Travel Problems

[akdiver 3]

My wife's cousin, a U.S. citizen from Russia, recently had some travel problems that people may want to know about.

She has a current U.S. passport with her married name.

She has a current Russian passport with her original name.

Her plane ticket was in her married name.

She has been living in the U.S. for something like 15 years.

THE PROBLEM:

U.S. airline denied her boarding permission, for lack of a travel document with the same name on her plane ticket, permitting entry into Russia. So, she couldn't make her trip.

THE ANALYSIS:

She had ID proving that she was the person named on the plane ticket (the U.S. passport). She had ID proving she had permitted entry into Russia (the Russian passport). The fact that one had a different name on it than the other shouldn't matter - they are both clearly her IDs (a fact that was not in dispute). There really is no way she should have been denied boarding - I think the airline was in error. However, the reality is that she wasn't able to get on the plane.

THE CONCLUSION:

For the love of god people, don't change your name just because you get married - but if you do, then get the same name, whatever it is, on all of your documents.

[Rob_Lesya 4]

My wife's cousin, a U.S. citizen from Russia, recently had some travel problems that people may want to know about.

She has a current U.S. passport with her married name.

She has a current Russian passport with her original name.

Her plane ticket was in her married name.

She has been living in the U.S. for something like 15 years.

THE PROBLEM:

U.S. airline denied her boarding permission, for lack of a travel document with the same name on her plane ticket, permitting entry into Russia. So, she couldn't make her trip.

THE ANALYSIS:

She had ID proving that she was the person named on the plane ticket (the U.S. passport). She had ID proving she had permitted entry into Russia (the Russian passport). The fact that one had a different name on it than the other shouldn't matter - they are both clearly her IDs (a fact that was not in dispute). There really is no way she should have been denied boarding - I think the airline was in error. However, the reality is that she wasn't able to get on the plane.

THE CONCLUSION:

For the love of god people, don't change your name just because you get married - but if you do, then get the same name, whatever it is, on all of your documents.

The problem here is that the person had nothing documenting the name change.

One possible solution in this scenario is to buy the ticket in the Russian maiden name. You also bring a copy of your marriage certificate. The U.S. airline employees will understand the marriage cetificate and the name change that it implies and will probably allow boarding. There are MANY MANY people who have traveled with this method and had no trouble. But there are some who have traveled like this and encountered problems, so there is no guarantee.

The BEST solution is-- after marriage, contact the Russian Consulate that serves your area. They can explain the process, costs, and documents required in order to have an official notation put into the passport that says that this person is now also known as XXXXXX XXXXXX. The Russian travel passport then will contain both your Russian maiden name and your new married name. Buy the tickets in your new married name and you'll have no problem.

I have seen one or two reports about one Consulate saying that they won't do this, but I've also seen other reports saying that particular Consulate DID do it for them so I suspect there was simply some miscommunication in those one or two examples. Be persistent. If the first person you talk to says they can't do it, call back later and talk to someone else.... or talk to the Embassy in Washington.... or maybe even try a different consulate.... but there are MANY who have had this notation placed in their Russian travel passport and now travel on their new married name without any problems.

[John24689 0]

I am wondering if the problem may be that she did not have a Visa to enter Russia. When I go to Russia, I have to have an invitation letter and a Visa put in my passport before I can leave.

If she had used her Russian Passport and taken her Marriage Certification, then she would more than likely not have had any problems.

[SMR 368]

I am wondering if the problem may be that she did not have a Visa to enter Russia. When I go to Russia, I have to have an invitation letter and a Visa put in my passport before I can leave.

If she had used her Russian Passport and taken her Marriage Certification, then she would more than likely not have had any problems.

I'm confused. I thought that in order to have a US passport, she has to be a US Citizen. To become a US Citizen, she would have to renounce her Russian Citizenship and thus could not have a "current" Russian passport.

I don't think you can have dual Russian/US Citizenship.

