Passport Update Question

LauraT25

I'm filling out the form to update my passport and it asks me for the 'location' of my name change.  Do you think this means the city where we got married, or the city where the courthouse is?

sunshine_day_dreams

Probably where ever it's on record, so I would say the courthouse.

 

Do you need to renew your passport?  Otherwise, you know you can totally travel under your maiden name and save the $160, right?  That's what I'm doing, and will be doing for several years since I just got a passport in Aug of '09.

mushE

Ditto on both points.  They'd be looking where the change legally took place, which is where it was entered in the records (courthouse/clerk's office). 

I'm also not changing my passport since I just renewed in April '09, but can understand how it would be easier to have the names match.  Since I hyphenated, my credit cards and passport aren't really all that different. 

LauraT25

Ok, I will put the county seat then!

Also, I know I've read that you only need the passport and the tickets to match, but that hasn't been my experience.  I had to show my driver's license AND my passport when I went to Mexico.  It's possible that they would accept my explanation for the discrepancy in names if I had to show my DL, but I don't really want to risk it.  I mean, it would suck to miss out on our vacation  because I didn't want to shell out the $110.  Well, plus however much it will cost to mail the stupid thing and get my picture taken.  Grr.

It's a moot point by now anyway, because we booked the flights in my married name since I was planning on getting a new passport.  I have til December so there's plenty of time. I HATE paying the money with a fiery passion, but I'm thinking of it as trip insurance.

mushE

Laura, that totally makes sense.  I haven't been asked to show both passport and DL, but when we're abroad, hotels definitely check to make sure the passport and credit card match.  I'm hoping that my hyphenated name is close enough, but if my actual credit card is like my bank, I may end up changing as well. 

When we opened our new joint account, the BofA lady was like, your (hyphenated) last name is too long (1 letter too many!), can I just use his last name?  I was like, you tell me!  Grr.  So my debit cards now have two middle initials (my real middle initial and my maiden name initial), then married last name.  So annoying.  And hmm, this is hard to make it make sense without saying my name. 

LauraT25

I have seen the two middle initial thing, I see what you're saying.  It must be a pain though since you hyphenated, rather than moving your maiden name to your middle.  Funnily enough, the lady at BOA told me I should have kept my name.  No real reason except that it would be 'so much easier'.  I was thinking, "Umm thanks lady, do you really think that your way-too-late advice is going to be useful, like I didn't give the name change any thought before making my decision?"  I mean, I had already changed my name, plus she's a complete stranger - did she expect me to go, "OMG you're totally right, I never thought of that, let me go change it back!"  ??

diablesse

yeah....I'm kicking myself.   I am going to get back my new machine readable passport from Trinidad and Tobago next week.  It has my maiden name.  I applied for it back last May and I'm just getting it back.    I don't even want to think about how long it will take for me to get a new one after this.   

Doesn't matter where the embassy is, they still operate on "west indian" time.

mushE

LauraT25:

I have seen the two middle initial thing, I see what you're saying.  It must be a pain though since you hyphenated, rather than moving your maiden name to your middle.  Funnily enough, the lady at BOA told me I should have kept my name.  No real reason except that it would be 'so much easier'.  I was thinking, "Umm thanks lady, do you really think that your way-too-late advice is going to be useful, like I didn't give the name change any thought before making my decision?"  I mean, I had already changed my name, plus she's a complete stranger - did she expect me to go, "OMG you're totally right, I never thought of that, let me go change it back!"  ??

WTF? Um, thanks for the unsolicited advice, lady. Of course it's easier not to change, it's not like she's offering any actual advice. 

LauraT25

diablesse:

yeah....I'm kicking myself.   I am going to get back my new machine readable passport from Trinidad and Tobago next week.  It has my maiden name.  I applied for it back last May and I'm just getting it back.    I don't even want to think about how long it will take for me to get a new one after this.   

Doesn't matter where the embassy is, they still operate on "west indian" time.

Is this like 'island time'?  Because commercials for resorts and for Almond Joy/Mounds always make it seem like a good thing.

QueenofAnything

mushE:

LauraT25:

I have seen the two middle initial thing, I see what you're saying.  It must be a pain though since you hyphenated, rather than moving your maiden name to your middle.  Funnily enough, the lady at BOA told me I should have kept my name.  No real reason except that it would be 'so much easier'.  I was thinking, "Umm thanks lady, do you really think that your way-too-late advice is going to be useful, like I didn't give the name change any thought before making my decision?"  I mean, I had already changed my name, plus she's a complete stranger - did she expect me to go, "OMG you're totally right, I never thought of that, let me go change it back!"  ??

WTF? Um, thanks for the unsolicited advice, lady. Of course it's easier not to change, it's not like she's offering any actual advice. 

Quite ironically, while depositing wedding checks, the lady at HSBC told me it would be easier if I had changed my name! 

diablesse

Island time is great when you're on vacation and you don't want *** to get done.

The problem is, trinidadians operate their entire lives on island time.  So things like passports and other bureaucratic processes take forever. 

Kaz0918

I just got my new passport in the mail yesterday. If you got your passport in the last year, they'll update the passport free of charge (minus the cost for your new pictures). 

It was surprisingly painless and really quick.