How to change last name
- Thread starter riv
- Start date
My attorney told me that one could tell the IO on the interview day that, you want your name changed, especially to your husband's lastname on the greencard, but most forum members say it's best to do official name change and present the official document on the interview day, so the change can be updated.
I also understand that it doesn't matter what name you bear, be it husband's name, maiden name or whatever,but some people think that having your hubby's name's makes the marriage look more bonafide, i think the IO's could careless about that.Best of luck.
I also understand that it doesn't matter what name you bear, be it husband's name, maiden name or whatever,but some people think that having your hubby's name's makes the marriage look more bonafide, i think the IO's could careless about that.Best of luck.
Triple Citizen
Registered Users (C)
Riv,
Get her name changed her on SSN first. This may require a visit in person to an SSA office. Then her DL. Then during the I-485 interview, update the forms that USCIS has.
Get her name changed her on SSN first. This may require a visit in person to an SSA office. Then her DL. Then during the I-485 interview, update the forms that USCIS has.
Actually there are official documents(marriage certificate,court papers,adoption papers)
.You didn't think one could just wake up in the morning and say I want a new name,lets go to the dmv and ssa and tell them I want to change my name from abc to xyzThe op is already married and his wife did not elect to change her name to that of her spouse at the time of marriage.Therefore,depending on the state you live in,presenting your marriage certificate to ssa or dmv might not be enough.You might have to go through the courts...Here in GA,all you would need to do is show your marriage certificate,because even if you elect to use your husbands name they still put your maiden name on the certificate.
As for immigration,I would say it's not a big deal if you have different last names,so long as there aren't any red flags.
Another way to change your name is on the N-400 form,but that's later down the road.When/if she applies for citizenship.
austriacus
Registered Users (C)
Here in TX, also the names before marriage are on the certificate ... and I think it makes sense that way because the people are not married yet at the point when they get married.
Anyway, our experience was like LucyMo said, the official name change occured when my wife changed her name at the SSA and subsequently on all her other documents (DL, bank accounts, credit cards, etc.). The IRS will obtain notification of the name change from SSA.
As a side note, it's a good idea in the first year after marriage to closely examine the social security statement that arrives annually from the SSA, and to make sure prior accumulated benefits before the name change were transferred over after the name change. This sometimes doesn't happen.
Anyway, our experience was like LucyMo said, the official name change occured when my wife changed her name at the SSA and subsequently on all her other documents (DL, bank accounts, credit cards, etc.). The IRS will obtain notification of the name change from SSA.
As a side note, it's a good idea in the first year after marriage to closely examine the social security statement that arrives annually from the SSA, and to make sure prior accumulated benefits before the name change were transferred over after the name change. This sometimes doesn't happen.
Thank you everyone.
She just want to take my last name and we want to see if there is any impact on GC process. Definitely we will go to SSN & DMV offices to make this update and would like to see if we have to file any extra documents or forms to USCIS.
We do not worry about any proofs of our marriage, and last name is my wish and her gift to me.. that's only a reason. The marriage is real and we have enough proofs of our relationship.
She just want to take my last name and we want to see if there is any impact on GC process. Definitely we will go to SSN & DMV offices to make this update and would like to see if we have to file any extra documents or forms to USCIS.
We do not worry about any proofs of our marriage, and last name is my wish and her gift to me.. that's only a reason. The marriage is real and we have enough proofs of our relationship.
Hi Riv,
In 2005 I applied for my DL in my married name, and DMV requested that my SS card have my married name. I went to SS office to get my name changed. SS took the restricted SS card, months and months past by, and they always told me they are still working on it. Until this day I do not have my SS card...
As a result I got my DL in my maiden name, and I didn't have any issues at my interview.
As long as your marriage is bonafide, which in your case it is; you have nothing to worry about.
I had the same concern before the interview. During the wedding there were no questions about what my married name would be, so I used my maiden name until the interview, and when the IO approved our case I asked him to put my new name on the green card, he wasn't surprised or anything, he just made a note in his files, and when the card arrived, it already had my new name on it. Now I need to change the name on the SS card and the other documents.
austriacus
Registered Users (C)
For us, it was a several month long process for my wife to change her name on everything. My wife started with changing it at the SSA shortly after we returned from our honeymoon in Dec 2006 (here in TX there's also some delay until your marriage actually gets registed with the county clerk at which point the marriage certificate is mailed to you). In fact, we went to the SSA during our honeymoon to pick up the SSA application, just for the heck of it. The whole process took until July 2007 when my wife received her passport in the new name, after a 17 week wait during the passport backlog fiasco; at that point, SSA, all kinds of bank accounts and credit cards, driver's license, etc. were already changed ... was a lot of work for my wife.
Here's something that's been helpful for my wife, according to her cultural heritage her maiden name became her new middle name when we got married. So, her maiden name is still part of her new name, which made the transition somewhat easier. Also, it's psychologically nice that she gets to keep her maiden name as part of her name. I'd recommend it to anyone to do it this way - if you like the maiden name.
Here's something that's been helpful for my wife, according to her cultural heritage her maiden name became her new middle name when we got married. So, her maiden name is still part of her new name, which made the transition somewhat easier. Also, it's psychologically nice that she gets to keep her maiden name as part of her name. I'd recommend it to anyone to do it this way - if you like the maiden name.
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