Lebanese on H1B marries American (legal name change concerns)

[greyc]

Hello,

I got married to an American in mid-june 2012 in New York.
I am a Lebanese passport holder, and I live and work in New York.

When I got married, I changed my last name on the marriage certificate, and not I am not sure how to proceed.

My questions are:

- How long do I have to change to my name?
- What is the correct sequence of documents that I need to change my name in? (example: lebanese passport, then h1b visa, then SSN card...etc.)
- Do I have to change my name now? Or I can just change it when I apply for the green card as part of the naturalization process?

Please help!
Thank you...

 

[Jackolantern]

- What is the correct sequence of documents that I need to change my name in? (example: lebanese passport, then h1b visa, then SSN card...etc.)

US government agencies will probably insist that you change your name on your immigration documents before they'll process your name change for other government documents (driver's license, SSN, etc.).

If you're going to apply for the green card soon, it surely doesn't make sense to change your H1B visa. You can either apply for the green card using your married name* on all the paperwork, or apply for the green card using your maiden name and then at the interview request that your new name be placed on the green card.

Then once you have the green card you can take the green card and marriage certificate to get everything else changed.

Or if you choose, you can attempt to get your name changed on other documents before getting the green card, but you'll probably have some hassles.

Or I can just change it when I apply for the green card as part of the naturalization process?

Green card and naturalization are two different processes, occurring years apart. Don't mix them up. Obtaining a green card is not naturalization, and a green card does not give you US citizenship.


*but remember to write your maiden name wherever a form specifically asks for maiden name or "other names used"