[Rob_Lesya 4]

Many people travel on both Russian and US passports. The following passage is from the US Department of State website:

American Citizens Also Holding Russian Passports: Dual U.S./Russian nationals who enter Russia on Russian passports face several possible difficulties. Russian authorities will not permit departure from Russia if the person’s Russian passport has expired or has been lost, whether or not the traveler also has a valid U.S. passport. In these cases the traveler will be required to obtain a new Russian passport, a process that can take several months. In order to apply for a Russian visa in a U.S. passport, however, Russian consular officials normally require a person to renounce his or her Russian citizenship.

[Steve S 2]

Thank you for alerting us to this issue, AKDiver. I am continually reminded how complicated are all these immigration details, and how useful is the VJ site.

----//-

American Citizens Also Holding Russian Passports: Dual U.S./Russian nationals who enter Russia on Russian passports face several possible difficulties. Russian authorities will not permit departure from Russia if the person’s Russian passport has expired or has been lost, whether or not the traveler also has a valid U.S. passport. In these cases the traveler will be required to obtain a . . .

[1HappyGuy 45]

I'm sure the problem was no Visa in American passport to visit Russia. This is always a problem and the name changes can be avoided by carrying a marriage certificate. However, that does not change the fact that leaving as an American citizen going to Russia still requires a visa. In the future obtaining the necessary changes to the Russian passport will probably alleviate some problems but returning could still be difficult even if showing your American passport. Nothing is ever easy.

My wife travels under her prior name internationally and just flashes her green card on return. But, she always carries a copy of the marriage certificate as proof of her USA name.

[eekee 182]

Unless she renounced her Russian citizenship formally, she can't get a Russian visa. Read the excerpt above.

[BluesTraveler 0]

THE ANALYSIS:

She had ID proving that she was the person named on the plane ticket (the U.S. passport). She had ID proving she had permitted entry into Russia (the Russian passport). The fact that one had a different name on it than the other shouldn't matter - they are both clearly her IDs (a fact that was not in dispute). There really is no way she should have been denied boarding - I think the airline was in error. However, the reality is that she wasn't able to get on the plane.

I posted about this before....As of October 1, 2009 TSA has changed their rules regarding requirements for boarding planes. You MUST have a government ID that matches the name on the ticket. The first name and last name must match the name on the ticket.

The airline employee was following the TSA rules. The Russian passport was not to be considered as a valid ID since the name didn't match the name on the ticket. The airline employee is then looking at only the US passport and sees no visa which equals deny boarding. Airlines are fined big bucks for allowing a passenger to travel without a valid visa.

The airline employee was correct.

BTW according to the TSA rules marriage certificates are no longer valid as supporting documentation to indicate name changes to government issued IDs.

[mox 298]

I'm confused. I thought that in order to have a US passport, she has to be a US Citizen. To become a US Citizen, she would have to renounce her Russian Citizenship and thus could not have a "current" Russian passport.

I don't think you can have dual Russian/US Citizenship.

No. You can hold Russian and US citizenship at the same time. But, as ekee noted, you can only travel into Russia on your US passport (by getting a Russian visa) if you renounce your Russian citizenship. Many just get their US citizenship, enter Russia on their Russian passport, and re-enter the US on their US passport.

[Neonred 3,571]

THE ANALYSIS:

She had ID proving that she was the person named on the plane ticket (the U.S. passport). She had ID proving she had permitted entry into Russia (the Russian passport). The fact that one had a different name on it than the other shouldn't matter - they are both clearly her IDs (a fact that was not in dispute). There really is no way she should have been denied boarding - I think the airline was in error. However, the reality is that she wasn't able to get on the plane.

I posted about this before....As of October 1, 2009 TSA has changed their rules regarding requirements for boarding planes. You MUST have a government ID that matches the name on the ticket. The first name and last name must match the name on the ticket.

The airline employee was following the TSA rules. The Russian passport was not to be considered as a valid ID since the name didn't match the name on the ticket. The airline employee is then looking at only the US passport and sees no visa which equals deny boarding. Airlines are fined big bucks for allowing a passenger to travel without a valid visa.

