Wife going home to visit family - paperwork and info?

[Toforo 15]

It's time for my filipina wife to take a vacation!
(Her home is on Mindanao in the Zamboanga province - an island and province that I'm currently not allowed to visit - so this trip, she'll make by herself)

All of her paperwork, both Phil and USA is complete and up-to-date.

So, here are the specifics....
Her passport is still in her maiden name - as is her US green card.
She has a U.S. Military Dependent ID card, as well as Missouri state ID card in her married name.

From what I remember (CORRECT ME PLEASE AS NEEDED lol) -
- Her plane ticket from USA to PHIL needs to go in her maiden name to match her PHIL Passport (and green card)

(but....)
- She needs to take a copy of our marriage license (along with other USA identification cards) for the trip to PHIL and back into the USA.

- Also, other than her USA green-card, there is nothing in her PHIL passport (stamp?) indicating that the conditions of her original K1 have been completed (marriage). Are they going to question her passport with the expired K1-Visa stamp and expired date?

Is there anything else I'm forgetting?
Hints?
Tips?

Important necessities?

This is mid-December and once we're sure we have everything "gathered," we're about to book her round-trip flight for mid-January.

Thanks!

[MarkPerry 488]

Simple rule: Always book ticket in Passport name

You seem on point with the rest.

Why is her GC in her maiden name?

Why can't you go to her province? Danger from Abu Sayaff or other?

[Greenbaum 12,258]

Plane tickets should use her passport naming. Take marriage certificate and her greencard. The GC now trumps any other documents while traveling with her Phil passport. BTW her K1 is dead when she entered the US. Tell her to go and have fun. She has every document that she may need to prove anything.

[Toforo 15]

Simple rule: Always book ticket in Passport name

You seem on point with the rest.

Why is her GC in her maiden name?

Why can't you go to her province? Danger from Abu Sayaff or other?

Don't know why her GC is in her maiden name... maybe because they waived her GC interview and only gave her a 2-year GC (we have to apply for a new one/extension in the summer of 2017).

As of April 2016, US State Dept put a travel restriction on Mindanao due to increased violence - it's still "restricted" (for US citizens anyway)

Yes, also "other" for Zamboanga - it's the terrorism there, not just the kidnappings, but also, the anti-government terrorist acts (explosions, etc) where she's from near Zamboanga City.

I've never been there - hope to one day. Next trip, us and her family, will all meet in Cebu for vacations together.

[Toforo 15]

Plane tickets should use her passport naming. Take marriage certificate and her greencard. The GC now trumps any other documents while traveling with her Phil passport. BTW her K1 is dead when she entered the US. Tell her to go and have fun. She has every document that she may need to prove anything.

Greenbaum!!! Good to see you here again, active and full of wisdom, lol.

Thanks for the info - as with everything else we get off this site, it's well appreciated.

Cheers!

[MarkPerry 488]

Don't know why her GC is in her maiden name... maybe because they waived her GC interview and only gave her a 2-year GC (we have to apply for a new one/extension in the summer of 2017).

As of April 2016, US State Dept put a travel restriction on Mindanao due to increased violence - it's still "restricted" (for US citizens anyway)

Yes, also "other" for Zamboanga - it's the terrorism there, not just the kidnappings, but also, the anti-government terrorist acts (explosions, etc) where she's from near Zamboanga City.

I've never been there - hope to one day. Next trip, us and her family, will all meet in Cebu for vacations together.

You can go there. They used to have something similar for years about going to Davao City in Mindanao . I have been going to Davao City for 12 plus years.

I have known American guys who went to Sulu region which I think is insane.

I have never been to Zamboanga City, but you are not restricted from going there.

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

You are Army I take it by where you are living, Former Marine here. Yes, she can go to the Philippines and even Mindanao with no problem at all. Just make sure you book the ticket in her the name that her passport is under, if it is the maiden name then use that. Make sure she brings her green card and the marriage license as well. When she goes back to the USA all she will need is her Green card and her passport that is it. Also there is a blanket restriction on Mindanao and there has been one for MANY years now. But I have still gone there to visit my now wife and her family. My wife and I have traveled all over Northern, Central, and Eastern Mindanao with no problem at all, even in my wife's province of Compostela Valley which is swarming with NPA. You can go there and there won't be a problem as long as you listen to your wife.

I still remember before I left to go to the Philippines my first time in 2011 when I was a contractor in Afghanistan. My coworkers were all making jokes that I would be kidnapped and had me alittle apprehensive honestly. But I went there and had the best time with no worries at all. So go and have fun with your wife and her family.

[Toforo 15]

You are Army I take it by where you are living, Former Marine here. Yes, she can go to the Philippines and even Mindanao with no problem at all. Just make sure you book the ticket in her the name that her passport is under, if it is the maiden name then use that. Make sure she brings her green card and the marriage license as well. When she goes back to the USA all she will need is her Green card and her passport that is it. Also there is a blanket restriction on Mindanao and there has been one for MANY years now. But I have still gone there to visit my now wife and her family. My wife and I have traveled all over Northern, Central, and Eastern Mindanao with no problem at all, even in my wife's province of Compostela Valley which is swarming with NPA. You can go there and there won't be a problem as long as you listen to your wife.

I still remember before I left to go to the Philippines my first time in 2011 when I was a contractor in Afghanistan. My coworkers were all making jokes that I would be kidnapped and had me alittle apprehensive honestly. But I went there and had the best time with no worries at all. So go and have fun with your wife and her family.

Army? BAH!

Navy here lol.

I sent you a private message through here.

Thanks!

[Sagot 1,548]

It's time for my filipina wife to take a vacation!

(Her home is on Mindanao in the Zamboanga province - an island and province that I'm currently not allowed to visit - so this trip, she'll make by herself)

All of her paperwork, both Phil and USA is complete and up-to-date.

So, here are the specifics....

Her passport is still in her maiden name - as is her US green card.

She has a U.S. Military Dependent ID card, as well as Missouri state ID card in her married name.

From what I remember (CORRECT ME PLEASE AS NEEDED lol) -

- Her plane ticket from USA to PHIL needs to go in her maiden name to match her PHIL Passport (and green card)

(but....)

- She needs to take a copy of our marriage license (along with other USA identification cards) for the trip to PHIL and back into the USA.

- Also, other than her USA green-card, there is nothing in her PHIL passport (stamp?) indicating that the conditions of her original K1 have been completed (marriage). Are they going to question her passport with the expired K1-Visa stamp and expired date?

Is there anything else I'm forgetting?

Hints?

Tips?

Important necessities?

This is mid-December and once we're sure we have everything "gathered," we're about to book her round-trip flight for mid-January.

Thanks!

As Greenbaum said, airfare in name in passport, carry a copy of your marriage certificate to show connection to married name. Safe travels... have fun!!

Just a curious question. Did you file AOS (I-485) in her maiden name or married name?

~ once you reach N-400 time ( 3 years as LPR) you can do a legal name change to married name if your asawa chooses.

I understand about - Not allowed to go there ... My asawa has laid a few rules on me as well.

[MarkPerry 488]

I understand about - Not allowed to go there ... My asawa has laid a few rules on me as well.

Wow, That says a lot about you

[Sagot 1,548]

[jasper383 23]

[Greenbaum 12,258]

The troll is amazing. Nothing to contribute but gloom and doom and no worthwhile information that is some value to OP'S.