Changing Her Maiden Name (USA)

[Bryan in Tokyo 0]

Hi all,

Miwa (JPN) and I (USA living in TKY 7 years with M) married at the Kuyakusho last month, we are planning to file DCF around beginning of the year, but our question is how did everyone change their names? The Kuyakusho gave Miwa a choice to keep her name, but she gets 6 months then we'd have to go to a family court to change it.

One thing we've heard is that some Japanese ladies will keep their name in Japan, but are able to change it to their spouse's name upon moving into the US. My question is, is there a time limit to do so, or will she keep her family name forever once she leaves Japan?

Any information would be greatly appreciated; we're thinking of filing in the following months with an exit around early 2010! - Bryan

[milimelo 4,479]

Don't know about Japan but a week after we got married I went to the local offices and changed my national ID, DL and then passport.

DS-230 will ask for the family name and if she wants to use your name she will put it there so the GC will be produced with the new married name.

[redglasses 1]

Make sure she puts in parenthesis your family name on her Japanese passport before you file her I-130 petition.

It is the required step to use the spouse's family name on her US visa and GC.

And it has no affect on her Japanese name. She can still keep her maiden name in Japan.

[La Souris 19]

Make sure she puts in parenthesis your family name on her Japanese passport before you file her I-130 petition.

It is the required step to use the spouse's family name on her US visa and GC.

And it has no affect on her Japanese name. She can still keep her maiden name in Japan.

Is that specific to Japan? Because, I am keeping my maiden name (I have to keep it by law here, and I don't plan to change it when I move to the US...) and, so far, I've never heard about having to add it to my passport - just curious...

[redglasses 1]

Make sure she puts in parenthesis your family name on her Japanese passport before you file her I-130 petition.

It is the required step to use the spouse's family name on her US visa and GC.

And it has no affect on her Japanese name. She can still keep her maiden name in Japan.

Is that specific to Japan? Because, I am keeping my maiden name (I have to keep it by law here, and I don't plan to change it when I move to the US...) and, so far, I've never heard about having to add it to my passport - just curious...

I think this is only for Japan. I am not sure about other countries.

Unless you change your last name or put in parenthesis the spouse's name on your passport, the US embassy Tokyo doesn't let you use the spouse's name on immigration papers.

[La Souris 19]

I think this is only for Japan. I am not sure about other countries.

Unless you change your last name or put in parenthesis the spouse's name on your passport, the US embassy Tokyo doesn't let you use the spouse's name on immigration papers.

Thank you - I re-read the experience of Canadians at the Montreal consulate and, from what I see, there is no such rule (which is good, because in my province, it's illegal to take your spouse's name - that would have been a mess for me) Good luck in your journey