Greetings..

With the visa struggle behind us, I've been looking into the obstacles still lying ahead...

Namely, it doesn't look like it will be easy at all for my non-USC wife (to be) to get a new passport when she changes her name. Resources imply that it can't even be done through the mail, and there's nowhere around here to apply. Also, they don't amend current passports, so it'd have to be a new one.

So I'm curious about how difficult that will make travel, if she doesn't yet have a passport with a name that matches the advance parole document or green card.

I phoned up CBP Minneapolis and was told that the only option is to get a new passport. To get a 2nd opinion, I phoned up the CBP folks in Houston (since that will be her POE), and the gentleman mentioned that with Advanced Parole, you can get an amendment or addendum that has both her maiden and married names. Is this true? The AP document in the gallery doesn't seem to have any information about past names.

Also, who has had issues with this name change gorp? Any advice or heads-up is appreciated...

My passport is in my former name. I'm not changing it until it's time to renew. I just book all airline tickets under that name. I applied for my AP and my AOS in my married name. The AP came in my former name and the greencard came in my married name. For others the AP came in their married name. I have never heard of it causing a problem, nor has it caused a problem for me, but I carried my marriage certificate with me just in case. The passport contains the visa with the petitioner's name so the trail of breadcrumbs is all there. She'll be fine, Jesse.

That's the ticket!

OP, the old passport (maiden name) + AP document (married name) + marriage certificate are sufficient for your wife to re-enter the US.

I'll definitely make sure she has her marriage certificate with her when she travels (should be able to fit right into her passport holder). Reasonably, that should be acceptable. I was worried because the CBP agent at MSP airport made it sound like there was no way to enter the country if the names didn't match..

Thank you both for your replies !!