ticket Name change disaster

jimmycrackcorm

So we're due to go to the US in just less than two weeks time and I've just noticed that my other halfs passport shows her shortened forename instead of her formal birth cert name that was on her previous passport, which I booked using.

I ring up the travel agent and ask about the use of the short Vs Long variant and they say no changes are possible according to the airline rules and that I'd have to cancel her flight and re-book a new one for her at a cost of €2600!!! :eek::eek::eek:

So I'm thinking that it would be far more practical for her to re-apply for a passport change with her formal name instead. With just under two weeks to go will she be able to get one done quickly i.e. like the scenario where you have lost your passport and can get one in the same / next day?

Ponster

Passport Express Service should have you a new passport in less than 10 days.

jimmycrackcorm

Ponster wrote: »

Passport Express Service should have you a new passport in less than 10 days.

I thought of that but that's 10 working days not including weekends and the day sending the application. so there's no guarantee even if she used that today that it would arrive by Friday week.

NinjaTruncs

if you have proof of travel the passport office will rush your application along. give them a ring about it.

P. Breathnach

Don't we still have that strange process available where a TD can get a passport for you even faster? Ring the Passport Office and ask them if that is so.

H2G2

Maybe a silly questions, but is it really such a problem?

Contact the US embassy and check. Consider applying for a visa. Could be easier and less panic than passport change.

If is an easy case (Jo – Josephine, Tess – Teresa and so on) then surely the Embassy people wouldn’t have a huge problem… or am I being naive? Its worth a phone call.

lynchie

H2G2 wrote: »

Maybe a silly questions, but is it really such a problem?

Contact the US embassy and check. Consider applying for a visa. Could be easier and less panic than passport change.

If is an easy case (Jo – Josephine, Tess – Teresa and so on) then surely the Embassy people wouldn’t have a huge problem… or am I being naive? Its worth a phone call.

The other issue, aside from immigration is airline staff in the US may not allow her to travel back if they feel her ticket and passport names don't match exactly.

Neamhshuntasach

I'd definitly check with the US or airline and ask if it will be a problem. Some immigration officers can be really weird about things as simple as slight differences in names. My name has a fada in it which was left out on my airline ticket and one of the officers quizzed me about it. A feckin fada was missing and he couldn't understand it. So best covering your bases.