Passport Dilemma..Help!

Kelpla

I am looking for some advice about my honeymoon next year! H2B and I are looking to travel across USA and Canada. I know we need a visa for USA (ESTA something or other!). I wanted to change my passport prior to travelling into my married name as my old passport expires at roughly the same time and I don't want to pay to renew in my maiden name and then have to pay to change to the married name about a month later. I can see on the ESTA site that I cannot use a postdated passport so would need to wait until the wedding date before I can apply. We have 7 days between the wedding and leaving for honeymoon and the website says I can apply no later than 72 hours before I travel. I am worried that a) this might be too late for some reason, b) what would happen if I am rejected (I have no convictions etc so cannot think why this might happen). Any thoughts or similar experiences will be very helpful!

Thanks x

Jazz2

There is no legal requirement for women to change their name on marriage, it's just something they do, so the date of the wedding is really irrelevant except for having the registration document which simplifies things.

There isn't any legal requirement for changing names by deed poll, either - anyone is legally entitled to call themselves anything they like, as long as they aren't pretending to be someone else.

That said, you will probably need some sort of evidence to get your passport issued in the new name, and I don't know what is acceptable if you aren't already using the new name. Maybe a copy of your fiance's birth certificate with any evidence of the planned wedding date? Any documents you already have in both names? Any utility bills showing you both live at the same address (if you do)?

jackieblack

You will have to re-apply for ESTA if you change your passport as it is linked to your passport number, if that changes for any reason you have to re-do your ESTA anyway.
You can renew your passport up to 9 months before it expires and they add the extra months on.
If I were you I'd renew your passport asap (IIRC passport fees usually go up about Sept/Oct time) and get your ESTA sorted. Book honeymoon in maiden name.
After you're married next year it's up to you whether you want to pay to change the name or just book all travel in maiden name until passport is next due to be renewed.

claire16c

jackieblack wrote: »

You will have to re-apply for ESTA if you change your passport as it is linked to your passport number, if that changes for any reason you have to re-do your ESTA anyway.
You can renew your passport up to 9 months before it expires and they add the extra months on.
If I were you I'd renew your passport asap (IIRC passport fees usually go up about Sept/Oct time) and get your ESTA sorted. Book honeymoon in maiden name.
After you're married next year it's up to you whether you want to pay to change the name or just book all travel in maiden name until passport is next due to be renewed.

The price to change your name is the same price as a new passport so there is no point in renewing it in her maiden name - and the new passport wont expire for 10 years!

OP - you do not have to wait til the wedding date to apply for a new passport. You can apply for a new passport in your new name up to 3 months before your wedding - but it is postdated so you will not be able to use it until the wedding day - there is instructions on the passport website how to do it, I think you get the person who is marrying you to sign a form as proof you are getting married:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/Howtochangethenameonyourpassport/DG_174165

You can then apply for your ESTA after your wedding and youve got 7 days so thats fine. This is from the US homelandsecurity website

For citizens of the United Kingdom: If you have applied for a Post-dated passport that will not be valid until after your marriage, you will not be able to apply for ESTA using that passport number until the day of your marriage, when the passport becomes valid. We recommend that you have a friend or relative apply for you if you do not have time between the ceremony and going to the airport. The application process is not complicated and should take no more than 10 minutes.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1095/~/post-dated-passports,-name-in-passport-is-different,-etc.

p. s ESTA is not a visa, you are travelling under the visa waiver programme. If you need a visa to go to the US you have to go to the US embassy in London.

jay20043

Hi,

I dont post often but asked a similar question last year when i had the same problem.

I changed my passport to my married name about a month before the wedding. On the night before my wedding i stayed up until after midnight and did my ESTA. It was a stressful time!!

If i had the time again i would of not changed my passport over until it needed to be renewed. I would have just booked subsequent holidays in my maiden name.

HTH

:j

Bri1

The ESTA are issued instantly online after payment, you just print it out.

CountryGoose

Bri1 wrote: »

The ESTA are issued instantly online after payment, you just print it out.

Not Always - there is a risk they will be rejected or referred for a couple of days.

Just renew your passport now and travel for the next ten years using your maiden name and/or renew when you get back if you feel it's too hard to do this.

You don't want to screw up your Honeymoon by having a rejected ESTA at the last minute for the sake of saving a few £££ or $$$$.

ferf1223

Bri1 wrote: »

you just print it out.

you can print it if you want for peace of mind - but it's not necessary to do so...you don't show a print-out - it's an electronically held thing.

claire16c

Its extremely unlikely your ESTA would get rejected. As long as you dont say yes to being a nazi or communist

phatbear

claire16c wrote: »

Its extremely unlikely your ESTA would get rejected. As long as you dont say yes to being a nazi or communist

Odd I recently got into the US no problems

scheming_gypsy

If you're going to change your surname when you get married; just change it early.