Do I need to change my maiden name on my passport and greencard?
I recently got married and legally changed my last name to my husbands. My drivers license and social security card has my new last name but my passport and green card (british citizen but permanent resident of the USA) have my maiden name. Do I really need to change the name on my passport and green card or can I do that once they expire in a few years? Also, do I have to change them to travel out of the country or can I just bring my marriage license?
OZgnc2009-07-13T07:55:05Z
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You really need to change the last name on your passport and the green card to be safe. If you got married in USA, you need to register your marriage to your country in order to change your passport. Once you register your marriage, you can send your old passport to nearest UK embassy in USA and they can send you a new passport with your married last name. You can find the step by step instruction on UK embassy web site. It takes at least two months.
Immigration rules and regulations are getting harder and they change their rules all the time. So if you have time, you should definitely update all your immigration paperwork.
If you need to travel soon, you shall bring your marriage certificate, US ID, UK ID, and UK Passport.
If you're eligible to citizenship in two years that means you had a chance to have your green card issued in your married name. Most likely two times, possibly three. Once upon entry, if you entered married. Once when you adjusted with a two year card. Once when you got your 10 year card. I don't see why you think anyone should look the other way because you refused to get the most important immigration document issued in the correct name. Your legal name is the one on your passport. This should match your green card.
Define "legally changed my last name to my husbands". The US government does NOT change the names of other country's citizens. It may be common practice to change the name at marriage in both the US and UK but it is NOT required. My wife has 2 passports: ROC = maiden name US = married name She had this same basic set-up when she had her green card also. Her ROC passport was maiden name Her green card was both names Her SS card was married name The two that should match are the green card and the SS card. Usually the green card has a name and any AKA names listed. So you can change your green card without the need to change your passport. My wife has never had a problem and I having dual citizenship in ROI we do a bit of international travel. To be fair I did have to get a Chinese name and "chop" in order to register in the ROC.
it would really help to change them, yes. Otherwise you cannot use them as ID because you are not using that name.
My wife changed her name to mine and changed her passpoet before she became a PR. All the documents she has received since, are all in her married name and she has never had any problems.