Passport question

[njhorseman]

The FACT you are ignoring is that the passport is invalid upon name change. Fact.

 

You saying no one will check is not a fact. You can continue to mislead her all on your own... doing a fantastic job so far.

 

Getting married does not mandate a name change. It permits you to do it without obtaining a court order...it doesn't require it. No one has to change their passport or any other document because they get married.

 

Please tell me...in a gay or lesbian marriage, who has to change their name? I'm anxiously awaiting your knowledgeable answer.

[UPNYGuy]

They don't tell people that a passport is all the identification you need. They tell people a valid passport is all the identification you need.

 

 

And it still is a VALID passport as per the photo and dates. I forgot to sign mine, took my wife's name after we were married and had my former name on it, and STILL wasn't questioned

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[triptolemus]

Getting married does not mandate a name change. It permits you to do it without obtaining a court order...it doesn't require it. No one has to change their passport or any other document because they get married.

 

Please tell me...in a gay or lesbian marriage, who has to change their name? I'm anxiously awaiting your knowledgeable answer.

 

Hello? The OP said she changed her name - post #1.

 

I didn't say anything about name change or marriage other than using a marriage cert as an example of a name change document.

 

Of course nobody is required to change their name upon marriage... don't be obtuse.

[SissasMomE]

Hi all, new to the forums, will be taking a Bermuda cruise on the Dawn in a couple of weeks. So excited!

 

My question is this: been married about a year. Have changed my name on DL and w SSA... I have not yet changed my passport so that still reflects my maiden name. I've found a number of threads on this topic but nothing too current. The booking was made in my maiden name... will I encounter any issues or need any additional, supporting documentation?

 

Thanks in advance :confused:

 

As long as your passport and booking name match, you are good to go!

[njhorseman]

Hello? The OP said she changed her name - post #1.

 

I didn't say anything about name change or marriage other than using a marriage cert as an example of a name change document.

 

Of course nobody is required to change their name upon marriage... don't be obtuse.

 

OP has changed their name on some of her documents. So what? There is no requirement to change your passport to match other documentation. Some people use different names for different purposes. My wife's name on her professional license (and she's held it for about 40 years) is different than the name on her passport.

 

You're permitted to use any name you wish..and indeed you can use more than one name... as long as there's no intent to defraud.

[Kortehgehn]

There's no one lurking in a corner ready to jump out and grab you when you reenter the country because you got married. You have a passport...they look at it for under 5 seconds and send you on your way. You could have been married and divorced 6 times since the passport was issued.

 

And once again, getting married does not force you to change your name one way or the other. The act of marriage permits you to change your name to your spouse's with getting a court order to make a legal name change, it does not not require it.

 

Please tell me what happens if a husband chooses to adopt his wife's name? Yes, there are states with specific laws permitting husbands to use their wife's name without obtaining a court order. What about in gay and lesbian marriages? Whose name is "legal" for the couple to use under your theory?

 

You're basing your argument on nonexistent laws.

 

I never said that the act of marriage required anyone to change their name. What I am saying is that if a couple does get married and either one of them chooses to change their name then that must be the name used on their passport. This can and sometimes does create issues in other countries abroad and even sometimes with CBP/TSA.

 

Your passport must have your current legal name. You can only have one legal name at a time, anything else is an alias.

 

I'm sure many people use passports under their maiden names, or former names. Not being questioned by CBP about it does not make it an officially acceptable practice.

[njhorseman]

I never said that the act of marriage required anyone to change their name. What I am saying is that if a couple does get married and either one of them chooses to change their name then that must be the name used on their passport. This can and sometimes does create issues in other countries abroad and even sometimes with CBP/TSA.

 

Your passport must have your current legal name. You can only have one legal name at a time, anything else is an alias.

 

I'm sure many people use passports under their maiden names, or former names. Not being questioned by CBP about it does not make it an officially acceptable practice.

 

You never said that the act of marriage required anyone to change their name? Are you serious? Not only have you said it, it's the entire foundation of your argument. From your first post:

 

"Once a marriage certificate is officially placed on file as a document of record, a passport issued in your maiden name becomes invalid." Guess what that says...when you get married your maiden name is no longer your legal name so your passport is invalid.

 

Again please tell me what the "legal name" is if you're in a gay or lesbian marriage. Who changes their name? Whose passport is invalid upon marriage?

 

Your statement "Not being questioned by CBP about it does not make it an officially acceptable practice" is just as nonsensical. You're not questioned by CBP precisely because it is an acceptable practice. Why would CBP allow people with invalid passports to leave and renter the country?

Edited August 6, 2014 by njhorseman

[Kortehgehn]

You never said that the act of marriage required anyone to change their name? Are you serious? Not only have you said it, it's the entire foundation of your argument. From your first post:

 

"Once a marriage certificate is officially placed on file as a document of record, a passport issued in your maiden name becomes invalid." Guess what that says...when you get married your maiden name is no longer your legal name so your passport is invalid.

 

I am saying that when you choose to file a marriage certificate with a new name, that a passport will become invalid because your legal name is now different than the name on your passport. If you do not change your name on your marriage license, no problem, your name stays the same and your passport is fine.

 

Correction for clarity:

Once a marriage certificate is officially placed on file as a document of record with a new name(ie. a name that is different from the current name of the person on the certificate; every state does this differently and it can be extremely complex), a passport issued in your former name becomes invalid.

