Wife has 10 year B1/B2 visa

[PhuketAmerican]

Hey, last year my gf at the time got a multi entry ten year B1/B2 visa under her name...  after we got married, she got a new passport and ID card with my last name. My question is, will she have to reapply EVERYTHING since her new passport has  my last name (she did it as a surprise for me) and her valid, 10 year multi entry visa has her old last name in her old passport? I sure hope not because it was time consuming, cost money (we live in Phuket and had to to go BKK) and seems like a total waste of time since the visa is clearly still valid, just in her maiden name.  We are legally married both in the Amphur in Phuket (after time consuming translation in Chaeng Wattana, BKK) and legally married in my county in North Carolina, and married in the Islamic Office in Koh Keaw. 

 

Anyone have a similar experience?  We plan to visit GA, FL, NC, SC in April 2017.  Her visa is a 10 year Multi entry b1/b2 used once in 2015 issued feb 2015 valid until 2025 but in her old maiden name passport.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

She's OK, see:

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant-visas/non-immigrant-visas-frequently-asked-questions/

 

If I already have a valid visa and I change my name (through marriage, or for other reasons), can I use my old visa?
Yes. As long as your passport is still valid for at least six months beyond the date you plan on traveling, you may use your existing visa. However, you should carry proof of your legal name change (i.e., the Thai name change certificate with a certified English translation) with you when you travel to the U.S. If you wish to reduce the likelihood of encountering a delay at the port of entry, you are welcome to apply for a new visa by following our normal application procedures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhuketAmerican]

She got a new passport with new name and the Valid B1/B2  visa

is in old passport

Edited December 3, 2016 by PhuketAmerican

[Thanyaburi Mac]

I think the "rule" would still apply even tho the old passport has most likely been canceled.  Similar to no name change, but having the visa in a cancelled passport, the visa is still valid.

 

However, to put your mind at ease, how about sending an email to the Consulate with your Q, and, please, when they reply, post it here.

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant-visas/

 

Contact Us

To contact a customer service representative, please visit the GSS Contact Us page for full information or use contact information below:

• Address: 95 Wireless Road,
  Bangkok 10330, Thailand
• E-mail Inquiries:
  Email inquiries for both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas should be directed to: [email protected]
• Call Center representatives are available:
  Monday – Friday:  8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (excluding Thai and U.S. holidays)
  Local telephone: 02-105 4110; from the U.S. (703)-665-7349

[PhuketAmerican]

Did the form, should know Tuesday (as Monday is holiday) Will let everyone know

[PhuketAmerican]

Got this s*&$ answer, they didn't my inquiry:

 

As the publicly available info states, proof of name change is all thats needed if using the same passport with 6 months of validity.

 

I asked if I could transfer her 10 year B1/B2 to the new passport: this is the answer I got:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr. C#%&^@, 

Thank you for writing to the U.S. Visa Service Desk. 

We understand that you would like to clarify on the validity of your wife's visa after your marriage. 

Regarding this concern, please be advised that traveler s may use the existing valid visa eventhough the name change due to marriage or for other reasons provided that the passport is still valid for at least six months beyond the date of travel in the US. Proof of legal name change (Thai Name Change Certificate with certified English Translation) is required when traveling to US. 

To avoid likelihood of encountering delay at the port of entry, applying for a new visa can be done. 

We hope this information is helpful to you. 

For further details, please visit www.ustraveldocs.com/th. 


Please send us your feedback and suggestions through the link below: 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/gss_thailand 

Have a pleasant day! 


Regards, 
U.S. Visa Service Desk
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So did not answer my question I sent....

So just told me only that we can still use her visa with proof of name change, did not answer the underlying question of whether the 10 year visa is transferable to her new passport from the expired one.

 

Tomorrow she is taking off work to go to the thai passport office to see if they can transfer the visa to her new passport.

 

Otherwise its us starting to apply for a new 10 year visa that can realistically be used 4.5 yrs since Thai passports have 5 year validity,

[Shot]

They won't transfer/move it, but they will stamp the new passport as follows:

 

"Endorsement No. #####

 

The holder has previously travelled on Passport No. ##### issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Bangkok on ## May #### which has been cancelled and returned to the holder, the visas duly affixed still remain valid."

 

Under that will be the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs seal and date.

 

We just did this in April for a trip back home. Just have her travel with both passports plus any name change stuff and she'll be fine.

 

 

 

[PhuketAmerican]

Does she need to go to the USA embassy for this?

 

[Shot]

They'll do it at the Thai passport office. No worries, easy stuff.

[PhuketAmerican]

Just now, Shot said:

They won't transfer/move it, but they will stamp the new passport as follows:

 

"Endorsement No. #####

 

The holder has previously travelled on Passport No. ##### issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Bangkok on ## May #### which has been cancelled and returned to the holder, the visas duly affixed still remain valid."

 

Under that will be the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs seal and date.

 

We just did this in April for a trip back home. Just have her travel with both passports plus any name change stuff and she'll be fine.

 

 

 

Thank man, mind sending me a PM about the name change stuff and where you got the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thing done? Id like to avoid having to go to BKK if possible (we live in Phuket)

[Shot]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs thing was done at the Thai passport office with stamp in new passport as above.

 

I didn't have to deal with the name change thing just the visa, but it appears the email you got back from the US Embassy clarified that part:

 

"Regarding this concern, please be advised that traveler s may use the existing valid visa eventhough the name change due to marriage or for other reasons provided that the passport is still valid for at least six months beyond the date of travel in the US. Proof of legal name change (Thai Name Change Certificate with certified English Translation) is required when traveling to US."