Last name change - in US on H4

F

funzine

Registered Users (C)
Hi There,

I am in US on H4 visa & I have my maiden name on Indian passport & I-797 (H4 Visa) too.
Now my passport is getting expired and we are applying for renewal of passport in Indian Embassy.

We also wanted to get my surname (Last Name) corrected to my husband's last name & put in spouse's name. We wanted it corrected on my Indian passport as well as VISA. Can this be done?

Can you please advice if how this will affect us in below cases:-
1> Greencard filling - Can we use my married name on GC application? (We have not filled for GC yet)
2> Child, if child is born in USA, can we use my married name in Birth Certificate?
3> Will it create any complications of any kind?

Please let us know.

Thanks in advance for your guidance and help.

With Cheers, Funzine
 
funzine said:
Hi There,

I am in US on H4 visa & I have my maiden name on Indian passport & I-797 (H4 Visa) too.
Now my passport is getting expired and we are applying for renewal of passport in Indian Embassy.

We also wanted to get my surname (Last Name) corrected to my husband's last name & put in spouse's name. We wanted it corrected on my Indian passport as well as VISA. Can this be done?
---------------------------on the Visa stamp you cant get it corrected now. if you apply H1 visa stamp in future and your Last name on Passport is changed then you can get H4 visa stamp with new last name on your Visa stamp.
Can you please advice if how this will affect us in below cases:-
1> Greencard filling - Can we use my married name on GC application? (We have not filled for GC yet)
------------------------ You CAN use married name on GC application OR the present name.
2> Child, if child is born in USA, can we use my married name in Birth Certificate?
-------------------------On Birth Certificate application the ask to write Maiden name.
3> Will it create any complications of any kind?
------------------No. When you give birth they ask your information like your married name and maiden name on the application of birth certificate and child name.
Please let us know.

Thanks in advance for your guidance and help.

With Cheers, Funzine
Click to expand...

do you have valid H4 visa stamp in passport? till what date? if you want to go out and enter with same visa stamp then dont change your name on new Passport copy.
One can keep married or maiden name for GC applications.
 
Hi Ginnu,

Thanks for your detailed answer.
I understand, I can keep maiden name. But I want to use married name.
My Visa on passport is expired.I applied for extension and got it till 2012.
I am ready to go back to India to Get Visa stamped with new name on new passport.

Is there a way to change the name on H4 Visa? Please let me know process.
 
funzine said:
Hi Ginnu,

Thanks for your detailed answer.
I understand, I can keep maiden name. But I want to use married name.

My Visa on passport is expired.
I applied for extension and got it till 2012.
-------------------did you apply H4 Extension with Married name?

I am ready to go back to India to Get Visa stamped with new name on new passport.

Is there a way to change the name on H4 Visa?
-------------what do you mean by Visa. Visa is VISA stamp in passport. one cant change the Information on Visa stamp. only US consulate or US embassy can change the info on Visa stamp. Many use word VISA for Extension approval from USCIS. USCIS is for approving the petitions. Visa stamping is under DOS.
Please let me know process.
Click to expand...

If your spouse is on valid H1 then you can get Visa stamp with married name, you need to have marriage certificate and husband name on your Passport. As you are going to get new H4 visa stamp it is going to be based on spouse H1 Petition validity date. (your H4 extension is just for your stay in US.
** before you depart keep the copy of I-94 (front and back )and Copy of H4 extension approval with you and show to consulate officer only if asked. show expired passport to consulate with expired Visa stamp and inform that you got new passport with married name.
 
Thanks Ginnu for reply.

I have extension with Maiden name.

What will be the process to get my name changed now?
 
funzine said:
Thanks Ginnu for reply.

I have extension with Maiden name.

What will be the process to get my name changed now?
-----------------------no need to change name on H4 extension petition as the extension is only for your stay in US. when go for new Visa stamp read below.
Click to expand...

If your spouse is on valid H1 then you can get new Visa stamp with married name, you need to have marriage certificate and husband name on your Passport. As you are going to get new H4 visa stamp it is going to be based on spouse H1 Petition validity date. (your H4 extension is just for your stay in US.
** before you depart keep the copy of I-94 (front and back )and Copy of H4 extension approval with you and show to consulate officer only if asked. show expired passport to consulate with expired Visa stamp and inform that you got new passport with married name.
 
