Dual citizenship with different names?

[andika14 0]

Tied to my other post, but figured I'd better start a new one. Both my old country and the US allows (although doesn't encourage) dual citizenship, so I'm keeping the old one too once I get naturalized here. I'm changing my name due to privacy reasons in the US, but wondering if I can keep my other name in my other passport intact.

Is this legally ok? Eventually, I may unify it all, but for now, I'm just curious if it's ok to have different names in my different countries.

No, I'm not a spy

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Don't see why not although frankly doesn't that doom you to a life of carrying around your marriage cert as well?

I did not officially change my name in Canada so my Canadian passport could have been in my maiden name and all my US stuff is in my married name.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I have different nationalities, citizenships, passports, and names.

I did this on purpose for various reasons.

Primarily, I wanted to separate the Old World and the New World, not mix things up.

When I'm in Germany (haven't been there since 1994), I am a German citizen with a German name. In the United States, I'm an American with an American name. In any other country, I can choose what I want to be. If I'm going to Iran (unlikely), I would probably be German; If I'm going to Israel (as unlikely), I would most likely be American.

If for some reason the sh*t ever hits the fan and I have to scoot in order to escape the firing sqadrons or the CIA's snipers, I want to be able to make the jump perfectly, without loose ends tying my name to another file in another country.

So if I travel from the United States to Germany, I book my flight in my US name. At the airline counter in Los Angeles, I show my US passport. When heading to the gate, I show my US passport and boarding pass again. Once I arrive in Germany, I am required by law to show my German passport to the CBP folks there. Afterward, I can do whatever I like.

For example, I can book my rental car in my US name. I show my US passport and my US driver license, and if I get pulled over I don't speak a word of German, am a tourist with an American name. If they check my name in their computer, it doesn't come up.

But, I could also choose to be German and book my rental car in my German name, show my German passport and use my German driver license.

When traveling back to the US, I go US all the way. I go to the airline counter and show my US ticket and my US passport. While heading to the boarding area I also show my US passport (although I'm strictly speaking should be using my German one, but then the name on my ticket and boarding pass wouldn't match). Arriving in the US, I continue being an American.

Since both of your countries are okay with you having two citizenships, it is up to you to have two names. I would only advise against this, if you have ties reaching into both your identities, i.e, if you have a health insurance in your old country, that is supposed to pay for your medical bills in the US (yes, I've encountered such a case). Then having two names/identities could make things rather difficult.

Other than that, changing a different name for your US identity is not only a great way to americanize a rather difficult to pronounce foreign name, but furthermore a great way to promote your career. Being a Kennedy, Rothschild or Rockefeller might give you a huge boost while working as a reporter or TV news anchor.

[NickD 203]

Change of name due to marriage was not stated, privacy reasons were. Again, its that place of birth that requires you to maintain dual citizenship, and that it what is is. Was kind of strong headed about using that dual naturalization the DOS adopted, but came to the conclusion that is BS.

Wife is maintaining her maiden name, just way to expensive to register our marriage in her home country, for just occasional visits. But if we move there, that would be a different story. Difficult enough here to maintain her foreign passport, only three consulates in the entire USA and have to show up in person. She her US passport and our defacto universal ID here, the drivers' license, and her passport and country ID for her home country. No need to carry a marriage certificate. She leaves her country with that passport, buries it, and digs out her US Passport for the airlines.

[andika14 0]

Thanks for the replies. The immigration agents at the destination countries don't check against the airline submitted passenger list? If I buy my ticket with my US name and arrive to London where I want to use my Euro passport which has the old name, that won't be a problem? Do they only check if the passport is valid and legal to enter the country?

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Thanks for the replies. The immigration agents at the destination countries don't check against the airline submitted passenger list? If I buy my ticket with my US name and arrive to London where I want to use my Euro passport which has the old name, that won't be a problem? Do they only check if the passport is valid and legal to enter the country?

It sounds a little shady to be honest. Are you actually asking if you can fly under one name and enter a country under another?

