Can we travel?

[Techniix 7]

My wife and I are planning a trip back to the Philippines for late next year and are trying to gather what we need to travel and guarantee re-entry. We were unaware about the report of marriage and have filed very late. We have waited 3 months only to get a text that our "application was denied" with no specified reason from the Philippines Embassy, so unfortunately we are trying to get our originals back from them so we can try again. We are afraid we are running out of time. We have copies of her extension letter but can't find the original and therefore believe we will need a I-551 stamp. I'm not sure though if we can get that if we end up out of time and have to renew the passport in her maiden name. Since her passport needs renewed and we may need to do it in the maiden name I'm worried about re-entry issues. A lot seems to be against us and I'm looking for advice from people who have been through similar. I really appreciate any help or guidance. 

[Verrou 1,962]

she can keep her maiden name on the passport, if her GC has her married name, just bring the marriage certificate, it will explain the discrepancy. u can try to make info pass appointment for ADIT stamp, and also, try to walk in to the field office if u cant get that appointment by phone. just be nice to the staff in the field office and hope they will let you in. 

[confusedshoes 193]

I've been through something similar. A couple months ago, my husband and I visited the Philippines for the first time after being married abroad.

 

We had also filed the Report of Marriage late, not knowing that it would take a shocking amount of time. I had to renew my passport before the trip and of course, I had to do it in my maiden name. Documents I brought during the trip: practically everything. But the documents that were asked for at immigration were: Passport in maiden name, green card in married name (mine is expired), green card extension, marriage certificate showing maiden and married name, Onehealthpass (this has been made recently obsolete, it's etravel now). I also had the original copy of the Report of Marriage that was sent back by the Philippine consulate that we filed at. This document was used a lot in the Philippines (bank, real estate stuff) because as much as possible, I wanted and had everything done in my married name (I really don't want to have to do any name changes later). I know they all want a PSA copy of the ROM (yellow paper) but this original copy ROM I had was accepted along with the rest of the documents (Passport, Marriage cert., greencard, extension letter). During all immigrations in and out, make sure you're together. You can line up at any line (foreign/local passport holder lines) as long as the category applies to at least one of you, but make sure you're together. It makes everything a lot less complicated.

 

I'm still waiting for the ROM to be available at the PSA so I can order copies and renew my passport for name change. 

 

*Also as a side, my overkill with bringing documents saved my husband's butt at Thailand immigration. We took a little side trip there. Upon arrival, he was taken into a separate area and was asked to produce his old passport. They have no record of him exiting the country from his previous trip and are wanting him to prove he had left. They think he overstayed for YEARS! I actually brought my old passport but he didn't (normally no one does!). BUT I had brought printed copies of the photo evidence we submitted for the removal of conditions which included scans of boarding passes with our stamped passport pages, on top of this, I had also brought just the scans of all his old passport's pages. They accepted this as proof when they saw a scans of the first page of his old passport and the page on same passport showing a departure stamp for that particular date they had no record of. Who knew this happens!

Edited December 13, 2022 by confusedshoes

[OldUser 6,878]

9 hours ago, Techniix said:

We have copies of her extension letter but can't find the original and therefore believe we will need a I-551 stamp.

You're right to believe it. Unless somebody makes a mistake, she won't be let to board a plane to US without:

- Expired conditional green card (original)

- Valid I-797 for I-751 aka extension letter (original)

- Marriage certificate (original, if maiden name is still used in passport, but green card in married name)

 

[Chancy 6,241]

On 12/12/2022 at 8:41 AM, Techniix said:

have to renew the passport in her maiden name

 

Make sure to book the plane tickets with the name on the passport, even if different from the name on the green card.  As mentioned above, your marriage certificate will tie in the passport and GC names.  There was a post in the PH sub-forum a few weeks back about a traveler who was hassled at boarding because her name on the ticket did not match the name on her PH passport, even if it matched the name on the GC.