Changing name while AOS'ing?

[bste3 0]

My wife and I are AOS'ing right now, and we filed all papers under her maiden name. However, we would like to now change her last name to mine. Is it ok to do this if we filed papers under her maiden name? And to do it, would we just call the Social Security Administration? Thanks

[Nina~ 431]

I too applied for AOS under my maiden name. I asked the IO at the interview to issue the GC in my married name and she said that it shouldn't be a problem. However, the IO must have forgotten and I received the GC in my maiden name. I didn't want to go through the hassle of paying and waiting for the new GC.

So I just went ahead to the SS office with my marriage cert and green card to have my name changed on my SS card (and to remove work restictions). The SS worker got confused and told me that he cant do that. I asked him to check with his manager and his manager ok'd it. So he printed a confirmation letter and I took that and went straight to the DPS (DMV) and got my name changed on my d/l all in one day. Once I got my name changed on my SS and d/l, it was easy for me to change my name on my credit cards and bank a/c showing them my d/l and marriage cert.

Remember, SS checks USCIS database, and DPS checks SS database. So you have to do it in the right order.

For ROC, I just went ahead and filed it under my married name so I should hopefully get my 10 yr card in my married name.

Hope this helps you.

ETA: Calling SSA wont help you. You will have to go there in person with all the necessary documents.

Edited November 18, 2011 by Nina~

[Pupsik 4]

we waited for all the AOS stuff to be over before changing. the IO actually asked if we wanted my last name on the card and we said yes. we now have to go through all our documents and get the name changed. kind of a pain but nothing like the whole AOS process...

[caeremonarius 26]

Probably would have been easier to apply in the married name, and to put the maiden name on the forms as a "former name." That's what my wife and I did to save the hassle of changing everything AFTER AOS.

AJ

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I too applied for AOS under my maiden name. I asked the IO at the interview to issue the GC in my married name and she said that it shouldn't be a problem. However, the IO must have forgotten and I received the GC in my maiden name. I didn't want to go through the hassle of paying and waiting for the new GC.

So I just went ahead to the SS office with my marriage cert and green card to have my name changed on my SS card (and to remove work restictions). The SS worker got confused and told me that he cant do that. I asked him to check with his manager and his manager ok'd it. So he printed a confirmation letter and I took that and went straight to the DPS (DMV) and got my name changed on my d/l all in one day. Once I got my name changed on my SS and d/l, it was easy for me to change my name on my credit cards and bank a/c showing them my d/l and marriage cert.

Remember, SS checks USCIS database, and DPS checks SS database. So you have to do it in the right order.

For ROC, I just went ahead and filed it under my married name so I should hopefully get my 10 yr card in my married name.

Hope this helps you.

ETA: Calling SSA wont help you. You will have to go there in person with all the necessary documents.

Did you not encounter any issues seeing your legal name (according to the government) is on your GC and your SSN is different?

[LinabFrank 0]

Since you have not done you biometrics yet would be easier to bring your marriage license to the appt and they'll fill the paperwork with your married name,that's how i did it,since most SS offices won't issue you a ss card in a name different from your Immigration documents,neither the DMV so you would save yourself some time by bringing your marriage license to the bio appt it just takes a second,the lady just looked at mine and check the paper they tell u to fill out and that was it.

good luck

[Nina~ 431]

Did you not encounter any issues seeing your legal name (according to the government) is on your GC and your SSN is different?

No. If someone has questions, showing them my marriage certificate usually suffices. I also dropped my middle name and made my maiden name as my new middle name. So in a way, I still use my maiden name and get questioned less because of it.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

No. If someone has questions, showing them my marriage certificate usually suffices. I also dropped my middle name and made my maiden name as my new middle name. So in a way, I still use my maiden name and get questioned less because of it.

Okay so you have had "issues" in that people have asked questions about it and you've needed to flash your marriage certificate. What sort of situations were these?

[Nina~ 431]

Okay so you have had "issues" in that people have asked questions about it and you've needed to flash your marriage certificate. What sort of situations were these?

In that past 3 years of marriage, it was only once when I started a new job. HR got confused which was my legal name when they were processing my paperwork. So I gave them a copy of my marriage cert & D/l with married name. It wasn't really an issue because women change their name with marriage & divorce all the time and most places are used to it. They weren't questioning me if I was who I said I was, just wanted to know what name they should put on my paystub. No big deal.

The only other time I forsee having an "issue" is if I was traveling internationally with a different name on my passport and GC. But agian, providing a copy of marriage cert will usually takes care of it.