Fiance visa - marriage - name change & AOS

[Tunaa 0]

Hey all!

In two weeks from now, October 23rd, me and my fiance are getting married. I have been here on a Fiance visa since August 7th, and we are extremely happy together.

I want to change my name, that is, add his last name to my existing name.

How do we go about changing this? How will it affect my AOS? Will it make it take longer? Will I also need to get my passport changed with my new name?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[krautlaus 7]

Hey all!

In two weeks from now, October 23rd, me and my fiance are getting married. I have been here on a Fiance visa since August 7th, and we are extremely happy together.

I want to change my name, that is, add his last name to my existing name.

How do we go about changing this? How will it affect my AOS? Will it make it take longer? Will I also need to get my passport changed with my new name?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi Tunaa, changing your name shouldn't be a problem at all. Since it's very common there's usually not a lot of paperwork involved with it. As for the marriage - get your license and get married and make sure you let them know you would like to take your spouse's name (this varies for each county, read up online at your local county court's website what to bring and what you need to know about a name change) - but like I said, shouldn't be a big deal.

It also shouldn't affect your AOS at all. As long as you submit your marriage license which proves that you changed your name, there will be no issues about your name change. Just make sure you put your new last name on all the forms.

Please check with other Norwegians or at the Scandinavian portal (http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/185-scandinavians/) for your passport name change. For most countries, you have to re-apply for one either at the consulate in the U.S. or back in Norway - but usually always in person. But, again, check with your fellow Norwegian Residents

All the best!

Edited October 11, 2010 by krautlaus

[sweettmayy 1]

I've recently got married and done mine with my new last name on all the forms I submitted

for the AOS Package, and new signature with my new last name.

I am just waiting on NOA's.. hoepfully no RFE's since I forgot to attach the I694.but submitted

tha copy of my vacc. records.

I wanna have my passport change too with my new last name... I guess we need to go to

our local embassy office that is located in the state where we currently live.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

First, it depends on HOW you want to change your name.

You cannot change your middle name without a court order. USCIS might grant it without a court order but when it comes to naturalisation you'll have issues.

Changing your last name can be done in several ways. Assuming maiden name = Smith and married name = Jones here are the options:

Hyphenating (one surname): Smith-Jones or Jones-Smith

Two surnames: Smith Jones or Jones Smith (this would mean writing both these names in the surname box separated by a space)

Taking married name: Jones

Keeping maiden name: Smith

On all forms you would write your maiden name in "other names used". I personally wrote my entire maiden name in the "other names" box. E.g. Vanessa Middle Maiden as simply writing "Maiden" could be confusing.

Hope that helps.

Edited October 11, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[Nik+Heather 121]

You cannot change your middle name without a court order. USCIS might grant it without a court order but when it comes to naturalisation you'll have issues.

Vanessa, can you cite an official source for that statement?

SSA does not consider changing the middle name to be a legal name change - but that's because they only consider your first and sur names to be part of your legal name. Check out the SSA guidance on that:

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203210#a2

There are two places where the question is dealt with - in a "Note" under the ways they expect the name change to go, and then lower down where they discuss a legal name as a FirstName SurName, and changes to the middle name aren't really considered.

Changing one's middle name to their maiden name after marriage and then using their husband's name as their new surname is quite common.

Tunaa, Do you want to be FirstName MaidenName MarriedName or FirstName MiddleName MaidenName MarriedName?

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Vanessa, can you cite an official source for that statement?

I didn't mean she can't change her name with the SSA, she can of course, but when she applies for naturalisation, USCIS will have issues with it.

As for the source, I know it exists but ugh.. making me find it... I'll try.

I also know from other posters experiences.. specifically those from the Philippines where the change of middle to maiden in standard.

[Nik+Heather 121]

As for the source, I know it exists but ugh.. making me find it... I'll try.

Generally I'd take your word for it - but this time it was against my experience and what I'd read previously, so...

[Florianns Man 7]

Oh.. I am confused now when it comes to the name change issued..Thanks for bringing this topic..

I ahve the same concerns now: I am married and i used my husband family name to all my application for AOS.

and assuming my single name: First name / Given Name - Mari Clare ( written as two name)

Middle Name - Legazpi ( for Philippine this is my mom family name when she's still single and we carry this as our middle name)

Family Name/ Sur Name - Madrigal - this is my father's family name and we carry this as our family name..

Now, I am married : so my whole name would be like this: Mari Clare Madrigal Smith - we always have the middle Name / maiden Name through our family name name when I am still single...Is this be a problem and I used all this in my forms for AOS and in my marriage License Certificate also follows like this: Mari Clare Madrigal Smith?

I need your kind inputs and I am consoladating all the documents for AOS submission within this week.

Thank you..

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Generally I'd take your word for it - but this time it was against my experience and what I'd read previously, so...

Can't find it BUT I think I may be in error.. kinda.

I've written long posts about it before but it seems the source I'm looking for discussed STATE requirements and how if don't follow your states name change laws then you have issues when it comes to naturalisation because your marriage cert isn't the proof of name change you thought it is...

Basically there are a few different types of marriage certs:

1. listing name BEFORE & name AFTER marriage

2. listing name BEFORE marriage

3. listing name AFTER marriage

Iowa has the first option. If I decided to change my name after marriage but didn't list it on the certificate I need a court order. Same with the third option but if the second option is there then I think you are typically okay...

There was one girl I remember most distinctly who thought her name change was okay because USCIS accepted it for her GC but when it came to naturalisation it turned out she didn't perform the change legally (marriage cert or court order) and ended up with all sorts of issues.

Moral of the story, check your state requirements BEFORE changing you name to save issues later. Sure SSA will accept it, and then DMV etc following on (like the lass in my example) but if you didn't follow your state requirements, when it comes to naturalisation you might have issues.

Hope that makes sense.

[Tunaa 0]

Hey all, thanks for the help.

My current name is Firstname Middlename Lastname1.

I want to change it to Firstname Middlenam Lastname1 Lastname2, where Lastname2 is my fiance's last name.

So this should not be a problem? Just add my current and previous names on the forms?

How does it work, changing your name? Can I just do it via the marriage license? Or do I have to apply for a name change somewhere else?

Thanks all!

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Hey all, thanks for the help.

My current name is Firstname Middlename Lastname1.

I want to change it to Firstname Middlenam Lastname1 Lastname2, where Lastname2 is my fiance's last name.

So this should not be a problem? Just add my current and previous names on the forms?

How does it work, changing your name? Can I just do it via the marriage license? Or do I have to apply for a name change somewhere else?

Thanks all!

In your instance then you would simply write BOTH names in the box for "surname" or "last name".

I answered this qn in my previous post here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/277958-fiance-visa-marriage-name-change-aos/page__view__findpost__p__4230479