Canada Passport Renewal - Maiden Name OK?

[figuringthisout 0]

I've seen these types of questions searching the forum, but all of them seemed a bit more complicated than my our situation here.

Anyway, so my wife had her passport for a good 10 years now (or whatever the duration is for one) and we just realized it's going to expire by the end of the month. On her passport she has her maiden name, of course, and we were wondering if she can use the Adult SIMPLIFIED RENEWAL Passport Application (Form: PPTC 054) and just renew with her maiden name again. Or would this provide issues with her CR-1? We're a bit pressed on time seeing as we just got our NOA2 about 2 months before we expected it! (Yay!! But gotta move our butts into gear now! lol)

Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated!

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

Since it is not required to change your last name in US when you marry, there should be no problem. I am married 15 months now and have not changed my name as it requires a lot of work. Driver's license, my banking and pay checks, car title, shouse title, social secruity card, etc. and his country of Morocco the woman keeps her family name so this does not bother my husband.

I've seen these types of questions searching the forum, but all of them seemed a bit more complicated than my our situation here.

Anyway, so my wife had her passport for a good 10 years now (or whatever the duration is for one) and we just realized it's going to expire by the end of the month. On her passport she has her maiden name, of course, and we were wondering if she can use the Adult SIMPLIFIED RENEWAL Passport Application (Form: PPTC 054) and just renew with her maiden name again. Or would this provide issues with her CR-1? We're a bit pressed on time seeing as we just got our NOA2 about 2 months before we expected it! (Yay!! But gotta move our butts into gear now! lol)

Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated!

[BlueBonnet 84]

Call 1 800 O Canada

They wont have the answer for you, but they will be able to get you a phone number to whom will have the answer for you. This phone number is 24/7 and free from anywhere.

[MissDinaDee 8]

Yes, you can have her passport renewed with her maiden name using the simplified form. You cannot however use the simplified form if she is changing her name. I believe that it tells you that in the instructions for completing the form, see below:

IMPORTANT—You may use this form only if:

-you were at least 16 years of age at the time of your previous application;

-you submit a previous Canadian passport that:

*Either was issued to you in Canada (see issuing authority on page 2 of the passport) and is valid or expired for no more than one year;

*was/is valid for five (5) years;

*is not damaged;

*was never reported lost or stolen; and

*Or, was issued to you outside of Canada (see issuing authority on page 2 of the passport) after April 30, 2006.

-the name on this application form is exactly as it appears on page 2 of the submitted passport;

NOTE: You are NOT eligible to use this form if the passport contains a married or a common-law partner surname observation and you wish to have your new passport issued in your married or common-law partner’s surname.

Good Luck!

MrsJ

[figuringthisout 0]

Yes, you can have her passport renewed with her maiden name using the simplified form. You cannot however use the simplified form if she is changing her name. I believe that it tells you that in the instructions for completing the form, see below:

...

Good Luck!

MrsJ

Yes I see that, sorry - to clarify my question: If we use this form and do NOT change her last name on her passport... (all other documents have married name) would that be something the interview would have an issue with? Or will they understand because this is just "easier" to do?

[lovetimhortons 1]

not sure if the interview would have an issue with it (seems doubtful they would care). was her CR-1 paperwork done in her married or maiden name? i guess ideally the two (passport/CR-1 paperwork) should match up. as long as you have marriage certificate to prove name change, it never seems to be a problem for me.

why not just renew in new married name? i plan to do it on my next trip to canada. the application form is a little bit longer, and it requires a trip to the passpot office, but you can pay a rush fee, and get the passport done within 1 business day.

[figuringthisout 0]

Doesn't that require a bunch of people to sign it that she knows and all that extra junk? (not to mention the extra time avoidance costs extra money which we don't have much of, lol)

EDIT: and yes her CR-1 paperwork was done in married name, all documents besides her passport atm are in married name. (my tax return etc)

Edited June 16, 2011 by figuringthisout

[lovetimhortons 1]

you just need one person to sign and give their personal info that they've known you for a certain number of years, and then need a few references (no signatures needed). it's really not that much more work at all to get it issued in married name. i'm mainly doing it because i'm tired of carrying around my marriage certificate whenever i take a flight. i doubt in your case it will cause much trouble at the interview. hopefully someone knows the definite answer here.

the passport won't be the last time you deal with the name change thing. btw: canadian passports are issued for 5 years (i wish they would just do it for 10).

agree: passports, US immigration, everything = expensive.

