Passport Name Issue - HELP
 

My wife and I are going to europe in two days.

Unfortunately we just realized that her passport is in her maiden name. The ticket and her driver's license are in her new name.

I'm pretty sure that changing the ticket back to her maiden name would work, as it would match her passport, and she doesnt even need her driver's license for travel.

However, I'm not sure we can change the ticket name. Will simply traveling with the marriage license solve all the problems, or do we need to get the ticket changed no matter what?

Not to mention, she has a eurail pass in her new name, and a flight on alitalia. Changing all of those would be quite hard, if not impossible.

how long ago did you get married?

we've been married just under a year.

I didn't change my passport for about a year.....and traveled with my Marriage license. But...that was before 9/11.......not sure about now!!

Hello,

I would take a copy of the marriage license with me or try going to DMV and having the name on her drivers license changed to include her maiden name. Other than that you might want to call the airline and see what they suggest.

Good luck, Donna

I'd call your airline and ask - they check passports when leaving, not Customs and ask them if they'll be any problem. The only problem i would envision not being able to get on the plane if passport and ticket names don't match.

Coming back thru customs any passport will be sufficient though technically i think you may have to had changed the passport name within six months or so after.

I'm actually not as worried about the outbound (LAX to London). We are flying standby on a buddy pass, will have the DL in her new name, matching the ticket, as well as the marriage certificate. I also might be able to change the buddy pass rather easily. I'm more worried about the train trips across borders (in new name), as well as the Alitalia flight from Rome to London.

They will check your passport in London. They don't care about your driver's license.

Disregard my comment unless they want to see your passport before you board the plane in LAX.

try fot best to switch. bring the certificate. my wedding ring has my initials, husbands initials and wedding date engraved inside. I once pulled it off to prove that "I was me" after getting married. customs and immigration don't check tickets and passports. Just passports and visas.
try amending the reservations to include her maiden name?? Not a full change, but an amendment. Customer service "might" help with this one!

I just changed my passport to my married name (4 years after getting married). When I went to Spain I just took my marriage license because my ticket had my married name...there was no problem.
As long as she has her driver's license just in case, it should be fine.
Have a great time!

In 37 years of annual train trips across Europe customs at borders have never scrutinized my name on the passport or asked any questions about it. In fact there are rarely any customs checks at all between countries these days - especially the many in the Schengen Agreement where they have largely abolished customs formalities between each other. Trains will be no problem from customs stand point.

Now some conductors on rare occasions have looked at the name on my railpass and the name in the passport, but i think if you have ample other identification and explain it on the rare time they will check you'll be ok. If there is any problem i'd go to a Eurail Aide office, in large stations and ask for their help - they could issue a new pass in a new name to replace you old one.

&quot;<i>The only problem i would envision not being able to get on the plane if passport and ticket names don't match.</i>

That is the OP's wife's problem - her passport has her maiden name, the ticket is in her married name.

In general, tickets and passports must have the same name. In fact when buying tickets most sites ask for &quot;traveler's name as on the passport&quot;

Driver's license has nothing to do w/ anything. marriage license <i>might</i> help - but it isn't guaranteed. Are you in a city w/ a passport office. If you have the ticket in hand they can get her an updated passport in one day.

In all likelihood, the airline will not change the name on the ticket, even though they could. Airlines consider tickets non-transferable, and what is most likely is that they would require you to buy a new ticket, which isn't really a workable solution from a cost standpoint, though you'd probably be able to apply the cost of your current ticket to a new one after paying a change fee (you could use it for a domestic flight).

The only option you have, in my opinion, is to bring the original marriage certificate (not a copy) and explain the problem. You may or may not be allowed on the plane. This *should* work for you.

I'd urge you to call your airline and ask. Also call Alitalia ... they have a reservations center in the US.

It might also be possible for you to actually go to the US Passport office in Los Angeles tomorrow (9/28) and actually get a new passport with your wife's married name on an emergency basis. (Just say you are leaving on 9/29 and have lost her passport.) For the piece of mind and certainty, this might be worth the time, trouble, and cost if you can get an emergency, same-day appointment.

By the way, if you decide to try to get an emergency replacement, you have to call and get an appointment, but the line is open 24 hours a day, and you should do that asap ... i.e., as soon as you read this. I'm not certain you'd be able to get a same-day appointment, but it's generally been possible to do this in NYC. I can't speak about LA, though.

toade, if you can get an appointment with the LA Passport office tomorrow DO bring the plane tickets with you as proof that this is an &quot;emergency&quot;.

All I know is when my daughter flew NW to Rome from SFO last year NW said they HAD to issue the ticket in the name that was on her current passport. NW said for her to bring her marriage certificate with her but that was in case of an emergency (say with her husband so that she could prove she was his wife). She had never gotten around to having her passport amended to her new married name. Now she will have to apply for a new passport.

Best wishes to you both.

The name on your passport MUST match the name on the ticket - or it is extremely unlikely - esp since the late unpleasantness that she will be allowed on the plane. (If this is some sort of buddy ticket that might only serve to get your buddy in trouble - and not get her on the plane.)

If she does get there - she might not be allowed on the plane on the way back.

If she can arrange to get a new passport in one day (it CAN be done) I would do so. If not - have the ticket changed. (I think the new passport will be MUCH cheaper.)

Otherwise I wouldn't risk leaving the country - or she may have to explain this to authorities at the other end (worst case) or buy a new return ticket (best case).

Hi T,

&gt;...we just realized that her passport is in her maiden name. The ticket and her driver's license are in her new name.&lt;

Oh dear.

Her driver's license is immaterial.

The standard rules are:

A. Passport name must match name on ticket.

B. We don't change names on tickets.

Since you are on a buddy pass, you might be able to get that changed.

Bring the original marriage certificate, that should help you with the railpass.

Passport control doesn't care what the name on the passport is, as long as the passport is valid.

Your flight from Rome to London could be a major problem, but the marriage certificate might solve it.

Call Alitalia.

If you can do it, get the name on the passport changed.

See the US Passport Office at http://tinyurl.com/54ay9

Good luck

((I))