Marriage Cert for Re-entry with Maiden vs Married Name Difference

[rick313 5]

Hi all. My wife is soon embarking on a trip from US > Thailand > US for the first time since getting her GC. Her 2 year conditional GC has her new married name. She has a Thai passport with her maiden name and the round trip air tickets are also in her maiden name.

We have been told conflicting things by her friends about requirements for re-entry back into the US. Is the GC and Passport sufficient? If not, is the marriage certificate required (to show she changed her name)? If so, should she bring the REAL marriage certificate or is a photocopy sufficient? I would hope a photocopy of our marriage cert is sufficient but a friend of ours said to bring her real marriage certificate along with her, which is something I'd rather not do.

Thank you in advance.

[Ryan H 3,813]

GC and passport ought to be sufficient.

[googled 13]

Hi,

I actually just went through the same thing and all we needed was the passport and green card. My wife is from Thailand and on her 2 year conditional Green Card is her maiden name and on her Thai Passport is her Maiden name. I was wondering about this also, so I brought a copy of the marriage certificate with me just in case. However, I did not need it.

My wife went to Thailand at the first of October and I joined her there at the first of November. We then came back together in the middle of November. Our point of entry was in Los Angeles. When we got to the immigration official I walked to the window with my wife. The immigration officer asked what our relationship was and I told him that we are husband and wife. He then looked at my Passport (USA) and then he took my wife's Thai passport and her Green Card. He looked at it and then checked my wife's fingerprints. After he was satisfied he gave use back our documents and told us "Welcome Home" and sent us on our way. He was very nice.

They took my wife's fingerprints at the biometrics appointment, so I am assuming that they were checking her fingerprints at the point of entry with what they had on file. You still might bring a copy of the marriage certificate with you if you want, but I do not think you will need it.

Make sure you book the plane tickets to match the name on her passport though, which in your case is her maiden name.

[rick313 5]

Googled, thanks for that insight. I think we will bring at least a copy of our marriage certificate with us, as you recommend. So, they actually took your wife's fingerprints at the point of entry again? Interesting.

Glad it worked smoothly for you.

Hi,

I actually just went through the same thing and all we needed was the passport and green card. My wife is from Thailand and on her 2 year conditional Green Card is her maiden name and on her Thai Passport is her Maiden name. I was wondering about this also, so I brought a copy of the marriage certificate with me just in case. However, I did not need it.

My wife went to Thailand at the first of October and I joined her there at the first of November. We then came back together in the middle of November. Our point of entry was in Los Angeles. When we got to the immigration official I walked to the window with my wife. The immigration officer asked what our relationship was and I told him that we are husband and wife. He then looked at my Passport (USA) and then he took my wife's Thai passport and her Green Card. He looked at it and then checked my wife's fingerprints. After he was satisfied he gave use back our documents and told us "Welcome Home" and sent us on our way. He was very nice.

They took my wife's fingerprints at the biometrics appointment, so I am assuming that they were checking her fingerprints at the point of entry with what they had on file. You still might bring a copy of the marriage certificate with you if you want, but I do not think you will need it.

Make sure you book the plane tickets to match the name on her passport though, which in your case is her maiden name.