Comments on: Dear Homeland Security: People with different last names CAN be related

By: Kelsey

Kelsey — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:17:57 +0000

Actually, we’ve never re-entered the US by plane together before, but we did re-enter by car from Canada once, and while I was just asked for my passport, my partner, who is French, was given the 9th degree, asked questions about his childhood, etc. To complicate things further, while his passport is French, it was issued in…Botswana (he used to live there). I swear, you can see the gears turning in the custom officers’ heads.

By: Geraldine

Geraldine — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:36:55 +0000

Christine – I am so going to shrink and laminate my wedding license. That is a friggin great idea. Also, yes, I will get off my duff and get my Italian passport. I feel super lucky that I’m actually eligible for it (those Italians will give a passport to anyone, basically

Kelsey – I cannot even imagine how potentially horrible/racist/stupid the TSA could be to the two of you. But if you have any good stories, we want to hear them.

By: Christine

Christine — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:27:11 +0000

I’m guessing that the TSA officers either: (a) haven’t received training on what to do in this situation, or (b) have forgotten their training and sometimes err on the side of making both of you fill out a form so they don’t get egg on their face for letting a potential terrorist through. Think about it: What if you’re really from Dateline: NBC or some other show doing under-cover work to show how shoddy TSA is about making people declare things.

I recommend the following:

1. Carry a copy of your marriage license with you when you travel abroad. A friend of mine does this, and it’s helped him immensely. He and his wife each made shrunken-down copies and had them laminated so they don’t crumple easily.

2. Just in case, go ahead and fill out two forms. This will save you from having to go back if you run into an over-zealous TSA agent.

3. Always assume that something will go wrong when you go through customs. This way you’ll be less frustrated when something goes wrong (after all, they’re living up to your expectations), and you’ll always be pleased when everything goes smoothly.

4. Get your darned Italian passports already! This probably won’t help you with the TSA. I just think it’s totally awesome that you are in the position to have TWO countries’ passports. Most of us aren’t so fortunate.

By: Cornelius Aesop

Cornelius Aesop — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:49:07 +0000

“TSA-hole” lol, I love that right there. I really think that TSA is simply a way for the US to look like they are doing something. Heck, on my flight 2 days after the attempted x-mas bombing I was given metal cutlery on my flight back to the USA from Peru, yet I can’t take nail clippers. Maybe just a photocopy of your marriage certificate, with you, Rand and ther certificate they should be able to piece it all together.

By: Kelsey

Kelsey — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:32:47 +0000

If you think that’s fun, try traveling with your partner when they not only have a different last name, but also a different nationality!

(highly NOT recommended)

By: Geraldine

Geraldine — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:00:14 +0000

Maybe I should just start fighting with my hubby … that might work.

By: Candice

Candice — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:28:10 +0000

WTF! Isn’t it more common these days to have two different last names?! Seems to be. Bunch of losers.

By: Trisha

Trisha — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:26:26 +0000

We all know that the morons at the TSA couldn’t spot a terrorist even if one was walking around with a big sign on their back saying “kick me I’m a terrorist”…..so instead they pick on people who look like they could possibly be intimidated….or the ones who look SO innocent that it MUST be an act and they’re guilty of SOMETHING……so maybe you fall into one of those two categories?

Here’s another thing you could try: As you approach immigration, pretend to have an argument with Rand – really, a fake argument, not loud, but not too subtle. If anyone hassles you, tell them in a pissy voice to deal with your “idiot husband” (sorry Rand, but is IS just an act)….it never fails when I’m coming back into the country I see couples arguing (why, I have no idea, you’d think they’d be relaxed after a nice vacation), but these arguing couples NEVER get hassled – they mostly get waived thru quickly because no one wants to hear them arguing. The security morons will KNOW you’re married then….

By: Philip

Philip — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:08:06 +0000

Ditto what JoAnna said. I feel like those things are designed to entrap. Maybe it’s my damned latent Catholicism making me think there is surely something I should feel guilty about.

Of course on the aforementioned trip abroad, the agent at the end of the line (the one who takes the declaration form) was initialing them with a purple crayon. Seriously. Like he couldn’t find a pen on his way out of the house and just grabbed whatever his kid left on the kitchen table. That’s some professional-grade border protection.

By: Peter Cooper

Peter Cooper — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:40:09 +0000

Not only that, but the left nut doesn’t always know what it’s doing itself..

We had a similarish problem at the first desk (the immigration one) and my wife went back to the head of the line with a separate form (that I’d filled out “just in case”). But the customs folks were okay with just one customs form for both of us.. it’s madness. I think they design the system this way to get everyone’s nerves on edge in case they need to interrogate them or work out who shouldn’t be there.