WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

Over 25 million Italians have emigrated between 1861 and 1960 with a migration boom between 1871 and 1915 when over 13,5 million emigrants left the country for European and overseas destinations.
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sceaminmonkey
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WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

Post by sceaminmonkey »

my mother just got her passport but she has her maiden name on this? is this correctable? they told her she must use it. her and my father have been married about 36 years and she goes by her married name so..... i am curious as to why this is and if it can be changed. is this the case for all italian women? she doesn't really care but the I am super curious since its a huge cultural difference... even in the 21st century :lol:
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Re: WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

Post by JJ313 »

In Italy, women use their maiden name for life. They do not take their husband's name in marriage as is the custom in the US. The children take the name of the father. There are other name rules such that a child cannot have the same name as his father.

There is a box that you can check on the passport application to put the married name on the passport but it goes on a secondary page (I don't remember the exact location). This is helpful so you can match it to your itinerary and plane tickets. Once a passport has been issued I don't know if they will add the name or if you will need to have a new one issued. Check with the consulate.
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Re: WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

Post by sceaminmonkey »

I don't see her married name anywhere. So your saying in italy when women get married they don't take their husbands last name? I mean thats cool, I am just a little surprised.
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Re: WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

Post by JJ313 »

It would not be there unless you checked the box on the application. Check with the consulate to see if they will add it.

When women get married in Italy they keep their name. I was surprised as well when I discovered this and the rest of the naming conventions.
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Re: WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

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Every mailbox in Italy is labeled with two names; the husband's surname and underneath it the wife's surname, unless of course, the resident is not married, in which case there is only one name.
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Re: WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

Post by Italysearcher »

When I came to Italy my passport was still in the surname of my deceased husband. Not a problem. When I renewed the passport in the surname of my Italian husband the town clerk went beserk, insisting that I couldn't do that. Well, even in Italy you can use any name you like and I do use my husband's surname even though they don't like it. I did not take Italian citizenship since I have British citizenship anyway.
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Dual citizenship assistance, and document acquisition, on-site genealogical research in Lazio, Molise, Latina and Cosenza. Land record searches and succession.
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sceaminmonkey
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Re: WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

Post by sceaminmonkey »

I double checked my moms passport and her application. there is no box to check off but there is a place to write the name of your spouse. I filled it out for her and put my fathers full name with middle name and everything but there is nothing with the name on the passport. If my mother has travel plans should she use her imaiden name or married name on her itinerary ?
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Re: WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

Post by jennabet »

If your mother is an American citizen with a US passport and will be departing the USA for Italy, she must buy her plane ticket and have her itinerary set up using her American passport and whichever name is on that passport. When she gets to Italy or anywhere else in the European Union, she should enter with her Italian passport.
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Re: WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

Post by liltally »

Hi Sorry just found this, so as for using your American passport to go out of US, and Italian to go through Europe it won't match drivers license does that make a difference incase they ask for more ID. Thank you for ant answers
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Re: WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

Post by mler »

Italian naming laws are changing a bit. Children no longer automatically get the surname of their father. Parents can choose use a combination surname. Also my grandson was just registered and he has the exact name as his father.
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Re: WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

Post by qualdom »

mler wrote: 11 May 2022, 14:37 Italian naming laws are changing a bit. Children no longer automatically get the surname of their father. Parents can choose use a combination surname. Also my grandson was just registered and he has the exact name as his father.
I've heard that certain comuni have disregarded legal name changes that took place abroad and simply assign the biological father's surname to the newly recognized citizen, even if the court order lists the legal name. Do you anticipate that this practice will continue even the laws are changing?
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Re: WOMEN MAIDEN NAME ON PASSPORT?

Post by mler »

Just my opinion, but I think they will still automatically assign the father’s surname. The new law only allows parents to choose the child’s surname (father’s, mother’s, hyphenated combo), it does not address name changes after the birth certificate.
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