Marriage and Applying for H1/H4 visa.Name change in Mumbai

[sachinsoni]

Hi Ginnu or anyone who can help,

I am planning to go to India (Mumbai) for marriage on 12th March 2004. Now, I am planning to take an appointmnet for stamping my wife's H4 and restamping my H1 (my H1 also finishe 3 years in March). I have read about all documents required for processing H1 and H4. My question is as follows:

1. How important is it to get my wife's last name changed to reflect her new surname? Will the consulate stamp visa on a passsport which has her unchanged name after marriage?

2. Incase I have to get her name changed on the passport, then there is a bigger question. Since I will be taking an appointment online before my marriage, I will send some documents (from my Mumbai residence) to the consulate so that they can confirm my appointment. Now this package will also contain my 'would be' wife's passport copies (which would have her unchanged name) and DS-156(here also unchanged name). Then after marriage, say I get her name changed in the passport, and when I go for the interview to the consulate on the appointment date, will I be in any trouble since the copies submitted earlier had a different name?

Please let me know what I can do to overcome this problem.

I will be applying in Mumbai consulate.

Thanks in advance.
Sachin

 

[ginnu]

I am planning to go to India (Mumbai) for marriage on 12th March 2004. Now, I am planning to take an appointment for stamping my wife's H4 and restamping my H1 (my H1 also finishe 3 years in March). I have read about all documents required for processing H1 and H4. My question is as follows:

1. How important is it to get my wife's last name changed to reflect her new surname? Will the consulate stamp visa on a passport, which has her unchanged name after marriage?
----- Mumbai Consulate needs that on her Passport she gets your name endorsed
OR she should get new passport copy with married name change ( if I am in your situation I will get her Passport with married name)

2. Incase I have to get her name changed on the passport, then there is a bigger question. Since I will be taking an appointment online before my marriage, I will send some documents (from my Mumbai residence) to the consulate so that they can confirm my appointment. Now this package will also contain my 'would be' wife's passport copies (which would have her unchanged name) and DS-156(here also unchanged name). Then after marriage, say I get her name changed in the passport, and when I go for the interview to the consulate on the appointment date, will I be in any trouble since the copies submitted earlier had a different name?
----- What I will do it after marriage I will get her married name changed and new Passport copy when you go to consulate you can show her cancelled passport with maiden name and New Passport because once passport office gives new copy of PP they will stamp the past PP as “Cancelled) and you can staple her both the passports.

http://passport.bom.nic.in/
How to get name change or new PP after marriage from Mumbai RPO
http://passport.bom.nic.in/cname.htm

Fees for name change
http://passport.bom.nic.in/fees.htm#Miscellaneous Services

FYI, now Worli passport office has also one other branch near Century Bazaar, check the site. Catch hold of any good agent who is sitting before worli passport office and one can get PP in 2-3 days and be ready to give Chai Pani

 

[sachinsoni]

Thank You Ginnu. You truly are very helpful.. and very quick as well.

I have a couple of more questions.
1. The DS-156 for my wife also contains information about her name as well as data such as "Spouse's Name', 'persons travelling with you to US' etc. In these forms also should I fill my name and also specify that I am her husband (i would be a 'would be' husband when I apply for it) or should I keep it blank for now. Same will be the case with my DS-156. Also, we will be travelling to US together, so should I also mention in the DS-156 'travelling with spouse'. Would that be reasonable to do?

2. You mentioned that it would take 2-3 days to get the passport. Do you know if I can get it the next day since I am really short on time. I appreciate your inputs, but just wanted to know if you are aware of these things happening so quickly.

3. Also, would the marriage certificate be issued same day after say 'chai pani' and even 'khana' if they desire.

4. Also, my mother tongue is Punjabi but I don't know how to write Punjabi. So, can I just use Hindi to fill my name in the DS-157 form (question #3) where it asks name in 'native alphabet'.
Thanks for your inputs again Ginnu.