Flying from U.S. to Peru -- which name to use?

[dstrausser83 14]

Hey quick question:

My wife is from Peru. Peru will not recognize her married name and she has 2 last names. Her Peruvian name is "Portocarrero Tomapasca". Since we requested it, they added Strausser (married last name), but now it says this: Portocarrero Tomapasca de Strausser.

Her green card ONLY says Strausser as does her Global Entry.

Flying from LA to LIma, Peru.

What name does she use? Just Strausser or Portocarrero Tomapasca de Strausser -- which did not fit in the forms because of length. Technically, Strausser is in her passport, so I am thinking she can use that last name only....

Thanks!

[Dave&Roza 748]

Hey quick question:

My wife is from Peru. Peru will not recognize her married name and she has 2 last names. Her Peruvian name is "Portocarrero Tomapasca". Since we requested it, they added Strausser (married last name), but now it says this: Portocarrero Tomapasca de Strausser.

Her green card ONLY says Strausser as does her Global Entry.

Flying from LA to LIma, Peru.

What name does she use? Just Strausser or Portocarrero Tomapasca de Strausser -- which did not fit in the forms because of length. Technically, Strausser is in her passport, so I am thinking she can use that last name only....

Thanks!

For international travel you use the name of the government issued ID that you will use which is the passport. For domestic travel you purchase the tickets in the name of the government issued ID you will use for travel--i.e. DL, GC, passport, etc.

Look at her passport's bio page and use the surname listed there and the first name as listed. Middle name is optional. That is the page the TSA and the airlines will look at to determine who she is and it needs to match her ticket.

Dave

[dstrausser83 14]

Thanks for the answer Dave -- so the airline won't change it, but the other problem is that her name wouldn't fit into the field anyways. Portocarrero Tomapasca de Strausser is too long, so to be "safe" we thought Strausser would suffice since it is one of the 3 last names and other documents are in Strausser. Do you think that'll be an issue?

[subwayguy 100]

Thanks for the answer Dave -- so the airline won't change it, but the other problem is that her name wouldn't fit into the field anyways. Portocarrero Tomapasca de Strausser is too long, so to be "safe" we thought Strausser would suffice since it is one of the 3 last names and other documents are in Strausser. Do you think that'll be an issue?

depends on the airline. the easiest way is go to the embassy/consulate and get the new name endorsed on the amendment page of the passport.

so the passport info page won't change and you don't need a new passport either, they would just put a note " this person is also known as ******

My new name ( different first and last name ) is endorsed on the amendment page of my passport,and I have travelled on LX, AA, UA, TK, CX, CA, BA, AZ , AC with no problem at all.

[dstrausser83 14]

Unfortunately, Peru won't do that for 2 reasons:

1) They will not recognize the married name except by amending it with "de Strausser" at the end, which we have... so with her ticket saying Raquel Strausser, technically her passport does say that... just says Portocarrero Tomapasca de Strausser before the Strausser

2) Peru sends their passports to Lima to get done, process takes 2 - 3 months. They aren't issued at the Consulate as far as we know. Her last passport was sent to Lima.

[Unidentified 2,930]

For International flights the ticket name MUST match the passport name. Whatever name is in her passport needs to be on the ticket.

Did the airline give you a reason for refusing to change your name?

[Dave&Roza 748]

Thanks for the answer Dave -- so the airline won't change it, but the other problem is that her name wouldn't fit into the field anyways. Portocarrero Tomapasca de Strausser is too long, so to be "safe" we thought Strausser would suffice since it is one of the 3 last names and other documents are in Strausser. Do you think that'll be an issue?

First, you need to be able to board the airplane. That requires two things to happen: 1) the airlines issues a boarding pass. and 2) you must get thru the TSA checkpoint. I would talk to the airlines to see about getting her whole LEGAL last name on the ticket/boarding pass or that they give you something the TSA will accept. It would be unfortunate for you get a boarding pass from the airlines only to have the TSA agent go, "I'm sorry but your boarding pass does not match your ID, please go back to the airlines and get this corrected."

Dave

[dstrausser83 14]

First, you need to be able to board the airplane. That requires two things to happen: 1) the airlines issues a boarding pass. and 2) you must get thru the TSA checkpoint. I would talk to the airlines to see about getting her whole LEGAL last name on the ticket/boarding pass or that they give you something the TSA will accept. It would be unfortunate for you get a boarding pass from the airlines only to have the TSA agent go, "I'm sorry but your boarding pass does not match your ID, please go back to the airlines and get this corrected."

Dave

TSA won't be a problem, she has her green card that says "Strausser". It is only with the airlines.. but even so, apparently, at least with LATAM, they only support a certain amount of characters, so her last name would be different than what is in the passport regardless.... her last name would show as "Portocarrero Tom".... it would be missing the "apasca de Strausser".... so either way technically she is screwed.

She cannot be the only person who this happens to with a very, extremely long name in her home country...

[Unidentified 2,930]

TSA won't be a problem, she has her green card that says "Strausser". It is only with the airlines.. but even so, apparently, at least with LATAM, they only support a certain amount of characters, so her last name would be different than what is in the passport regardless.... her last name would show as "Portocarrero Tom".... it would be missing the "apasca de Strausser".... so either way technically she is screwed.

She cannot be the only person who this happens to with a very, extremely long name in her home country...

Too big of a difference between the boarding pass and her passport. She will fly out of the US using her passport.

"Small differences in the name on the boarding pass and ID, like middle initials, should not impact your travel. It is not uncommon for the information printed on boarding passes to differ slightly from the information on IDs, depending on the boarding pass printing practices of individual airlines."

http://blog.tsa.gov/2010/10/talk-to-tsa-secure-flight-november-1st.html

OP you should contact the airline again and urge them to change it for you.

[Dashinka 23,198]

Does her bio page in her passport contain the additional name (this wasn't clear to me)? I would try my best to match the passport bio page with whatever the airline can accommodate.

Good Luck!