Travelling to US with passport in maiden name
Feb 23, 2009, 10:46 am
#1
Moderator: UK and Ireland & Europe
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Biggleswade
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Travelling to US with passport in maiden name
I got married 18 months ago, and, while my wife has taken my surname (as is the default here), she hasn't updated her passport. This is in part due to the cost and hassle of doing so due to new UK regulations.
We've travelled internationally several times since, without any problems (we are both UK citizens) - in fact, it's barely crossed our minds. This, however, doesn't include the US, which I know has a lot more information on travellers than other countries in the world.
Does anybody have any experience of this? We could:
a) Get the passport updated. Would mean cost (over £75 for the passport) and quite possibly time off work for an interview (difficult, given her job, and costly - it's £25 to get to London).
b) Travel as we did when unmarried. An eagle-eyed immigration or customs officer may spot wedding rings, and I don't want to get into the business of lying.
c) Travel as married, but with different surnames. If challenged, insist that this is not that uncommon these days.
Any thoughts or experience would be welcome. The UK IPS (immigration and passport service) is strangely evasive on this matter, only saying that 'some' countries 'might' not like you to do this.
We've travelled internationally several times since, without any problems (we are both UK citizens) - in fact, it's barely crossed our minds. This, however, doesn't include the US, which I know has a lot more information on travellers than other countries in the world.
Does anybody have any experience of this? We could:
a) Get the passport updated. Would mean cost (over £75 for the passport) and quite possibly time off work for an interview (difficult, given her job, and costly - it's £25 to get to London).
b) Travel as we did when unmarried. An eagle-eyed immigration or customs officer may spot wedding rings, and I don't want to get into the business of lying.
c) Travel as married, but with different surnames. If challenged, insist that this is not that uncommon these days.
Any thoughts or experience would be welcome. The UK IPS (immigration and passport service) is strangely evasive on this matter, only saying that 'some' countries 'might' not like you to do this.
Feb 23, 2009, 12:32 pm
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Travel as a married couple with different names. It just isn't all that uncommon. My wife and I do it and have had no problems over the three years we've been married. The key to this is that her ticket must be purchased in the same name as the passport. As long as that is the case she shouldn't have any troubles.
Feb 23, 2009, 1:31 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: W29
Programs: It's Complicated...
Posts: 6,817
Should be no problem at all and although I am sure the immigration officer will ask the relationship of you and the person you are with it is not uncommon at all for the passports not to match up. My wife and I traveled for many years with her passport still in her unmarried name and never a problem. We did keep a copy of our marriage certificate just in case it ever came up any place but should not be a problem at all.
Feb 23, 2009, 1:39 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 340
I got married 18 months ago, and, while my wife has taken my surname (as is the default here), she hasn't updated her passport. This is in part due to the cost and hassle of doing so due to new UK regulations.
We've travelled internationally several times since, without any problems (we are both UK citizens) - in fact, it's barely crossed our minds. This, however, doesn't include the US, which I know has a lot more information on travellers than other countries in the world.
Does anybody have any experience of this? We could:
a) Get the passport updated. Would mean cost (over £75 for the passport) and quite possibly time off work for an interview (difficult, given her job, and costly - it's £25 to get to London).
b) Travel as we did when unmarried. An eagle-eyed immigration or customs officer may spot wedding rings, and I don't want to get into the business of lying.
c) Travel as married, but with different surnames. If challenged, insist that this is not that uncommon these days.
Any thoughts or experience would be welcome. The UK IPS (immigration and passport service) is strangely evasive on this matter, only saying that 'some' countries 'might' not like you to do this.
We've travelled internationally several times since, without any problems (we are both UK citizens) - in fact, it's barely crossed our minds. This, however, doesn't include the US, which I know has a lot more information on travellers than other countries in the world.
