US Green card holder got married wants petition husband

[Maynard S.]

My wife is a US green card / resident for almost 5 years now and last month we got married here in the Philippines. She returned to the US now and wants to apply for citizenship so that she could petition me. We do not know how to proceed and would like to know if she has to update first all her documents from single to married as well as her last name before she apply for citizenship or is it advisable to apply for the citizenship before doing so. Any help would be much appreciated and if you need more details,I will reply as soon as I can

 

[newacct]

There is no "record" of marital status that needs to be updated. She just needs to answer that she is married on any forms that ask for marital status from now on.

She can apply for naturalization when she qualifies.

She can petition you before she becomes a citizen, in which you would go into the F2A category, and when she becomes a citizen, she can upgrade the petition to the Immediate Relative category. Or she can wait until she becomes a citizen to petition you directly in the Immediate Relative category.

 

[Maynard S.]

Thank you for the very clear answer. That means she does not need to use my last name either is that right? She can just use her maiden name while applying for citizenship? And how about the tax she pays, will that be affected because it is currently declared that she is single.

 

[newacct]

Thank you for the very clear answer. That means she does not need to use my last name either is that right? She can just use her maiden name while applying for citizenship?

She must use her current legal name when filling out any forms now. If she legally changed her name as part of the marriage, then that name is now her current legal name and must be used on all forms. If she did not legally change her name, then her existing name is her current legal name. Not all people change names as part of marriage.