Steffi

I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with getting their passport renewed after their name changed through marriage? Since I got married my last name changed so I wanted to go down to the German consulate to get my passport renewed, but I'm wondering what will happen with my K1 visa that I have in it? Has anyone done this? Any problems?

Rete

It is always best to make copies of your entire passport before sending it off. Once you have activiated the K-1 and it is past the expiration date of its validity, you really don't need it again. At least we never did.

The Canadian Passport office returned the old passport with the new one when Jim had to get a new passport because the old one expired. So I suppose it depends on the government you are dealing with and their policies. Some will only issue addendums for the name change instead of a complete new passport. What does the German government do? Have you called and asked them?

Rete

blenky16

Not entirely sure, but my understanding of it when I went through the process was that after I applied for the AOS that the K1 Visa that was in the passport was no longer valid, thus just another "pretty" picture in my passport.

But maybe some "others" will chime in with an official word on this one.

Cheers,
Sean

Steffi

Yeah, I called them earlier and asked what I needed to bring, but I forgot to ask them if they would take it away or not. She did tell me to bring my passport "with the visa in it" though, so I'm not sure.

Blenky, you say that you think after applying for AOS the K1 is no longer valid?

blenky16

Well in my case my K1 visa had a number of entries permitted (entries into the US permitted), and that number was 1, as to the best of my knowledge, a K1 Visa only allows you to enter the US once, then you have the 90 days to get married. Upon entering the US using my K1, the officers at the Detroit POE put a big "X" through the Visa and told me that it is no longer valid, and that I now had 90 days to marry. Now this is what they told me, in my situation, so I don't want to say this is what is "actually" true. But it lead me to believe that the K1 Visa that remains in my visa is no longer valid as I applied for AOS, and when crossing at the border my status was no longer "K1", I was "pending AOS", or "pending CPR".

Anyways, I think Rete's info above is a good way to do it... take a photocopy of your entire Passport just in case.

Cheers,
Sean

Rete

That is virtually what I said too. Definitely not valid after its expiration date for purposes of employment. And once you have activated it, it can't be used again for re-entry into the US.

So, yes, once you have married and applied for AOS and/or the 90 days is up, the K-1 is useless. USCIS wants to see a copy of it for the initial filing of the AOS and it is always good to have copies in your files of every piece of paperwork having to do with any of the USCIS processing you are going through.

Rete

Steffi

Yes, very true. You can only enter once, and since I enteed once I guess it's used up anyway. Thanks a bunch guys!