zkzkz

The key thing to realize is that each entity involved -- the airline, the two immigration services, and any local agencies like the NHS are each operating independently and trying to verify different things.

When leaving OZ the airline wants to look up your ticket and be sure it's really your ticket so show them the passport with the matching name. They also want to be sure you're eligible to enter the UK. They'll probably be fine with either passport but the Hungarian passport will satisfy them for sure. An EU citizen has the right to live and work in any EU country.

When leaving OZ the Australian immigration service will want to be sure you haven't overstayed your entry permission. It's easiest and best to show them the same passport you entered Australia. If they're concerned (which they won't be if it's an Australian passport) they can match up the entry with the exit and see how long you've been in the country.

When entering the UK show them your Hungarian passport. It doesn't matter that it's different than you've used so far. They'll take one look at the EU symbol, a second look at the picture, and your face, and wave you in. You're eligible to live and work in the UK as an EU citizen. Period.

When you leave the UK the airline will need to be sure you're eligible to enter Australia so they may need to see your Australian passport.

Note that in the above the *only* people who see both passports and/or the name on the ticket and the passport are the airline. And the only reason they care about the name on the passport is to be sure it's not someone else's ticket you purchased. One character differences aren't relevant for that.

Keep in mind that there are passports with names written in non-latin writing systems or in latin transliterations which are not unambiguous. Imagine what a German-Russian dual citizen with a ß in their name has on their Russian passport.... Or a Chinese dual citizen's passport in Thailand... There is an official transliteration to latin characters for the machine-readable portion but who is going to know that when they write their name on a form in a country that doesn't even know what those characters mean?

The bottom line is that "names" are more complex than people realize. People don't necessarily have a single name that's identical everywhere and in every context and a single character is not something to worry about.

akihon

I apologize to the mods if this is in the wrong area, but I didn't see anything immigration specific.

Here is my dilemma: I have two passports, a US and a foreign one. The US passport is in my married name, the foreign one in my maiden. I am currently on a business trip to China that was extremely last minute. I have a multiple entry visa in my foreign passport in my maiden name, and so I booked all my flights and hotel with that name.

Now the issue I'm having trouble reconciling is during check-in for the return flight. I booked with United-AirChina. I will be checking in with Air China first, and I don't know which passport to show them.

Do I show them my foreign passport first to find my reservation, and then when they ask for my US visa, show them my US passport? Or do I show them my US passport and marriage certificate and try to explain my way out of this?

I don't know. What do you guys think?

GUWonder

Showing the airline check-in staff the foreign passport for name match purposes and then the US passport for admissibility purposes should work. They can still send over the US passport info as part of the US' APIS requirements even when the ticketed named is different than in one or both of the valid passports.

akihon

Thank you so much for your response!

I'm planning on showing up early to allow time for supervisor calling etc.

akihon

Forgot to emphasize that my foreign passport needs a visa to enter the USA.

FlyingIsCool

I just noticed the following situation with my parents names on their passport and tickets that they have purchased. They both have dual citizenship. For example:

Passport 1 Dad:
Given Names: Bob Jones
Surname: Smith

Passport 2 Dad:
Given Names: Bob
Surname: Smith Jones

Passport 1 Mom:
Given Names: Alice Mary
Surname: Miller Smith

Passport 2 Mom:
Given Names: Alice Mary
Surname: Miller Taylor

They both usually travel with Passport 1. However the names that appear in their United account are the names from Passport 2. Therefore the tickets that they have purchased through United appears with the names from Passport 2. They have also purchased some flights on different airlines using the names of Passport 2.

I'm hoping that if they travel with both passports, even if they use Passport 1 to enter the countries they are traveling, they should be ok.

What experiences have you had?

Thanks!!

bocastephen

As long as the passport with the names that matches their UA account and ticket info doesn't require a visa at arrival wherever they are going, it's a non-issue. They can check-in with the passports that match the ticket name/UA account, and show whichever passport they feel like at immigration on arrival.

fuc847

So abit of a complicated issue for a newbie like me. our child is a dual japan and canada passport holder, with a different last name on each (mom's side and dad's side). we're flying from Canada to China and we'd like to use the Japan passport since it is one of the countries for visa-free travel.

It would be very simple if we just used the Japan passport all the way through. However, the problem is we booked under the child's name under the canada passport. So to the airline, i'm going HAVE to use the canada passport.

I worry that the airline will deny boarding because the child doenst have a visa, but then I will say she doesnt need it because she will use her Japan passport when we arrive in China to get in.

What should I do?

