Help / Advice required please - Marriage and US Honeymoon

carcuscrae

Hi

Ok here is the scenario. My partner and i are planning on getting married next year and then heading off to the US the next day for a honeymoon. I understand that the holiday booking needs to be made in the names of the travellers passports but i've just read that the ESTA's need to be also in these names but you can't apply for one until the passport is valid.

My partner has been married before and currently her passport is still in her previous married name. She is about to change this to her maiden name and then the plan was to apply for a post-dated passport in her new married name 3 months before the big day, so it was all valid for travel. However doing this means the ESTA cannot be applied for until the day before we go, which a/ outside the 72 hour window & b/ risks the small chance its denied!

So what can we do? Is she able to use her existing passport to travel or once we are married does she have to use her new married name and therefore a new passport?

I'm sure others have been in this situation before so if there is anyone out there with some advice/guidance we'd really appreciate it.

Many Thanks

littlereddevil

She doesn't need a passport in her married name. as long as the booking is done in the same name as her passport it will be fine. It needs 6 months validity .

Alter_ego

Book everything in present name, keep present passport. Make any changes after honeymoon (If you want to change)
Name changes on marriage are voluntary, you can use any name you choose at any time provided there is no intention to deceive.

benjus

littlereddevil wrote: »

It needs 6 months validity .

You do not need 6 months' validity on a British passport when visiting the US.

https://fam.state.gov/fam/09FAM/09FAM040309.html#M403_9_3_B_2

carcuscrae

Alter_ego wrote: »

Book everything in present name, keep present passport. Make any changes after honeymoon (If you want to change)
Name changes on marriage are voluntary, you can use any name you choose at any time provided there is no intention to deceive.

Thanks for all the replies guys very useful and certainly puts our minds at rest a bit.

In respect to the 'name changes on marriage are voluntary' would this apply then that she could keep her existing passport and not even change it to her maiden name as we were planning? Are name changes voluntary for divorce purposes as well?

Thanks

Spendless

carcuscrae wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies guys very useful and certainly puts our minds at rest a bit.

In respect to the 'name changes on marriage are voluntary' would this apply then that she could keep her existing passport and not even change it to her maiden name as we were planning? Are name changes voluntary for divorce purposes as well?

Thanks

Yes. I kept my maiden name on my passport for 3 years after we married. It was the life left on my old passport and I had no intention of paying for a new one until I actually needed to. Once the 3 years were up and I needed a new passport I then applied in my married name. During these 3 years I had to ensure that all holiday documents and insurances were made in the name that matched my passport.

carcuscrae

Spendless wrote: »

Yes. I kept my maiden name on my passport for 3 years after we married. It was the life left on my old passport and I had no intention of paying for a new one until I actually needed to. Once the 3 years were up and I needed a new passport I then applied in my married name. During these 3 years I had to ensure that all holiday documents and insurances were made in the name that matched my passport.

Thanks for the reply I know this doesn't apply in your case but would she be able to keep the current passport she has which is in her previous marriage name or once divorced does she have to change it to her maiden name? I've looked everywhere over the passport office site and can see nothing that specifically says you DON'T have to change your passport until you are ready to do so. It all seems to suggest that you must change it if you've had a name change.

Thanks

*~Zephyr~*

carcuscrae wrote: »

Thanks for the reply I know this doesn't apply in your case but would she be able to keep the current passport she has which is in her previous marriage name or once divorced does she have to change it to her maiden name? I've looked everywhere over the passport office site and can see nothing that specifically says you DON'T have to change your passport until you are ready to do so. It all seems to suggest that you must change it if you've had a name change.

Thanks

Put simply, you can have any name you like. She can call herself Princess Consuela Bananahammock if she likes, and have all her bank accounts, passport etc in that name. As long as there is no attempt to defraud, you can use any name you want to.


Each person only had one legal name their whole life, and that is the one on their birth certificate. Any other name that is used (married name, or otherwise) is purely a pseudonym. But it is perfectly legal to use a pseudonym.

She didn't have to change her name on marriage, that was personal choice. She didn't have to change her name when she got divorced, that too, was personal choice. She doesn't have to revert back to her maiden name if she doesn't want to. It is purely her choice which name she uses.

carcuscrae wrote: »

It all seems to suggest that you must change it if you've had a name change.

This just means that if your passport is in the name of Mrs XXX but you now what to be called, and to book travel tickets under the name Mrs YYY then your passport must reflect that. Your ticket, your Esta and your passport must all have the same name on.

carcuscrae

Cheers many thanks