Last name in Green Card and Passport don't match

[Jordan-Syelvia 0]

Aloha from Hawaii!

My case is, I'm from Indonesia and I enter US with K1-Visa (fiance visa)

I changed my maiden name into my husband's last name on my marriage certificate, and filed all the papers with my new name.

I called Indonesian consulate before i did that, and they confirm that they will be able to change my last name when i renew my passport.

But then when i renew my passport after i got my Green Card, SSN, Driver License and insurance under my (brand new) name,

the Indonesian send my new passport with 2 last name (my maiden name and my husband's last name).

I found that he didn't understand perfectly what I wanted, and they ask me to go to the court in Indonesia if i want to change my name match with my Green Card.

My questions are,

1. Will there any problem for me to travel with a different name on my Green Card and Passport?

As we're thinking to visit Indonesia this month and will stay over in Japan for a night.

2. Will it be difficult for me to enter US with unmatch name on GC and Passport?

3. Should I go to the court when I'm in Indonesia and have my name changed?

Thanks in advance to helping me in this case,

Syelvia

[milimelo 4,191]

Moving to your region forum.

[bobby_kvisa 7]

Moving to your region forum.

According to my lawyer it will be a problem for Immigration officials to see a name mismatch. When you enter the US again after your trip - you MUST carry your Marriage Certificate with you. This is the only proof you have that your name has changed.

Even so with your MC, you will still have problems. At the Port of Entry they will likely take you to the back room and question you repeatedly about your name and why it doesnt match. You can still regain entry to the US but you must have your Marriage Certificate to prove this name change - and also be prepared to answer whatever questions they might have.

You could also get a new passport in Indonesia (or at the Indonesia Embassy here in the USA). You will have to check with someone else - but you potentially might be travelling to Indonesia on the Maiden Name passport - and travelling back to USA on the Married Name passport. In that case you might need to take with you your Old Passport, New Passport, Green Card and Marriage Certificate. You should check with a lawyer or someone else about all this, but the names on the GC and the Passport should match for easy reentry to the USA.

[DanielParul 50]

My GC is in my married name and passport still in maiden name. I travelled to India after 6 months of being married. I booked my ticket in my maiden name to match the passport and carried my GC and marriage certificate just in case they wanted to see why the mismatch. Nobody bothered to check my marriage license and I had a very smooth immigration in India and back in the US.

You came to the US on a K1 visa which means you were still unmarried and hence the passport would have been in maiden name. They understand that. I have not heard of a case where a person was harassed because their last name on passport and GC did not match because of marriage. Carry your Marriage certificate and you will be fine. Airlines and immigration is used to this.

Edited July 13, 2010 by DanielParul