Name Change on Chinese Passport?

[Brian & Kathy]

When Kathy and I marry, she will take her current family name as a middle name (she has no middle name now) and then will take my last name.

 

Shortly after we marry, we will be applying for AOS under the new name, which means all her documents and green card will state her new name. However, her Chinese passport will still state her maiden name.

 

Will it be a problem for traveling internationally on the green card when the name on her passport doesn't match? Would carrying our marriage certificate solve the problem?

 

Will we need to get the chinese passport changed/reissued? That seems like a big deal, because it will most likely have to be done in person while in China, if it is even possible.

 

What have you guys done or experience for this?

Edited September 22, 2008 by Brian & Kathy (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

This is not a problem when traveling internationally.

 

Book any airline tickets using passport name, and carry a photocopy of marriage cert if it shows name change.

 

Green-card is used to exit China, and entering the USA.

 

If and when visiting China, you can get married name amended to the passport.

[dale7570]

i think you can also have her passport amended at a chinese consulate here in the states. it seems i read some members have done this.

[warpedbored]

Yes if you go to the Chinese consulate they can put an adendum in her passport that says something like "such and such is also named such and such" As Dan mentioned traveling won't be a problem, they are more interested in her green card than her passport. The only hitch is the airlines. They won't let her board if the name on the tickets and the passport don't match.

[jim_julian]

We have done the "also known as" endorsement in Chinese passports at the Consulate in LA. The identity proof of the new name that is required is the Green Card. It is not a walk in service, you must come back a few days later to pick up the passports with the endorsement in them.

 

Once you have the endorsement you can travel under the Green Card name if you prefer. My daughter did that this summer on four different airlines. If there is a question, just show the airline or Chinese authorities the endorsement and point out that it matches the Green Card. No problem since you have official proof of the new name from both the Chinese government (passport) and the US government (GC).

[Brian & Kathy]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like we can take care of it here in the states through a China Consulate. However, the nearest consulate is in Chicago and I'm in the Kansas city area, which means at least an 8hr drive. Any idea if this can be done by mail?

 

I guess when the time comes, I'll try to contact them to do this by mail or see if one of the services for China visas can do this for me.