 

Especially if other identification has been changed to a new name such as a drivers license and a SSN card.

 

 

Also the OP has already changed her Driver's License and updated her records with the Social Security Administration. So regardless, the OP's legal name is now different from the one on her passport.

 

People can get away with this, (ie. CBP "allows" this) because CBP doesn't know that the passport is invalid, the database doesn't work that way. An agent would have to actively search records from multiple sources to realize this. It does happen, but it does not happen for no reason. All passengers are not subjected to the same level of scrutiny. Also, under certain circumstances a person can enter the US with an invalid passport if they meet special requirements. However, in a foreign country an invalid passport is a different problem.

[cruisinluvin]

I have the same exact situation and I will tell you that I called the cruise line myself and inquired about it. I was advised by a cruise ship rep to book in my maiden name. As long as your passport is not expired and matches the name you booked under, that is all they care about. They HIGHLY recommend traveling with a passport over a DL and birth certificate. A question regarding those two items is the reason I actually called - not the passport. And they right off the back asked if I had a passport. I told them why I didn't plan to use it and the above information is what they advised.

 

You will be fine!

[triptolemus]

^^^ You've done an eloquent job in explaining your point, Kortehgehn. I tried, too, but not as well as you.

 

I suppose if folks want to travel with what amounts to an invalid passport they can deal with the trouble when/if unforeseen events pop up... maybe their cruise goes open-jaw due to mechanical failure or unexpectedly terminates in another country for whatever reason. Maybe the ship attracts special attention from authorities where passengers are subjected to a bit more scrutiny. See if it matters then. Sure, it's unlikely, but not impossible.

 

You won't catch me out of the country with invalid travel documents, that's all I'm saying.

 

Folks can prepare for their cruise with magnets, post-it notes, and door decorations, but travel documents? pffft... no one checks those!

 

Go watch a few episodes of Locked Up Abroad and get back to me.

Edited August 7, 2014 by triptolemus

[SeaShark]

I don't know whose checking passports for cruise passengers, but if they'd put that kind of energy into checking documentation at our southern border . . . :eek:

[triptolemus]

I don't know whose checking passports for cruise passengers, but if they'd put that kind of energy into checking documentation at our southern border . . . :eek:

 

Well... there's that... :cool:

[EBONI325]

seems to me that the passport is invalid due to the name change. Ncl travel doc requirements state the passport must be valid... Do they check this? I don't know.

 

Op needs to change the booking name to reflect the name on her id (her real name), provide other proof of citizenship (birth certificate) and provide documentation that reflects the name change (marriage certificate, name change document), or consider expedited replacement of the passport.

 

Op - i would recommend carefully reviewing information about us passports and name changes, considering the possibility of expedited passport replacement., and reviewing and understanding ncl's travel document requirements.

 

i would avoid reliance on a guess or a "maybe" from a stranger on the internet. Lack of proper travel documentation at the pier and mismatched booking names goes south real quick. That is, the ship goes south, you don't.

 

op said the booking was made with her maiden name and the passport is in her maiden name.

[DipBrat]

The FACT you are ignoring is that the passport is invalid upon name change. Fact.

 

You saying no one will check is not a fact. You can continue to mislead her all on your own... doing a fantastic job so far.

 

This is not a fact and is incorrect. A name change is a process and one document builds on the next.

 

I agree you should get direct information. Call a passport office tell them you got married, changed your name but need to travel tomorrow with your current valid passport. They will tell you it is recommended that you apply for a new passport following a name change but your current passport is still valid.

[Mimimama2004]

I just came back from the Boston to Bermuda cruise - when you leave the ship for the day you must take your key card AND a government issued ID like a license or passport but they strongly suggest leaving your passport in your stateroom safe and take your license with you in order to get back on the ship.

[garycarla]

I just came back from the Boston to Bermuda cruise - when you leave the ship for the day you must take your key card AND a government issued ID like a license or passport but they strongly suggest leaving your passport in your stateroom safe and take your license with you in order to get back on the ship.

 

Unless of course if you DL is a different name than your ship id. That would surely be a better time to use your passport.

[Mimimama2004]

Absolutely. I did witness most folks showing their DL and key card when arriving back on the ship - but did see a couple folks use their passport.

When you check in on your first day - they take a picture of you for their computer system. Each time you go through security (leaving the ship or coming back on) they have you swipe the key card and they match your picture in their system with the physical you (take your sunglasses off). But before you go through security to get back on the ship - another staff/security officer checks to make sure your name on your key card matches the name on your passport or DL.

[Whateverfloats]

I put together lots of non-profit charity groups. I tell everyone that your name must match your current government ID card, such as Ca driver's license.

Of course, passport should be updated. If the two don't match take marriage license and be sure to inform purser.

[searoses]

In bda I was able to use a copy of the id page of the passport....l am prone to mishaps with important things like my license and passport....mainly due to water damage so the first day i asked and they said the copy was fine....

[garycarla]

fyi - most ports never ask for any id - even though the ship tells you to have it.

 

I do not remember ever showing an ID in Bermuda - but that does not prove anything.

[njhorseman]

fyi - most ports never ask for any id - even though the ship tells you to have it.

 

I do not remember ever showing an ID in Bermuda - but that does not prove anything.

 

Your recollection of Bermuda is likely mistaken.

 

We've cruised there more times than I can count, and we always need to show a photo ID to the port security officers.

[searoses]

Yup...