Passport In My Maiden Name.

OWT_FOR_NOWT

I am going on holiday to the USA next April and I am getting married this August. The holiday was booked prior to the wedding so the tickets will be in my maiden name i.e the name which also appears on my current passport which expires in 7 years. I don't wish to incur extra costs (£77.50 for a new passport & £35 to change the name to my married name on the holiday tickets). I have emailed the passport office explaining the situation and this was their reply.

"Thank you for your email.
We would never advise travel on a passport in a name other than that which you use for all purposes as it would then cease to be a valid means of identification. If you travel without changing it then you do so at your own risk.
You may apply for a new passport in your intended new up to 3 months in advance of your marriage. You will need to complete an application in your intended name and send this along with your current passport, 2 new photos, fee of £77.50 and a PD1/PD2 which must be completed by the person officiating your marriage. Further guidance and the form regarding PD1/PD2 can be found on www.directgov.uk website or The Call Centre on 0300 222 0000."

So the answer they have given me does not say I can't travel on my passport. What risks would there be? I am not pretending to be another person, I would have other forms of identification, a drivers licence which would have my photo on plus credit cards (all in my married name) I could also take a copy of my wedding certificate. It seems to me that the passport office are just trying to frighten me into coughing up for a new passport.

What do you think?

Tiddlywinks

The US controls are mega-tight. If you give them any reason to suspect something may be inaccurate then you will be there for hours and hours... and then may be refused entry.

Presumably your credit cards will be in you new name? This is discrepency no1 for a start.

If i were you, I'd change all documents to the new and correct details before going - I can't believe the worry would be worth the saving of £100.

January20

You could also not change your name from your maiden name to your married name until you have travelled to the USA, couldn't you?

jediquigley

i got married in july 2010 and a few weeks later went to new york with my passport in my maiden name - no problems, i think i took my marriage certificate for back up.

also went on holiday to ireland with tickets in my maiden name a year later.

my passport does not run out for another 8 years so i have not changed it - it is still in my maiden name - you just need to ensure any flight tickets you book are in the same name as your passport. i am going on holiday to brussells via eurostar next week and have booked my eurostar tickets in my maiden name as my passport is still in my maiden name.

hope this helps

Laura

Aless

I got married four years ago and have still not updated my passport and I have travelled to 3 continents during that time. I have not had any problems and will not update my passport until it expires. Just make sure you book everything in the name in your passport.

LillythePink

You could chance it and you would probably be ok, however, you may not be - is it worth the risk that some US Immigration jobsworth tells you that "the computer says no" and turns you back.....and all for the sake of £100?

Your choices are:

Risk it;

Suffer the £100 cost of name change on tickets/passport;

Don't change any details before you go ie bank accounts/driving license etc so that everything is in one name


We went to the US a few years ago and since then to last year, the visa requirements had changed - I didn't have to apply for one when I took OH to NY for his 40th, but last year for a family holiday, we had to apply and pay for visas - things change all the time so I wouldn't take the word of someone who went in 2010 (no offence to Jedi unless they are an Immigration officer or travel agent currently)

I also had several years left to run on my passport having just renewed it in the same year as getting married but I had to pay the fees the next year when OH booked our holiday in married names!

getmore4less

Just leave things as they are you will not have problems.

There is no legal requirement to change anything so why bother.

have you done your ESTA.

angelil

I got married in April 2011 with five years left still to run on my passport. Being a stingy moo I decided to continue using the old one until its expiry. I book all travel tickets in my maiden name and it's not been a problem so far. I carry a copy of my marriage certificate tucked into the back of the passport though just in case it's ever a problem - but I don't think it ever will be. I've also travelled to the US since being married and it wasn't a problem there either. I'd advise you to do the same. Hope this helps a bit

emsbet

I got married in March 2011 and went on honeymoon to the US two days later. I travelled on my passport that was in my maiden name. The booking and my ETSA were all made in my maiden name as you can't apply for an ETSA on a post dated passport (which you can get prior to the wedding but only becomes valid the day after the wedding) but it takes at least 72hours for an ETSA application to be processed. So as advised by this press release by the US embassy I travelled on my maiden name. No one questioned it. I'm not sure where you would stand though as your travel is some months after you wedding.

xx

Lady_S

I had my passport just before we married, and it is still in my maiden name 5 years later. I take a copy of our marriage certificate with me just for safety's sake, but have never had it questioned. Even going to the USA.

So long as all your travel documents are in your maiden name you are fine.

Legally you are allowed to use two names anyway so long as it isn't for fraudulent purposes.

Spendless

There was 2.5 years left on my passport when I got married. I wasn't prepared to pay again till my current passport was up. We travelled to Canada and went over the boarder to U.S a couple of times without issue. When I queried the same thing of a UK passport official (at a holiday show) I was just told I must make sure all holiday documentation was in the same name as my passport, so you might need to be careful of holiday insurance.