[Lise+Michael 13]

not sure if the interview would have an issue with it (seems doubtful they would care). was her CR-1 paperwork done in her married or maiden name? i guess ideally the two (passport/CR-1 paperwork) should match up. as long as you have marriage certificate to prove name change, it never seems to be a problem for me.

why not just renew in new married name? i plan to do it on my next trip to canada. the application form is a little bit longer, and it requires a trip to the passpot office, but you can pay a rush fee, and get the passport done within 1 business day.

A coworker from MN married a Canadian, all her ID had her married name except her passport...she had major grief at the border, they refused her entry into Canada, it took some time to straighten it out. I am going to the passport office with my daughter and have a list of questions to ask for when that time comes.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

They are required to issue the CR-1 visa in the name that is in the passport. Other applicants have had to get the passport changed to get the visa in the married name. If she has time before the interview she should arrange to get the passport changed. Since she wants to go by her married name, have her apply for her new passport (they are not renewed, btw). She can go in person to a passport center with her documentation to show the name change (marriage certificate) and they should be able to process it fairly quickly. We have green card holders already living in the US who go back to Canada and renew their passports while they are there., Don't worry about using the simplified form - you want the passport in the name that you want on the CR-1 and if that requires using the more detailed form, then that is what she needs to do.

The fee and processing time involved for issuing the passport in the maiden name or the married name is the same.

Also, moving this to the Canada Regional Forum as it is more about the Canadian Passport than about the CR-1 process, although they overlap.

Edited June 16, 2011 by Kathryn41

[figuringthisout 0]

Ugh that sounds like great fun Lise + Michael

Thanks for the input all, gives us something to consider besides what would be easier "now" per say!

They are required to issue the CR-1 visa in the name that is in the passport. Other applicants have had to get the passport changed to get the visa in the married name. If she has time before the interview she should arrange to get the passport changed. Since she wants to go by her married name, have her apply for her new passport (they are not renewed, btw). She can go in person to a passport center with her documentation to show the name change (marriage certificate) and they should be able to process it fairly quickly. We have green card holders already living in the US who go back to Canada and renew their passports while they are there., Don't worry about using the simplified form - you want the passport in the name that you want on the CR-1 and if that requires using the more detailed form, then that is what she needs to do.

The fee and processing time involved for issuing the passport in the maiden name or the married name is the same.

Also, moving this to the Canada Regional Forum as it is more about the Canadian Passport than about the CR-1 process, although they overlap.

Ohh thats a good point! Did not know that... one issue though - I have the marriage certificate. Would a copy I send to her work okay or do they need the original?

Edited June 16, 2011 by figuringthisout

[figuringthisout 0]

Also, moving this to the Canada Regional Forum as it is more about the Canadian Passport than about the CR-1 process, although they overlap.

My intention was for it to be more about the CR-1 process than the passport... I.E. would the interviewer frown upon why we renewed it in her maiden name and not the married name.

The only thing about the passport was supposed to be the name on it for the interview! =D

Edited June 17, 2011 by figuringthisout

[Colleens 40]

I think that with a CR-1 her green card will also be issued with the same name that is in her passport. (someone please correct me if I am wrong). So if she wants to have her green card in her married name, you will have to change the passport. The only way to change your name on your green card is to fill out the I-90 and pay the $450 fee. So it will be a lot cheaper in the long run to get a new passport (if you want your GC in your married name, that is!).

[edsotherhalf 1]

I just renewed my passport and got it back two weeks ago. I added my married name to the passport. I had to fill out the long form. The renewal form is only if everything on the passport is the same. You have to do the full form for change of name. I was told it would take 3 weeks to receive it back but got it about 10 days later. Hope this helps.

I've seen these types of questions searching the forum, but all of them seemed a bit more complicated than my our situation here.

Anyway, so my wife had her passport for a good 10 years now (or whatever the duration is for one) and we just realized it's going to expire by the end of the month. On her passport she has her maiden name, of course, and we were wondering if she can use the Adult SIMPLIFIED RENEWAL Passport Application (Form: PPTC 054) and just renew with her maiden name again. Or would this provide issues with her CR-1? We're a bit pressed on time seeing as we just got our NOA2 about 2 months before we expected it! (Yay!! But gotta move our butts into gear now! lol)

Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated!

[figuringthisout 0]

Awesome info guys, thanks for the replies!