changing married name

[AdricandMichelle 0]

HI All,

Wondering if anyone who has been through all this has some advice.

I have just arrived after 6 months of the K1 application procedure, (Gee that was fun!!!). We are getting married on 3rd July. Now i know i have to apply a form I-485 as soon as we are married. But my issue is i want to change my name, so my married name is on my green card. But from what i have read they give you your green card in the name your passport is in. So my question is how do i change my name in my passport as my current K1 visa is in there??? and it can take up to 4 weeks to get a new passport.

Or is it easier to do everything in my maiden name then change it all in a year or so??? would like to change my name as soon as i am married???

Any ideas???

Michelle

[AdricandMichelle 0]

HI All,

Wondering if anyone who has been through all this has some advice.

I have just arrived after 6 months of the K1 application procedure, (Gee that was fun!!!). We are getting married on 3rd July. Now i know i have to apply a form I-485 as soon as we are married. But my issue is i want to change my name, so my married name is on my green card. But from what i have read they give you your green card in the name your passport is in. So my question is how do i change my name in my passport as my current K1 visa is in there??? and it can take up to 4 weeks to get a new passport.

Or is it easier to do everything in my maiden name then change it all in a year or so??? would like to change my name as soon as i am married???

Any ideas???

Michelle

[DARUMA07 25]

HI All,

Wondering if anyone who has been through all this has some advice.

I have just arrived after 6 months of the K1 application procedure, (Gee that was fun!!!). We are getting married on 3rd July. Now i know i have to apply a form I-485 as soon as we are married. But my issue is i want to change my name, so my married name is on my green card. But from what i have read they give you your green card in the name your passport is in. So my question is how do i change my name in my passport as my current K1 visa is in there??? and it can take up to 4 weeks to get a new passport.

Or is it easier to do everything in my maiden name then change it all in a year or so??? would like to change my name as soon as i am married???

Any ideas???

Michelle

My wifes Greencard was issued in her married name. When you file for AOS, you use the new married name. I think it's easier to to change the name from the beginning than to wait to do it later.....

[Cécy 44]

All you have to do is to fill in the application papers with the name you will be using. They don't use the name from your passeport, they use the name you tell them to because they understand that a lot of people change name after getting married.

So file with married name. Also aftter the wedding you need to get your name changed at the local Social Security so you will have it on you SS Card and therfore able to get it on the Driver's license as well.

By the way to change your name after you have your Green Card costs extra dollars (new form to fill), so it is an option but an expensive one. It's easier to just file with the name you plan to use.

Edited April 18, 2008 by Cécy

[payxibka 10,045]

HI All,

Wondering if anyone who has been through all this has some advice.

I have just arrived after 6 months of the K1 application procedure, (Gee that was fun!!!). We are getting married on 3rd July. Now i know i have to apply a form I-485 as soon as we are married. But my issue is i want to change my name, so my married name is on my green card. But from what i have read they give you your green card in the name your passport is in. So my question is how do i change my name in my passport as my current K1 visa is in there??? and it can take up to 4 weeks to get a new passport.

Or is it easier to do everything in my maiden name then change it all in a year or so??? would like to change my name as soon as i am married???

Any ideas???

Michelle

They issue the greencard in the name that you are able to properly document on the I-485. If you document your "maiden" name it will be issued as such, if you docuemnt a new name (married?), it will be issued as such. To change your passport you contact the consulate for your country of citizenship located in Washingtond DC or other city where thay may have a sattelite office. Your K--1 visa is meaningless now as it has been used. The I-94 is the more important document that indicates your legal presence. Typically however when you renew/replace/update your passport your old passport is returned to you.

Edited April 18, 2008 by fwaguy

[Lona.C. 16]

All you have to do is to fill in the application papers with the name you will be using. They don't use the name from your passeport, they use the name you tell them to because they understand that a lot of people change name after getting married.

So file with married name. Also aftter the wedding you need to get your name changed at the local Social Security so you will have it on you SS Card and therfore able to get it on the Driver's license as well.

By the way to change your name after you have your Green Card costs extra dollars (new form to fill), so it is an option but an expensive one. It's easier to just file with the name you plan to use.

yup cecy is right all you have to do file the AOS with the name you like to use in the future , ( who ever told you they use the name from your passport gave you incorrect information , the passport name can be changed after your married ) therefor its adviceable to apply AOS with married name , when you aply just add a copy of your marriage certificate and all suporting documents they ask for

good luck

[AdricandMichelle 0]

All you have to do is to fill in the application papers with the name you will be using. They don't use the name from your passeport, they use the name you tell them to because they understand that a lot of people change name after getting married.

So file with married name. Also aftter the wedding you need to get your name changed at the local Social Security so you will have it on you SS Card and therfore able to get it on the Driver's license as well.

By the way to change your name after you have your Green Card costs extra dollars (new form to fill), so it is an option but an expensive one. It's easier to just file with the name you plan to use.

yup cecy is right all you have to do file the AOS with the name you like to use in the future , ( who ever told you they use the name from your passport gave you incorrect information , the passport name can be changed after your married ) therefor its adviceable to apply AOS with married name , when you aply just add a copy of your marriage certificate and all suporting documents they ask for

good luck

Thank you so much everyone for your help...

[ohioindian 0]

I am going through this part myself for my wife's name. I should have had her get a new passport after marriage and then I could have done everything with her married name. Instead I did the 130 and 129F with her maiden name. THere is nothing wrong with it, but it creates a hassle later. The visa is issued in her maiden name, so when trying to get her state identification card, or a driver's license, they will not put it in her married name. The county court office disagrees with the BMV in that they say the marriage certificate is sufficient for the married name. Common sense suggests this alone!!

My concern right now is that since her biometrics appointment letter is in her married name, as I put the I485 in her married name so her greencard is in her married name, that when going for the biometrics, she will not have any identification that shows her married name. I am hoping that having the marriage certificate will suffice, but I am more confident that showing that the A# listed on the appointment letter matches the approval notice with her maiden name. I just think that in retrospect, having had her go through the hassle of getting her passport changed into the new name and then getting the visa in her married name, would have made everything a lot simpler. In this case, she did not have any exisiting visas in her passport, so there would not have been any complications.