Okay, I’m a US citizen, and here we’re allowed to change our names for a sizeable fee if we so choose. In Spain, I know this is impossible: your initial name is your permanent name barring extreme cases. I’m not particularly fond of my surname, and was thinking of changing it here in the US sometime, but have not yet. However, I already applied for my visa with my current name. I was wondering then, if it’s possible to go to Spain and use a different name than that listed in my passport. Am I locked into my current name because I applied for a visa with it? Or can I use assume a different name when I actually go there (like ask for an NIE in a different name or something)? I don’t know if anyone’s had a similar situation, perhaps relating to name changes due to marriage, but I really can’t find anything remotely relevant online.

For what it’s worth, my passport is in my current name, and I could change it now if I absolutely had too, but this would set me back nearly $1k and I’d lose the visa in it, so I’d definitetly want to avoid this option if possible.

HI,
You raise several interesting points here! Two difficulties;
For a start the name on your passport must agree with your airline booking name; chances are you will not be allowed to board an aircraft unless the two names agree.
Secondly you will need to present your passport and copies thereof when applying for an NIE in Spain.
Also, if you try to open a Spanish bank account you will require your passport…

If you really must change your surname, do it over there; even if it means losing the visa…

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Booking flights isn’t really an issue; I’d just book with whatever name is on my passport at the time, but thanks for the heads up.
On the other hand, concerning the NIE, do you know whether they must create a NIE/TIE which exactly matches my passport? That is, if I have a passport in one name, but I bring along a document accrediting a name change in the US (with apostille, of course), do you think they’d be flexible enough to follow the name indicated on the court order or would they stick to what was actually on the passport? I don’t know whether you have enough experience with them to know that, but thanks for the help so far!