Would this be a bad idea?

[JillA 2]

My plan is to get my SSN right away, since I won't be getting married until I've been in the US for about 6 weeks. I'll file my AOS paperwork in my married name, and then after I receive my GC, I will go back to the SSN office and have my name changed and have the "not valid for work" stamp removed at the same time. As for the DL, I can't get it until I have my EAD in the state of Colorado, so I will get it in my married name when I have the opportunity. Then of course, I will change the name on my passport when it expires in 2014. I find it easier to think of things in steps! It would definitely be easier to do it now, then to wait and change everything over after you've been married for a while, but not impossible. I know you wanted to keep your maiden name until after your formal ceremony in Canada, and if that's really important then I would stick to the plan. The big thing is the GC. I'd get that in my married name and wait and change the rest later. I think it would be worth the extra couple trips you'd need to take to the SSN office and the DMV.

Huggles, you probably know this already, but by "right away" you will need to give it a few weeks.... for your info to be put into the system. If you go right away, you may be told to come back in a few weeks. I went 3 weeks after arrival and I was in the system. Others went a few days after and they were told they weren't in the system yet

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Your greencard will be whatever name is in your passport (that's what the embassy in Montreal told me!) so maybe you could only change your passport to your married name, that way your greencard would be in the married name.

I'm sure it's been said, but.........no it's not - it's what the woman wishes to put on the AOS application. If you want your married name, you're obviously including your marriage certificate.

All my American id is in my married name, all Cdn is in my maiden (which I will not change in Canada). I travel with a copy of my marriage cert if there's ever a problem, there hasn't been so far.

[DeadPoolX 9]

Something to consider when hyphenating your last name is that some businesses may have difficultly handling it. For instance... some credit card companies won't allow hyphenated surnames and there can be tons of problems with airlines (none of which have bothered to update their computer systems to accommodate hyphenated names).

You'll also be referred to by your husband's name more often than the full hyphenated name. That won't be a knock against you or your maiden name, but most people find it easier to work within traditional guidelines. That and many can't think beyond what they're accustomed to.

There are few problems overall, but some areas of life might get more complicated. My wife hyphenated her surname and so far, there haven't been any issues. Of course... we're in Canada and I think hyphenating last names is a more common and accepted here than in the United States. I could be wrong, but that's my impression.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

My plan is to get my SSN right away, since I won't be getting married until I've been in the US for about 6 weeks. I'll file my AOS paperwork in my married name, and then after I receive my GC, I will go back to the SSN office and have my name changed and have the "not valid for work" stamp removed at the same time. As for the DL, I can't get it until I have my EAD in the state of Colorado, so I will get it in my married name when I have the opportunity. Then of course, I will change the name on my passport when it expires in 2014. I find it easier to think of things in steps! It would definitely be easier to do it now, then to wait and change everything over after you've been married for a while, but not impossible. I know you wanted to keep your maiden name until after your formal ceremony in Canada, and if that's really important then I would stick to the plan. The big thing is the GC. I'd get that in my married name and wait and change the rest later. I think it would be worth the extra couple trips you'd need to take to the SSN office and the DMV.

Huggles, you probably know this already, but by "right away" you will need to give it a few weeks.... for your info to be put into the system. If you go right away, you may be told to come back in a few weeks. I went 3 weeks after arrival and I was in the system. Others went a few days after and they were told they weren't in the system yet

Oh yes, I know! By right away, I meant before the wedding. I should have been more specific! Thanks for looking out for me Jill

Like the immigration stuff isn't enough to worry about, we need to go through all these annoying name change steps. Moments like this I wish I was the man

[antda 13]

Hi SapphireDreams,

For the NYS driver's license, as I mentioned before, this is what happened when I did the "switch" with my "married name":

-NYS Driver's License (January 2007). Fillled out 1 application form beforehand...But....

They wanted two separate application forms. So at the dmv office I re-filled out 2 forms: 1) For a new driver's license with my "married last name". 2) For a direct transfer from a Canadian license (from Ontario, which had my maiden name on it and was still valid) to a USA one.

I also enclosed my marriage certificate (which they made a copy of), 2yr green card (which they made a copy of), and old Canadian driver's license (which they took away and never gave back as they needed this for the transfer and I can't have more than one driver's license anyways), as required, for my applications.

Lol...10 minutes later, I got 2 paper temporary driver's licenses reciepts, one with my married name and one with my maiden name.

And a week later, in the mail, I got my NYS driver's license card, with my married last name, and is valid for 4 years.

