Name change madness

[Bryan in Tokyo 0]

Hi again!

Both our Minato Kuyakusho and American embassy did not know the answer to this question....

- Is changing my wife's (Japanese citizen) passport to include (my name in parenthesis) all we need to do keep her name in Japan, and allow her to take my name in the USA (I'm USAC)????

- What other processes are involved?

- Can you recommend any sites/information/people that may know the answer to this question? Please PM us!

Background: We'd like to avoid the paperwork that goes with changing names in Tokyo, so troublesome; but the fact that we cannot get quality information from the "sources" is very stressful; is it better to simply take my name on her Japanese passport and go through the mess of changing bank accts, etc. etc. By the way, we are planning to exit Japan early 2010!

Can anyone help?

Thanks!

[Mayra&Robin 0]

Hi again!

Both our Minato Kuyakusho and American embassy did not know the answer to this question....

- Is changing my wife's (Japanese citizen) passport to include (my name in parenthesis) all we need to do keep her name in Japan, and allow her to take my name in the USA (I'm USAC)????

- What other processes are involved?

- Can you recommend any sites/information/people that may know the answer to this question? Please PM us!

Background: We'd like to avoid the paperwork that goes with changing names in Tokyo, so troublesome; but the fact that we cannot get quality information from the "sources" is very stressful; is it better to simply take my name on her Japanese passport and go through the mess of changing bank accts, etc. etc. By the way, we are planning to exit Japan early 2010!

Can anyone help?

Thanks!

That is a GREAT question....we have been wondering the same thing. So if anyone can help, we would appreciate it!!

[Deryck and Miho 0]

Ditto...　We are curious about this also.

[kaffy 2]

My legal name in Australia uses my maiden surname but my legal name in the States uses my married surname... is this what you mean?

edit- To clarify, I have not changed my name in Australia (too much hassle.. long story) but when I submitted my I-130 the consular officer said they can process my application in my married name and issue my visa in my married name with an annotation referencing my maiden name which serves as the "link" to my passport

See pic: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...st&id=10684

Since arriving in the US my green card and SSN were issued in my married name so I use my married name legally now

Edited August 21, 2009 by kaffy

[redglasses 1]

Hi, Bryan

I just found this on the US embassy Tokyo website.

Should I use my married name on the I-130 petition?

If you would like to use your married name in the U.S., you may use your married name for the I-130. Please make sure to amend your passport to your married name before your immigrant visa interview. We cannot put your married name on your visa unless you have amended your passport.

(Source: http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/visa/tvisa-ivspousefaq.html)

It isn't completely answering your question, but sounds the only step your fiance needs is changing her name (I mean putting your name in parenthesis) on her passport.

Edited August 21, 2009 by redglasses

[Bryan in Tokyo 0]

Hi, Bryan

I just found this on the US embassy Tokyo website.

Should I use my married name on the I-130 petition?

If you would like to use your married name in the U.S., you may use your married name for the I-130. Please make sure to amend your passport to your married name before your immigrant visa interview. We cannot put your married name on your visa unless you have amended your passport.

(Source: http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/visa/tvisa-ivspousefaq.html)

It isn't completely answering your question, but sounds the only step your fiance needs is changing her name (I mean putting your name in parenthesis) on her passport.

Hi guys,

Thank you for the information, we wanted to confirm this once and for all for us, so we paid the 2200yen and called the American embassy here in Tokyo today; we spoke with a "Fuan" who basically confirmed

1. The only step needed to keep maiden name, but be able to apply for the visa IS in fact to include my name (ACS) in parenthesis when she goes to change her passport.

Calling the embassy is a process in and of itself, and once you finally get through you aren't guaranteed a native speaker, so be sure to prepare for everything and if so, ask for one. Fuan gave us the information, but her confidence wasn't exactly what we had expected from an embassy; but hey, that's just me.

Thank you so much for your stories, I hope this helps, next up is to file DCF!

[Bryan in Tokyo 0]

Amendment: We've been approved for I130 and received our packet for the next step. Regarding name change, it is as stated above in the quote from the embassy website. My Japanese wife simply added my name to her passport but kept her maiden name (mine's in parenthesis). In American, her maiden name has become a "middle" name.

We used my family name for her when applying for the I130, hope this helps.

Hi, Bryan

I just found this on the US embassy Tokyo website.

Should I use my married name on the I-130 petition?

If you would like to use your married name in the U.S., you may use your married name for the I-130. Please make sure to amend your passport to your married name before your immigrant visa interview. We cannot put your married name on your visa unless you have amended your passport.

(Source: http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/visa/tvisa-ivspousefaq.html)

It isn't completely answering your question, but sounds the only step your fiance needs is changing her name (I mean putting your name in parenthesis) on her passport.

Hi guys,

Thank you for the information, we wanted to confirm this once and for all for us, so we paid the 2200yen and called the American embassy here in Tokyo today; we spoke with a "Fuan" who basically confirmed

1. The only step needed to keep maiden name, but be able to apply for the visa IS in fact to include my name (ACS) in parenthesis when she goes to change her passport.

Calling the embassy is a process in and of itself, and once you finally get through you aren't guaranteed a native speaker, so be sure to prepare for everything and if so, ask for one. Fuan gave us the information, but her confidence wasn't exactly what we had expected from an embassy; but hey, that's just me.

Thank you so much for your stories, I hope this helps, next up is to file DCF!