[andika14 0]

I didn't mean to sound shady, I'm trying to figure out if I can possibly keep my old name for my old citizenship. When I enter my old country, I have to use my old passport, but the roundtrip plane ticket is purchased in my US name, so I can enter the US back again without hassles. If I were to buy the ticket in my old name, I would have to use my old passport to leave, which no longer has the green card.

I know, it's complicated, but I'm not trying to be shady, just trying to see if I can keep my old name and if it's' worth the trouble.

[NickD 203]

We are not trying to be shady either, how can you suggest such a thing? Question of money, how much do we want to pay extra to have our marriage registered in her home country as opposed to keeping the maiden name in our case at least. Like about 25 times extra, not exactly dealing with what you can call a corrupt free government. Then her country said it perfectly okay to use her maiden name. And again, we are just talking about occasional visits.

For traveling, buy our tickets here in her married name and show her US passport to leave, when arriving at her POE for her home country, that passport comes out. Comes out again when leaving her home country, guess they call that the port of exit. Airlines are on the other side of the gate, so the foreign passport gets buried, and the US passport comes out.

Is this inconvenient? YES! Is it extra expensive? YES! But you have to follow the rules of both countries.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I know, it's complicated, but I'm not trying to be shady, just trying to see if I can keep my old name and if it's' worth the trouble.

I think I actually answered this, at least I tried to. I even gave an account on how to do this in a real life scenario.

If you are British and arrive in the Kingdom, you show your British passport as the law requires it (pretty sure it does). No, they won't check your boarding pass or ticket but if they do and see another name, you also show you US passport as this is the one you booked your flight under and you were required by law to show when leaving the US. Since the Ukay is perfectly cool with their citizens having one or more other citizenships, that would shut them up.

[NickD 203]

I think I actually answered this, at least I tried to. I even gave an account on how to do this in a real life scenario.

If you are British and arrive in the Kingdom, you show your British passport as the law requires it (pretty sure it does). No, they won't check your boarding pass or ticket but if they do and see another name, you also show you US passport as this is the one you booked your flight under and you were required by law to show when leaving the US. Since the Ukay is perfectly cool with their citizens having one or more other citizenships, that would shut them up.

But does require an assumption in that the DOS is dealing with two hundred different countries, each has different laws or procedures, whatever you want to call them. In my wifes' case, was given three entirely different answers from talking to two notaries and the consulate in Chicago. Consulate in Chicago told her when she got her US passport, she automatically renounced her Colombian citizenship and they should have let her pass. But how do you explain that to the idiot working at the POE that has full power to deny you?

Another example, did you ever try to get a straight answer from the USCIS or the DOS? And don't even bother asking for a statue on these regulations, they don't have one. But ask anyway.

Equally frustrating when contacting your representative with questions like this, they are far more concerned in spreading democracy in other countries of the world than here. If you do get a response, more like a letter every other day asking for a campaign contribution.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

But does require an assumption in that the DOS is dealing with two hundred different countries . . .

Nick, buddy,

no assumption here, as the O.P. is from the Kingdom of the Queen. I know that Colombia is different, very different, so different that I'll tell you a true story now.

Friend of mine, 42 years old, lives in San Jose California, is into adventure vacations. Wants to go hiking in Colombia. I asked him: why not Utah or Colorado? Nope, Colombia. Makes me wonder. Day 2 of his vacation he sits in a Cafe and talks. When he wakes up he's in the ICU. Turns out they drugged him, took him into a car when he passed out, drove to his hotel, took everything he had, passport, money, clothes, everything . . . then drove out of town and dumped him into a ditch, naked.

Luckily for him, he was found, close to OD'ing, but he survived. He spend 2 weeks in a hospital after which he was airlifted to the US thanks to the help of the US Embassy.

Columbia. Not a place I would recommend to any American. It's like going hiking in Iran.

[andika14 0]

Thanks again, I'm much more confident that this should work

Eventually, I'll may unify everything, for simplicity's sake, but for now, I'm resting assured I won't run into issues with my two names.