The airline employee was correct.

BTW according to the TSA rules marriage certificates are no longer valid as supporting documentation to indicate name changes to government issued IDs.

We just returned 2 days ago from Australia and I can tell you that TSA doesn't really care much about matching names. My wife travels using her Russian passport as her ID that was issued with her old name (but it does contain, on a separate page, the married name notation) but an airline ticket in her married name. Three flights going and three flights returning and never a problem. The only person that questioned the name in her passport was the lady at immigration at LAX. Wasn't a problem but she asked if we were married and noticed that the passport still had the old name. I showed her the notation, along with my wife's green card. She was very nice and just said that when she scanned our passports hers did not come up with the new last name. She took the time to correct this on her computer while we waited which involved new finger scans and a new digital photo. She said from now on when immigration scans my wife's passport it will also show her new married name in their system.

When we initially checked in for our trip they just wanted to be sure I had my ETA number and she had a visa with the correct dates. That's it.

Edited September 23, 2009 by Neonred

[akdiver 3]

THE ANALYSIS:

She had ID proving that she was the person named on the plane ticket (the U.S. passport). She had ID proving she had permitted entry into Russia (the Russian passport). The fact that one had a different name on it than the other shouldn't matter - they are both clearly her IDs (a fact that was not in dispute). There really is no way she should have been denied boarding - I think the airline was in error. However, the reality is that she wasn't able to get on the plane.

I posted about this before....As of October 1, 2009 TSA has changed their rules regarding requirements for boarding planes. You MUST have a government ID that matches the name on the ticket. The first name and last name must match the name on the ticket.

The airline employee was following the TSA rules. The Russian passport was not to be considered as a valid ID since the name didn't match the name on the ticket. The airline employee is then looking at only the US passport and sees no visa which equals deny boarding. Airlines are fined big bucks for allowing a passenger to travel without a valid visa.

The airline employee was correct.

I disagree.

There are two issues here:

a]. Are you the person named on the ticket?

b]. Do you have permission to enter the destination country.

The U.S. passport affirms A, the Russian passport affirms B. Both affirmations are clear and unequivocal.

If the airline had a problem with using TWO documents to satisfy A and B, then it would have been TRIVIAL for it to merely re-issue the ticket in the name on the Russian passport, at no cost to the customer. It would have been the obvious customer-friendly solution to the issue at hand, and the right thing to do. To turn the customer AWAY is just asinine and pretty much guaranteed to cause a loss of future business.

Edited September 24, 2009 by akdiver

[BluesTraveler 0]

I disagree.

The airline doesn't care. They care about not getting fines from the TSA and not having to fly a passenger back from country X because they shouldn't have been allowed on the plane in the first place.

if A does not equal B, the airline should deny boarding. If you take the scenario to the extreme if a person showed up with 2 forms of government ID and they didn't match, I might think one is a forgery.

The correct situation is for the passenger to ask for a station manager and have the station manager handle the scenario. Are you really expecting a gate agent who makes $8.00 an hour to understand the intricacies of passport and visa issuances. If I was the gate agent I wouldn't want to risk losing my job because a passenger said they are allowed to travel. Hell I don't even know what a Russian passport looks like, how do I know if it is real?

To turn the customer AWAY is just asinine and pretty much guaranteed to cause a loss of future business.

However the passenger was wrong.

You should ensure that the name provided when booking your travel matches the government ID that you will use when traveling.

[BluesTraveler 0]

...TSA doesn't really care much about matching names.

The airline is responsible for matching the names on the ID to the ticket.

TSA is concerned if the person is on the no-fly list.

[Neonred 3,571]

...TSA doesn't really care much about matching names.

The airline is responsible for matching the names on the ID to the ticket.

TSA is concerned if the person is on the no-fly list.

That's not what you said a few posts ago..

And I can tell you that TSA looked at tickets and ID at every security check point.

Edited September 24, 2009 by Neonred