Question about passport for US Citizen after married name change.

[Morning Sunshine 0]

If changed my name after marriage, must I change my name in my passport? How long does it take? What are the fees? Will my old visa stamps still be intact? If not, how do I show proof of previous travels to my SO's country. Please help me because I want to go end of February and I think passports take forever to process and also I need my passport in order to get the Pakistan visa.

M.

Edited November 6, 2008 by ~Dream Love~

[*JG* 2]

It took me about 3 weeks to get mine back. You have to send an original certified copy of the marriage certificate. They will send it back to you.

It cost whatever it normally costs to get a passport. What is that $80 or $90. Something like that.

No, the old visa stamp will not be in place. They will punch a hole in the old passport and send it back to you. The new passport will then be blank.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/renew/renew_833.html

[Morning Sunshine 0]

It took me about 3 weeks to get mine back. You have to send an original certified copy of the marriage certificate. They will send it back to you.

It cost whatever it normally costs to get a passport. What is that $80 or $90. Something like that.

No, the old visa stamp will not be in place. They will punch a hole in the old passport and send it back to you. The new passport will then be blank.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/renew/renew_833.html

Thank you for your response. So you are saying that I get to keep the old passport, but it will have a punch hole in it to prevent travel? Now, do I have to get this application signed off by a passport official like the original one? Also, what if I have a copy of my nikah registrar form and it has no gold seal but a stamp from the nikah registrar in Pakistan. Is that good enough or should I request a new one with a seal from my SO?

[*JG* 2]

I may be confused here.....Are you the USC?

[*JG* 2]

If you are the USC, you just apply like you have always applied for your passport. No one signs anything but you. You can do it by mail.

If you need a visa in it after to travel to your SO's country, you will have to reapply for that like you applied the first time.

Yes, they will punch a hole in it to show it is no longer valid and return it to you for you to keep.

If you are the LPR, you need to look up the nearest embassy or consulate of your country in the US and see what their rules are. I just sent off my husband's through the Jamaican embsassy in D.C. and it's been a nightmare.

Edited November 6, 2008 by Jomo's girl

[WaitingforRakesh 0]

You will definately have to change it. Some times you might need 2 forms of ID when traveling. All your Identification must match. It is also something that you will eventually have to use for your immigration paperwork. It could be another thing they may look at to see that you are in a bonofide relationship. I have seen a few posts where not changing your name put up a red flag. (Still in the olden days some places)

It is not too hard. I had my passport back in 2 weeks and had my India Visa in 5 days. The other things you mentioned, you will have to go through the appropriate embassy here in the U.S. (or whatever country you are in) I needed the orginal marriage certificate for the passport/passport/passport photos/ money order for fees and application and they mailed that back with the new and old passport. The Indian visa I just needed to send the new passport/application/passport photos/and copy of drivers license with your current resident address/money order for fees (you can use a different mailing address for both)

Have fun changing your name!

[William33 110]

You will be issued a new passport, with the old one returned cancelled.

You can utilize the old passport to prove your previous travels. You may want to bring your Marriage certificate and cancelled passport along for future visa applications. This will complete the loop.

[DeadPoolX 9]

If your current passport is still valid and won't expire anytime soon, I'd recommend just keeping it for the time being. Yes, you'll have your maiden name on the passport. That's easily dealt with by purchasing airline tickets in your maiden name. The point here is that there's no need to pay extra for a new passport when the current one is still usable.

[payxibka 10,048]

The old passport is returned to you, and in the event you still have a valid visa in the old one for travel to a particular country, you bring the new and the old with you for entry.

Edited November 18, 2008 by payxibka

[star_dragon 0]

Does that really bring up a red flag if you don't change your name? (I'm the USC)

I wasnt planning on changing my name.

[*JG* 2]

Does that really bring up a red flag if you don't change your name? (I'm the USC)

I wasnt planning on changing my name.

I am not sure about that. Many people don't change their names for personal or professional reasons. You would need both names on many different accounts later in the process. Not sure if it would matter if you had the same name or not. Married is married and the certificate proves it.

Tell me about your SO's country. Do they have a nationals line? If so, can you go through faster with them when married. It's another reason I changed my name....I want to go through that much faster nationals line in Jamaica rather then the slower visitor line. And, I didn't want to have to carry my marriage license to prove it.

Another reason was customs.....one form for family with the same name.

I also applied for Jamaican citizenship by marriage. It was important, in this instance, that I had the same name as him.