Does anybody have any experience of this? We could:
a) Get the passport updated. Would mean cost (over £75 for the passport) and quite possibly time off work for an interview (difficult, given her job, and costly - it's £25 to get to London).
b) Travel as we did when unmarried. An eagle-eyed immigration or customs officer may spot wedding rings, and I don't want to get into the business of lying.
c) Travel as married, but with different surnames. If challenged, insist that this is not that uncommon these days.
Any thoughts or experience would be welcome. The UK IPS (immigration and passport service) is strangely evasive on this matter, only saying that 'some' countries 'might' not like you to do this.
Feb 24, 2009, 2:41 am
#5
Moderator: UK and Ireland & Europe
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Biggleswade
Programs: SK*G, Lots of Blue Elsewhere
Posts: 13,611
Thanks all for your comments: that's very reassuring.
Without wanting to get too far into the minutiae of it all... Those of you who travel married with different names, do you fill in a single customs form? And have you ever got any grief as a result of doing so?
(I'm probably being over-cautious here as a result of some fairly thorough screenings on previous trips to the US.)
Without wanting to get too far into the minutiae of it all... Those of you who travel married with different names, do you fill in a single customs form? And have you ever got any grief as a result of doing so?
(I'm probably being over-cautious here as a result of some fairly thorough screenings on previous trips to the US.)
Feb 24, 2009, 10:00 am
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Thanks all for your comments: that's very reassuring.
Without wanting to get too far into the minutiae of it all... Those of you who travel married with different names, do you fill in a single customs form? And have you ever got any grief as a result of doing so?
(I'm probably being over-cautious here as a result of some fairly thorough screenings on previous trips to the US.)
Without wanting to get too far into the minutiae of it all... Those of you who travel married with different names, do you fill in a single customs form? And have you ever got any grief as a result of doing so?
(I'm probably being over-cautious here as a result of some fairly thorough screenings on previous trips to the US.)
Feb 24, 2009, 11:00 am
#8
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: BLI or CLT
Programs: The usual suspects
Posts: 1,902
Same as the above posters. We've been married 30 years, always travel with different names, never any questions or problems with filing a single customs declaration - "one per family." Same thing when I travel with our kids, who have my husband's surname - even though authorities are careful about international abductions.
Feb 24, 2009, 1:21 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,103
In Quebec, Women are not able to take the husband's name - unless willing to go through the normal changing of name procedure available to anyone. (details for those that are interested can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Married...Qu.C3.A9bec.29)
I have entered the USA 50+ times since married. We fill out 1 customs card on which I list my name. I have never been asked any question whatsoever regarding names, marital status etc.
The important issue to me would be to ensure the passport name match the plane ticket.
Feb 24, 2009, 10:42 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors Diamond, SPG Platinum
Posts: 147
My husband and I travel internationally frequently with different last names. I did not want to change my name when we got married as I quite like my maiden name.
We fill out one US customs form with his name and we have yet to have a problem.
We fill out one US customs form with his name and we have yet to have a problem.
Feb 25, 2009, 4:29 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 218
My wife's Brasilian passport STILL bears her maiden name, her US passport is in her married name. I'll buy her ticket in her married name if we travel together, her maiden name if she travels alone. She always carries a copy of our marriage certificate and a photocopy of her Naturalization certificate. She only had trouble (very small delay) once almost 10 years ago, but was due to her 2 year conditional status being lapsed while the removal of conditional status was being adjudicated. We had a letter from INS which showed the dates and that she was approved to re enter the US. The GA in Brazil was a little confused by the dates on the letter so they actually called Houston, and someone there verified that she was OK.
Last edited by galeaoguy; Feb 25, 2009 at 4:47 am
Feb 25, 2009, 7:16 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 7,560
Just in case stut needs even more reassurance... we have different names too and never had any problems. Keeping separate names isn't really all that uncommon any more here in the UK... and as others have mentioned there are places where people NEVER change their names on marriage (Belgium, Iceland - to name just a couple).
You should have no problems whatsoever.
You should have no problems whatsoever.