planet where very strong voter ID is NOT a central pillar upholding peoples faith in the legitimacy of elections)

[EatBulaga 314]

@top_secret @OldUser So we have an update and a question for all who are knowledgeable about passport renewal and name change.

 

The update is that my Filipina spouse received her renewed Philippines passport with her marriage name in the mail. But she is still waiting for the Philippines voter registration.

 

So we are several months away from filing the I-751 for the AOS Green Card. I noticed that the I-485 has a field for the passport number, but the I-751 does not.

 

The question is do we need to update with USCIS her new Philippines passport number before we file for the I-751?

Or how do we even update that information with USCIS?

Or do we not need to update the passport number with USCIS? Thanks

Edited September 3 by EatBulaga

[top_secret 2,385]

25 minutes ago, EatBulaga said:

@top_secret @OldUser So we have an update and a question for all who are knowledgeable about passport renewal and name change.

 

The update is that my Filipina spouse received her renewed Philippines passport with her marriage name in the mail. But she is still waiting for the Philippines voter registration.

 

So we are several months away from filing the I-751 for the AOS Green Card. I noticed that the I-485 has a field for the passport number, but the I-751 does not.

 

The question is do we need to update with USCIS her new Philippines passport number before we file for the I-751?

Or how do we even update that information with USCIS?

Or do we not need to update the passport number with USCIS? Thanks

 

 

She doesn't even need a Philippine Passport at all for the I-751.  A scan of the new passport would be a good identity document with the name change.  I don't think there is any specific requirement to update USCIS if the foreign passport changes.

[DELTAFOXTROT 44]

I suggest to not mess with a ROM, There isn't much benefit to apply for it, and could be a determent in the future in case you want to get married again in the Philippines.

[EatBulaga 314]

2 hours ago, DELTAFOXTROT said:

I suggest to not mess with a ROM, There isn't much benefit to apply for it, and could be a determent in the future in case you want to get married again in the Philippines.

Maybe you didn't understand?

Philippines passport name change requires the ROM.

[DELTAFOXTROT 44]

44 minutes ago, EatBulaga said:

Maybe you didn't understand?

Philippines passport name change requires the ROM.

It is not neccessary to do change name on passport, not required

 

Seems like no reason to jump thru hoops for that, too easy to just get passport in maiden name once you decide to get dual citizenship from Philippines, you will find about that later in your journey.