Two passports, two names -- exiting Schengen

Last time I checked-in in the US, I had to show both passports because the French use the maiden name, which stays with a married woman forever, while the US has the married name. My ticket was in my married name, but as a French resident, Delta wanted me to use my French passport. So, I ended up showing both passports.

European passport control has never asked to see my return ticket because that's the point where the European passport is used, both arriving and leaving. Right now, the two systems are separated.

However, in the future with visas required in both the US and Europe, your situation with the middle names not synchronized will be very complicated and beyond my knowledge. I don't understand what is meant by "common usage."

Have you asked at your consulate in the US? This is very complicated. Based on my experience in France, the exact spelling of the name is required. When a bureaucrat in France misspelled one letter on my son's national ID card, he had to fight for three years to get the one letter corrected.

You need a lawyer who can tell you if "common usage" is recognized in your second country and the process necessary to synchronize your names. I'd be be surprised if it were available in your European country, knowing the red tape and protocols necessary for everything from A to Z.

Most of my family has Italian and Australian passports as dual citizens (born in Australia). They use the Australian ones to leave and return to Australia and the Italian one for entry to the EU. Two of them have passports with slightly different names - the Italian passport only has one middle name and the Australian one has two middle names. One of them is Sophie in Australia and Sofia on her Italian passport.

They just take both and show both and have never had a problem. And have often stayed for more than 90 days. While in Europe they carry their Italian passport and just leave the Australian one in the hotel safe or at their accommodation if staying with friends or family.

Only time anyone had an issue was when my niece who was doing an extended language course for 4 months wanted to join a gym in Florence and had to register as a resident so she could join the gym at the discounted rate. She now gets sent voting papers for local elections.

My daughter is a dual citizen and doesn't have her middle name on her German passport. She always has to show both passports because there is no residency stamp on her German passport, or date of entry.
Just something most dual citizens get used to doing.

But the OP has different names, not omitted names or spelling variations of the same name.

Perhaps consider getting an added page with the correct name you wish to use so it matches the other passport? Which ever is easiest for you.

Thank you all. I do not think that there is anyway to change my name in my European country, even if I had a formal American name change. (I asked at the time of getting my passport and they were almost certain I could not.) However, it sounds like it's common enough that it shouldn't be a problem at the moment. If I worry later, I will ask the consulate of my European country if there is anything else I should do.

Common usage name change:

When I was young, you could change your name in the U.S. simply by filling out forms and declaring you wanted to change your name and you were not intending to defraud anybody. I don't even know how I found out about this -- perhaps it was on the form for a driver's license at the Department of Motor Vehicles? I did this more or less on the spur of the moment when I got my first driver's license and slowly changed everything to match. Yes, SSN, passport, everything. I don't know if it originated in British law, but it seems to me quintessentially American -- that you are who you say you are, and you can change that at any time. It is no longer so easy of course.

I did look it up and it was as you describe. I love the quintessentially American because it probably is. My advice is to avoid originating a flight back to the US from France because they are quintessentially sticklers here. You'll see how the Germans handle it.

Bon voyage. ;--)

My advice is to avoid originating a flight back to the US from France because they are quintessentially sticklers here. You'll see how the Germans handle it.

This is Spanish bureaucracy, but you might enjoy this video: Spanish red tape

I don't know if it originated in British law, but it seems to me quintessentially American

I think it did originate in Britain as we also have it here in Australia. The most common scenario that seems to still be accepted is people who gradually start using their childhood nickname more and more. My grandmother's name was Ivy but by the time she died at 90 all her documentation listed her name as Pearl which was the pet name her father gave her as a child.

Don't worry too much.

Book your flight(s) in your US name, using your US passport. Show that when checking in for your flight to Europe. As US citizens do not need a Visa for Europe you will be fine there.

Then when you arrive in Europe use your European passport to enter. As a EU Citizen you are entitled to stay as long as you like. You should however be aware that if you stay somewhere longer than a certain amount (varies by jurisdiction) you become a resident and have to register as such, with all that this entails.

On the return trip again show your US passport when checking in for your flight.

Then when going through passport control show your European Passport. That way you leave the area on the same passport you used to enter. Passport control is not interested in your ticket.

It may be possible that at the gate there is a conformity check, and there show the passport that matches the ticket.

When arriving in the US enter the US on your US passport.

Regarding name changes: this is indeed easier in common law countries like the UK and the US, but rather hard in civil law countries like Germany and other continental European countries. In Belgium, where I grew up, you need an act of parliament to have even a single letter changed in your name. My surname has an odd spelling because a mistake was made when my Grandfathers' birth was registered, and the whole tribe is stuck with it.

I agree the Schengen is exciting. I concur!

You really don't want to get dual citizenship the way my father did. He was born in Nazi Germany and his family fled to the U.S.
Then, when he was about 12, he became an American citizen. In those days dual citizenship was not really an option, so he renounced his German citizenship. Then when the restoration of German citizenship for descendants of Jews who lost their citizenship came in, my aunt looked into it. They were not eligible under that program because while my grandfather was Jewish, my grandmother was not. But the decision was that as he was a minor when he renounced his citizenship, the renunciation was not valid and he was still a citizen. So I think my aunt and father got German citizenship, but my uncle may have been too old.

And then, yes, they just gave it to me as his descendant. I found this:

"Dual German/US citizenship can happen only when the child is born to one American and one German parent. In this case, the child is not required to give up either nationality and can hold both."