Hi! There

Could you please share your experience? I am in a similar situation.. I have a extension petition that expires in next year. The visa has already expired. Both the passport and petition are in maiden name. Planning on chaning the passport to Married name. Can H4 be applied with the new name?
 
Sorry for late update!!!
Here is what I did in order of occurance:-

1> I got my name changed on Indian Passport. Now I carry both old & New passport.
2> I got my name changed on driving license with name change affidavit, I prepared for Passport application & Both old & new Passport.
3> I got my Name changed on ITIN by going to Social Security office with Marriage Certificate and Passport old & New.
4> I got my name changed in bank account & Credit Card & Apartment lease, using changed ITIN name, Passports & Affidavit.
5> I will be flying to India and applying for new H4 Visa & get it stamped on new passport.

I will update here, once I get my H4 Visa stamped in India. FYI: you can get your New Visa stamped anywhere outside US except few countries *Refer rules for H1 stamping.

Hope this is helpful.
 
Hi!

Thanks for the Detailed Reply.

Did you have to apply for an amended petition for the name change on I-94(I-797) as well?

Thanks.
Sharan.
 
I am going back to India soon. And I am researching, if I need to apply for correction of name on I-797. If you find anything, please let me know.
 
Hi,

I was also in similar situation like you guys. Here is what I did to change my name to married name altogether.
I am H4 visa holder. My name on passport was Priya. So visa was issued as FNU Priya ( First Name Untitled). Even state ID I got with same name.
Last year Aug 2009 my H4 visa got expired and I received extension petition with same name i.e. FNU Priya
This year January I changed my name to Priya + Husbands last name through Indian consulate Houston. All the other documents had the same old name( like I94, state ID )
In April I travelled to India and got new visa with married name, in May I am back in US now. Now I have passport, visa and I94 with married name. Next week I am going to get Driver learners Permit with married name. So I changed my name to married name and also got rid of FNU stuff in passport, visa, I94 etc.
 
Hi,

I have a somewhat similar issue. I am on H4 in California. I recently got my maiden name changed on my passport to my married name. Now we are looking forward to change the last name on my state ID, bank accounts, ITIN, appartment lease etc.

We are also waiting to apply for the GC and seeing the current scenario, it seems the dates are moving very soon. So to speed up the process we started with changing the name on state ID. But, at DMV we were told to get the name changed on I-94/797. My major concerns are as follows:

a) Is the name change on other docs (state ID, lease, ITIN) required for GC inspite of changing the name on passport.?
b) If yes, then how to get the name changed on I-94/797 in order to change the name on state ID? Can this be handled without the need to fly out of US ?
c) If the procedure is complicated, do u suggest getting the name change on passport back to the maiden name again? If yes, what is the procedure for that?

I would be really greatful, if somebody can answer my queries ASAP.

Thanks
Rica
 
Hi,

We married in May 2009 and we both are on H1B. We came to USA in June 2009 and then my wife extended the H1B Visa and she got 3 years. After this, 2 Months before we changed her name in Indian passport with married last name.

Note: My wife new I-94 came along with extended H1B work permit (I-797)

Now my question is, is there any necessity we need to change her name in I-797, I-94 and SSN?

If we need to change what procedure, We need to follow?

Also I have to include my wife in my I-485 application in the near future. So will there be any problem for me because of name mismatch in I-797 and passport of her?

I contacted customs office and I was told that, they can do only corrections in I-94 if something wrong was happened at port of entry. They won;t do the name change and they asked me to contact USCIS only.

If I129 got amended, will my wife get new I-797 with latest I-94 with new name?

Please help me in this.. Thanks in advance.
 
Require more details changing maiden name to married name in wife's passport

I have a exactly similar situation like other reviewers here. My wife have a H4 visa with maiden name on her passport with Maiden name. The visa is expired and have a approved I797 with her Maiden name. Now she is going to change her maiden name to Married last name in her passport,

1>Do she require to change her last name in I797 before she go for visa stamping in India ?

2>Should she also change her last name in ITIN which is also with her maiden name currently ?

3>Does that create any problems while travelling to India with passport changed to married last name and I797 with Maiden name ?

4>***NOTE:She is on her H4 and my H1 is also expired and have a approved I797, but my Passport is about to expire and applying for a new passport and add spouse name to it. Is that something i can do both(applying my new passport and changing her last name to married in her passport) together ?

I guess somebody should have already solved the same situation.. Can anyone please share your experience(please provide detail information), that would be of great help and appreciated.

Please advise.

Thanks,
Ram.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top