Is Name Change Required

[mickeyman 5]

I need some input and advice to try to figure out if there will be any problems with any of the remaining steps ahead of us, after we get married, if my fiancé does not use my surname.

We have both discussed this topic at length and her desire is to remain with the Chinese custom/tradition of not changing your name after you get married. I have absolutely no problem with this idea and support her decision totally. My only concern and/or thoughts were focused around the many filings with USCIS still ahead of us.

Does anyone know if her keeping her family name will cause any problems for us in the future with any aspect of AOS, Permanent Residence, Working, SSN, etc?

Also I hope I guessed correctly on which forum to place this in since I just wasnt sure what topic it would fall under.

Edited July 17, 2012 by mickeyman

[C-ma'am 684]

Not a problem! Using your last name is a choice, not a requirement.

[M Charles 0]

It could raise a red flag, depending on the examiner. Certain acts corroborate to the story of a real marriage, such as change of last name, having a baby, etc. They show commitment to a relationship, rather than commitment to getting a green card.

[Anh map 2,098]

Should not be an issue. As stated previously it's a choice, not a requirement.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I need some input and advice to try to figure out if there will be any problems with any of the remaining steps ahead of us, after we get married, if my fiancé does not use my surname.

We have both discussed this topic at length and her desire is to remain with the Chinese custom/tradition of not changing your name after you get married. I have absolutely no problem with this idea and support her decision totally. My only concern and/or thoughts were focused around the many filings with USCIS still ahead of us.

Does anyone know if her keeping her family name will cause any problems for us in the future with any aspect of AOS, Permanent Residence, Working, SSN, etc?

Also I hope I guessed correctly on which forum to place this in since I just wasnt sure what topic it would fall under.

To the contrary, it will make everything simpler. She won't have to go back to the SSA office and get her Social Security records updated. She won't need a new passport. All of her documents will remain the same and still be valid both before and after the marriage.

Also, there's no issue with things like getting joint bank accounts or filing joint tax returns. The process is exactly the same whether she takes your name or keeps her maiden name. It doesn't complicate anything at all.

My wife did the same thing, and it's been a lot easier for us as a result. The issue never came up at our AOS interview. Our Removal of Conditions has only recently been filed, but I seriously doubt it will be an issue there, either.

[stevo222 18]

Thanks for bringing this up, and I'm glad to see what I would have thought anyway, that it is no problem at all. My Fiancee is considering the same thing (sticking with Chinese custom on not changing her name), although she has not decided yet, and I am perfectly fine with whatever she decides to do. Good luck on your Journey!

[aaron2020 11,651]

It's a choice. Women are not forced to change their last names upon marriage in the US.

Changing her name is not required and will not raise any red flags. Lots of US born women don't change their last names.

My mother never legally changed her last name. Some of my sisters did change their last names when they got married. Some kept their maiden names.

[aaron2020 11,651]

It could raise a red flag, depending on the examiner. Certain acts corroborate to the story of a real marriage, such as change of last name, having a baby, etc. They show commitment to a relationship, rather than commitment to getting a green card.

These are popular misconceptions. None of what you said is correct.

If a person wants to commit marriage/visa fraud, it is not a big deal to change a name. It can be changed back upon divorce. So, it does not corroborate any real marriage, show that the commitment to the relationship is real, or show that it is not an attempt for fraudulently getting a green card.

Having a baby does not corroborate any real marriage, show that the commitment to the relationship is real, or show that it is not an attempt for fraudulently getting a green card, either. It shows that the two people had sex. Sex does not equal commitment or a real marriage.

[Operator 1,927]

Thanks for bringing this up, and I'm glad to see what I would have thought anyway, that it is no problem at all. My Fiancee is considering the same thing (sticking with Chinese custom on not changing her name), although she has not decided yet, and I am perfectly fine with whatever she decides to do. Good luck on your Journey!

My wife changes her mind every other day. So far she has kept her father's name and it hasn't presented any problems at all.