GUWonder

I wouldn’t worry about the situation as the airline can load in the passport details as required and do it differently for each direction of a given ticketed flight. Just make sure to have the tickets in the name of the passport being used for the first part of the trip, regardless of where you check-in. And for the return, check-in at the airport by first presenting the passport used for the first part of the trip but also having the other country’s passport on display. The airline reps at the airport should be able to do this without issue, but some of the less experienced reps may be sort of confused about what to do.

It’s very common for my dual-citizen relatives to have a different last name entry in their non-US passports than in their US passports, and it hasn’t been a show stopper for international trips even directly or indirectly between the countries of citizenship or for other sorts of international travel by scheduled air carriers.

At any government-operated border controls to enter and exit, present the passport that best facilitates/facilitated entry.

escape4

Bump. After reading this thread, it seems to be the general consensus that the following works:

Passport A = matches name on airline ticket. No visa-free entry to destination
Passport B = different name than on airline ticket. Visa-free to destination

Show both A and B to the airline at check-in. They will use A to confirm the passenger is travelling with a passport matching the name on the ticket, and they will use B to confirm the passenger is allowed to enter the destination.

At immigration of the destination country, show B and they will not care about what exact name is on the airline ticket.

Does anybody have a different (bad) experience?

Nayef

Instead of starting a whole new thread, I thought I'd post my inquiry here.

In a few months, I'll be eligible to apply for US citizenship (though who knows how long that'll take with the pandemic), and I'm pretty excited at the possibility of getting a US passport (again, outwith a pandemic, travel restrictions and a sever delay in passport issuance).

As I fill out my citizenship application, I'm presented with the opportunity to change my name legally. I've toyed with the idea of shortening my last name because it's far too long. (Think about it this way: if one's last name is AlAbdurrauf, for example, they can drop the "Al" and leave it as Abdurrauf, and what I'm considering doing is dropping the "Al" part, as many Arabic last names start with that.) I also feel like getting employment is a lot more difficult in the US with a name that might be hard to decipher or come off as "ethnic."

However, a possible travel complication might occur as a result. You see, I'm a Saudi citizen, and Saudi officially doesn't allow voluntary dual citizenship, but it's pretty much "don't ask, don't tell" in practice. There are tens of thousands of Saudi-Americans who travel between the two countries and it's rarely an issue, and many have first or last names that might be spelled differently on their US and Saudi passports due to transliteration differences.

But I don't know how it would work in terms of booking tickets to Saudi (or Bahrain, where I usually fly into instead) from the US. I know that immigration usually doesn't check or ask for boarding passes upon entering a given country. But if I book a round-trip ticket with the last name "AlAbdurrauf" from the US to the GCC, it might be an issue leaving the US since I'm presenting US security a US passport with the last name "Abdurrauf" but that boarding pass says "AlAbdurrauf." And on the other side, if I book the ticket with the last name "Abdurrauf," leaving Saudi (or the GCC) might be difficult if I present exit immigration with a boarding pass that says "Abdurrauf" when my Saudi passport would say "AlAbdurrauf."

Does anyone have any insight on this, or should I just suck it up and leave my last name as is?

percysmith

Two thoughts:
1. If you interpose a third country in between, the issue of your non-compliant dual nationality is less
2. You can swap documents at the Saudi border, if you like

If you change name, this can be accommodated. I am assuming you are using the King Fahd Causeway land border:
a. Leave US: US passport
b. Arrive Bahrain: US passport with evisa (yes, you're going to have to get evisa every time to make the name change work)
c. Leave Bahrain: US passport
d. Arrive KSA: Saudi passport (swap at border, I am assuming your mode of transport does not involve a docs check)
e. Leave KSA: Saudi passport
f. Arrive Bahrain: US passport with a fresh evisa
g. Leave Bahrain: US passport
h. Arrive US: US passport

But taking this approach has implications if you need to enter KSA from US or somewhere where a docs check is actually required.

Nayef

I usually fly into BAH or DMM via FRA or LHR. The problem with your proposal is that I have to enter Bahrain using my Saudi passport (Saudi and Bahrain share intel and stuff and Saudis have the right of abode there). Plus, if I fly into Bahrain with a US passport and leave Bahrain via the Causeway using my Saudi passport, they'll know something is amiss.

As I said, there are so many Saudi-Americans who travel routinely despite have their names spelled differently. I'm just not sure how they deal with it in terms of buying a plane ticket.

TWA884

Hello Nayef,

I merged two threads discussing basically the same subject matter after you posted your question. You may want to review older posts in the consolidated thread for additional suggestions.

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator

simpleSnow

I am a dual citizen however my first and middle name are flipped on one of my passports. (for "given names") It's the same spelling and everything, just the order. What problems if any should I expect when travelling? When I naturalized, my middle name (which I am usually referred by) was switched to the first name position. Thanks!