DMV= The best government agency in the USA! Lol..I'm sure the USCIS can learn a thing or two from them about "good customer service"...

Hope this helps again too...Another crisis averted too (since I did the "research" for you here on VJ)? Good luck on the rest of your immigration journey as well.

Ant (married, with a married last name...)

And then I'm not sure if NY State will take my marriage certificate for a driver's licence switch. I'll have to research it tonight.

Anyways, crisis averted!

Edited May 26, 2009 by AntandD

[antda 13]

P.S. Oops..forgot to mention that you need a valid SSN card and number to get a driver's license here in NYS, regardless of immigration status. To make things easier here, definitely get your SSN in your married last name first and then apply for a driver's license next, so that both of these documents will "match".

[July09Bride 1]

So I was planning to keep my maiden name until I have my church wedding in September 2010. I know that I 100% want to change my last name, but wanted to kind of keep my courthouse wedding on the downlow for now.

However, I'm debating doing my AOS in my married name, so that I will get my greencard in my married name and not have to worry about changing it later.

Can I do that, and keep my SSN # and driver's licence in my maiden name until next year? Or, would that make things too complicated?

Should i just change everything now while I can and just go with my married name?

Name changes aren't really a big deal in my career but usually people are more well established in their career before they change their name. I keep regular contact with reporters and industry contacts, so I don't want to lose my name just yet because I'd like to establish myself in NYC first. However, on the other side of things, I don't really have a lot of contacts yet, so it might be easier just to go by my married name right off the bat....

I'm also debating hyphenating my name - although that would make it really long. The more I think about it, the more I think it will be easier to just change everything now.... Hmmm

What do you think?

That is something many people deliberate with constantly, especially as teachers (and I know you're not in education - you're a PR girl!!! my other love... PR).

I had a friend whose last name was Ratzlaff and married into the Fulkerson family. She changed all of her paperwork to Fulkerson, but asked the building principal if it was ok to still go by Ratzlaff. So, her legal name (on everything) is Fulkerson but professionally she goes by Ratzlaff.

Just an idea.....

[g&a246 0]

Hi - this is a little off-topic, but might be helpful.

I recently got married at the NYC City Clerks office in Manhattan. I'm suspecting that might be where you'll be going? If so - avoid Fridays. When we went to get our marriage license on a Tues, mid-morning, there was a five-minute wait for marriage ceremonies. When we went to get married on Friday, we arrived before the doors opened and still had to wait an hour.

They will also ask you about changing your name when you apply for the marriage license in NY. My understanding is that if you say yes to this it changes your name legally, but you can say no and still assume the name after. You might want to look into it a bit if you haven't already. I found the whole name-change thing very confusing, and in the end just decided to keep mine.

[SapphireDreams 71]

^^ Thanks g&a! We're planning to get our licence on Monday June 8 and then go back Tuesday or Wednesday to actually get married. Hopefully it won't be too busy! G&A, did you get only one certified copy of your marriage certificate? I'm wondering if they will give me a couple copies.

I've decided to change my name right away. I plan to just get everything I can in my maiden name. I won't have a lot to change in Canada, just my bank account, credit card and passport (which expired 2011). Everything will be new in NYS, so I'll just use my married name.

Professionally, I'm just going to put my maiden name as a middle name on my resume, so they can check me out if they want, but just go by my married name once I'm hired.

[g&a246 0]

We just received one certificate, but we didn't ask for a second. They should be able to give you two, will probably charge you for the second. You should ask when applying for the license.

They do give you the lovely certified certificate right there when you get married (you don't have to wait, it's printed before the ceremony - you and your witnesses are called up to a desk to sign everything beforehand) which is so convenient for AOS!

[SapphireDreams 71]

We just received one certificate, but we didn't ask for a second. They should be able to give you two, will probably charge you for the second. You should ask when applying for the license.

They do give you the lovely certified certificate right there when you get married (you don't have to wait, it's printed before the ceremony - you and your witnesses are called up to a desk to sign everything beforehand) which is so convenient for AOS!

So then, do we just need a photocopy of it for AOS? That's what I'm assuming. I am thinking I will need 1 copy to keep on me for travelling, name change proof etc. And, then I'd like to keep one at home in a safe place. I'll ask them when I go for the license. Thanks!!

[g&a246 0]

Yep, I'm just sending a photocopy. I figure I can bring the original to the interview if needed.

[JillA 2]

Yep, I'm just sending a photocopy. I figure I can bring the original to the interview if needed.

Yeah don't send an original marriage cert, they specifically ask for a copy.