New passport contains a different variation of my name. Can I still travel with a valid Schengen visa that was issued with my previous name?

Question

I have a valid German Schengen visa which I got on my old passport. I applied for a new passport as I had run out of pages and when was issued, my name was changed slightly. My old passport had both my surname and given name (Jayashri Ramamurti) in the given name column with the surname column blank but now my new passport shows my given name (Jayashri) and surname (Ramamurti) separately (and correctly).

Unfortunately my valid German Schengen visa reflects my name as Jayashri Ramamurti, Jayashri Ramamurti (and is stamped on my old passport). I am told that I need to first cancel my current visa and then re-apply. I am traveling to Frankfurt on a vacation in mid July and I am afraid I won't have much time to go through this process. Is there any other way out?

Yes, just use your old visa. Who told you you'd need to get a new one? — phoog, Jun 21 '16 at 13:54
Travel agent might have his own motives in asking you to reapply for visa. Carry your name change documents (newspaper ad, any other affidavit you gave to passport office).. just a suggestion — DavChana, Jun 21 '16 at 16:19
I can't imagine the thickest border guard having a problem with "Jayashri Ramamurti Jayashri Ramamurti" (on the visa) being the same person as "Jayashri Ramamurti" on the passport. Mangling of non-Western names in these situations is pretty common. — Andrew Lazarus, Jun 21 '16 at 18:42
Possible duplicate of Valid Schengen visa in unmarried name and old expired passport, can I travel with both again? — JonathanReez, Jun 21 '16 at 21:43

score 4 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 25 '16 at 04:05

Yes.

OP has a passport, now expired, with given name: Jayashri Ramamurti, surname: .

OP has a new passport with given name: Jayashri, surname: Ramamurti.

There is a clear link between the two, beyond names and photographs etc, through the old passport number, as this is included in the new passport:

your old passport no. is also retained on the last page

The visa, in the passport with given name: Jayashri Ramamurti, surname: , is in the name: Jayashri Ramamurti Jayashri Ramamurti. This has presumably worked in that passport but even if not should have done so, since it was what the German issuing authority chose in the circumstances. There is no reason to suppose it would not work in connection with a passport that shows given name: Jayashri, surname: Ramamurti in conjunction with the old passport (which contains the visa) and the cross-linking provided by the old passport number being included in the new passport.

This situation is very unlikely to be covered specifically in any rules or guidance so, like other admittance considerations, may depend upon the 'mood' of the Immigration official. The chances of any such official objecting purely on the issue of these names is negligible.

Obviously it would have been nice to have heard back from OP one way or the other but it seems that isn't about to happen.

And Schengen has OP's fingerprints when he had old passport, and they can always compare with current fingerprints to make sure OP is the same when who applied for visa. — DavChana, Nov 25 '16 at 06:57

New passport contains a different variation of my name. Can I still travel with a valid Schengen visa that was issued with my previous name?

1 Answers1