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I am a USA-Italy dual citizen about to change my last name through marriage. In Italy I can't change my name though, so I'll have my Italian passport in one name and the US passport in another.

Is this going to cause problems when I travel between the two?

For example, if I leave the US for Italy I assume I'll want to fly on the Italian passport, but on the way back what happens if my Italian passport flags a "doesn't have US ESTA" issue with the airline? Or will US CBP be confused when I arrive with a different name (US name) than the name supplied by the airline (Italian name)?

If anyone has successfully done this I'd love to hear from you!I saw the other answers on this but they don't address Europe and ESTA specifically.

Mikael Dúi Bolinder
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Ruby G
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  • Sort of! Just hoping to find someone who can comment from experience of having done it – Ruby G Mar 01 '20 at 22:28
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    You will certainly have to show your US passport to board flights to the US. Once the EU implements ETIAS, the reverse will also be true. I suspect that as long as one matches the ticket you should be okay, but that there will be times when you have trouble convincing the airline staff of that. Can Italy add an annotation with your married name? I think the Netherlands does that but I'm not certain. It might make things go more smoothly. – phoog Mar 01 '20 at 23:06
  • @RubyG The answer you've been pointed to was created by people with experience of having done it repeatedly. – lambshaanxy Mar 01 '20 at 23:27
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    Easy solution, do not change your name in the USA. Keep the same name in both passports. – Willeke Mar 02 '20 at 00:32
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    I'm aware of that but that's why I'm asking this question to see if someone has first hand experience that it's possible – Ruby G Mar 02 '20 at 02:41
  • Not sure how this works in Italy, but in France married women get their name in their passport as épouse <husband’s name>. Most authorities and airlines are used to matching ticket names with either. – jcaron Mar 02 '20 at 08:01
  • Note that when travelling to the US, you will use your US passport and won’t need an ESTA. – jcaron Mar 02 '20 at 08:02
  • On your Italian passport you can ask for your married name to be put in the annotations, or on your American passport your maiden name in the annotations. – BritishSam Mar 02 '20 at 08:38
  • @phoog Netherlands puts the surname of your husband on the back of the passport. My wife has my name on the back of hers, I don't have hers on the back of mine. It's probably possible to add/remove it on either. – Mast Mar 02 '20 at 09:35
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    This is the italian passport form, theres an option to add married name on page 4 of the passport. I'd recommend it next time you renew. http://conslondra.esteri.it/consolato_londra/resource/doc/2016/06/mod_richiesta_passaporto_maggiorenni_appuntamenti_mattutini.pdf – BritishSam Mar 02 '20 at 13:05
  • @jcaron but if the ticket is in the name on the Italian passport, it will be necessary to show both at checkin. – phoog Mar 02 '20 at 15:37
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    I'm not understanding the issue here. Flying to Italy using an Italian passport, no one will question your right to go there. Flying back to the US with a US passport... no ESTA, you are a citizen. – CGCampbell Mar 02 '20 at 18:25
  • Yes, Italy would let me put the new married name as an annotation, though not sure exactly how much that helps. – Ruby G Mar 03 '20 at 02:39
  • Issue would be if the airline wants to see proof of ability to enter the US and it doesn't match the name they have on file. – Ruby G Mar 03 '20 at 02:41
  • @BritishSam have you encountered this situation before with an Italian passport? I noticed that on the website but wondering if it's been of use to you – Ruby G Mar 04 '20 at 01:58
  • No sorry, I'm male, I'm applying for my first Italian passport in April, just remembered seeing it on the form, sure it will help when ETIAS comes into play. I think you can get a consulate to add it to an existing passport too. – BritishSam Mar 04 '20 at 11:27

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Until the EU implements ETIAS (their planned ESTA-like system), you can book your tickets to match your US passport and show your Italian passport only to EU border officers.

Once the EU implements ETIAS, you'll probably have to show both passports when you're flying to one jurisdiction with a ticket that matches the other jurisdiction's passport.

phoog
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  • Makes sense! Have you ever had this happen to you coming to the US? – Ruby G Mar 03 '20 at 02:40
  • @RubyG unfortunately for my ability to help you, my US and EU passports have the same name, so I've never had this problem. – phoog Mar 03 '20 at 04:41