Maiden name and I-130 petition

[kanhaiya80]

"When I first arrived the US in 2001 at University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT, people from Social Security Card Department came to have us fill out forms. For the first time I encountered the words "Maiden name". I asked another Nepali guy what it meant. He told me that maiden name is something like "mother's name or mother's last name". Since that day, whenever I filled out any form in the US, for "maiden name", I used "Saraswati Devi" or "Devi". Now since I understand what it means, I have never been known by that name in my country or US"

My wife's mom is an ex-cop and she suggested that my wife should attach the above true explanation with the I-130 petition. Do you guys think this mistake about my maiden name will cost me anything? I suggested my wife just to leave the maiden name blank or even if she writes the names that I have used in the past ONLY ON THE FORMS, MOSTLY JOB APPLICATION FORMS, attach no explanations since i do not want extra problems before i reach there ! But my wife and her mom want to go with their original thought of sending in an explanation.

Please advise guys. I have not even started yet and there are already so many problems

 

[austriacus]

Ok, first of all I would leave "maiden name" blank in your case since I understand you have not changed your last name after your marriage. You're declaring what you write is correct under penalty of perjury and so you want to be truthful here.

The second part of the story is that if you have some documents showing a maiden name that you're submitting into the record, I do think it would be a good idea if you submit such an explanation. If there's a section asking for other names you have used, you may want to include that there, if you have used these names on forms.

You may want to refine your explanation a little better, for instance I don't think there's a "Social Security Card Department" ... that would be perhaps the Social Security Administration. And instead of "I have never been known" perhaps you should say "I have used this maiden name in error; I do not have a maiden name" or something like that.

Hang in there, the problems will all be resolved as you progress along.

 

[kanhaiya80]

Thanks a lot Aus,

I appreciate ur suggestion and I will certainly fix the mistakes in the explanation that i was thinking to offer. I am a bit weak in English! So, you think this "maiden name" will not be BIG problem ?

Does anybody else have anything different to suggest ? Prae, I was hoping you would reply since you reply to pretty much every thread here !

Thanks a lot again Aus and everybody else in advance