3

I have a flight at 11/2024. I have a passport that expires at 12/2024. As I know that many countries require a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after arrival, I have renewed my passport and got a new passport that is valid until 2034. But the passports are different: in the old one, my pre-marriage surname appears in parentheses: "CURRENTNAME (PREVNAME)", and in the new one, the pre-marriage surname does not appear at all: there is only "CURRENTNAME". My ticket was booked using the old passport, so it contains both names, concatenated and without parentheses: "CURRENTNAMEPREVNAME". The flight company (Emirates) does not allow me to make any corrections to the name on the ticket.

To avoid any issues, I would like to carry both passports with me: the old passport in order to match the name on the ticket, and the new passport in order to show that I have more than 6 months of a valid passport.

Is it possible?

One thing that may be relevant: when I got the new passport, the clerk clipped two small triangles from its corners (e.g. like in this picture) to invalidate it. But all the personal details can be read from there.

Improve this question
5
  • 3
    Old passport is invalid, by the way.
    – Anish Sheela
    Commented Sep 6 at 5:39
  • 2
    It is fine and accepted. Just if there is some API (Advanced Passenger Information), you should give the data of the new passport (which you will use to enter in the other country). -- The old passport is "cancelled" but it is not invalid (e.g. if you have a valid visa on the old passport, various countries consider valid the visa and you should carry both passport, so airlines are used on having two passport) [US is one of such country, so not uncommon to airlines, note: visa not ESTA]
    – Giacomo Catenazzi
    Commented Sep 6 at 6:37
  • Can you bring a copy of your marriage certificate? I suppose you wouldn't need it, but to be on the safe side it would be better to have as much documentary evidence as possible linking the two names to each other and/or to you.
    – phoog
    Commented Sep 6 at 10:54
  • Note that while it’s probably not needed, Emirates will actually accept a change of name as long as it’s the same person. Depending on where you bought your ticket (the “point of sale”) there may be a fee (USD30) or it may be free (EU, NO, UK, BR, IN). You need to call them for that (provided you bought it directly from them)
    – jcaron
    Commented Sep 6 at 21:46
  • @jcaron Unfortunately, I booked the flight using a travel agent, so according to their rules, every change must be done by the agent. And when my agent contacted them, they told him they cannot do it. I do not understand why they do not let agents make name-changes for their customers, but this is how it is.
    – Erel Segal-Halevi
    Commented Sep 7 at 21:37

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
5

There is absolutely nothing stopping you carrying an expired passport of yours. Carrying it certainly can't hurt.

It seems reasonable to me that carrying that passport will strengthen your case if someone questions the the validity of your booking. Presumably you also gave the passport number of your old passport, so that will strengthen your case more.

I suspect your case is common enough that nobody will question you, but carrying a small thing like a passport is an easy thing to do that gives you extra safety. Don't show the old passport unless somebody questions you.

Improve this answer
1
  • 2
    It’s indeed a common thing for people who have visas still valid in expired passports (for countries which accept that like the US for instance).
    – jcaron
    Commented Sep 6 at 21:47

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .