Change of Name

[BruceH 0]

My wife had her citizenship interview last week. We have to go back on June 2nd however, since the interview officer requested a few items.

One since her application was based on her marriage to me, we made sure to take the federal tax returns for the past 3 years. (There was no request to see state returns either before the interview or during it). However, one of the set of items we did not have were w-2's and copies of Schedule C's of the return. We did not take them since the information only stated the return, not w-2's and schedules. Anyway, they are easy enough to bring to them, we just need to dig them out.

The most vexing problem which we need some advice is the following regarding my wife's name. Here is the issue: Before we were married my wife's name was [First Name] [Middle Name] [Last Name - Her father's last name] Once we were married, we listed on EVERY document including her application for conditional green card, permanent green card, state driver's license, bank accounts, health insurance, lease, etc. the following name [First Name] [Middle Name - her father's last name] [My Last name]. All the identification she has including her permanent resident card show this name. We naturally assumed everything was fine since all documents have been issued this way with no further questions.

In the citizenship interview, she was asked why her name was [First Name] [Middle Name - her father's last name] [My Last name]. My wife was surprised at the question and said she had changed her name when she married me. The interviewer said he

understood the change from [First Name] [Middle Name] [Last Name - Her father's last name] to [First Name][My Last name], but wanted to know how she had gotten her middle name. She said "Well, it was my father's last name" and that is what people do when they get married. He said she couldn't have been married in the United States since that is not what we do here. By the way, at the time he was saying that he had a certified copy of our US marriage certificate in his hand.

In any event, in addition to the w-2's and schedules we must bring back, we either have to bring back written proof that her name is [First Name] [Middle Name - her father's last name] [My Last name] or she would have to change her name.

My question how can she show additional proof of her name when her permanent resident card and every other identification document she has ALREADY has that name?

If that is insufficient, then how does she change her name to be that which is already listed on all documents she has and what everyone already thinks it is? By the way, apparently it is the Middle name which is a problem to the interviewer.

Any thoughts or ideas of what we should do?

Thanks,

Bruce