When to change last name?

[nexgenasian 0]

Hi All,

First I'd like to thank everyone for their answers that helped me greatly in bringing my bride to the USA. We truly appreciate the time and effort people have put in helping us do our K1 Visa application.

Now that she's here, we got married. I was wondering when the best time was for her to change her last name? Should we change it before we do her adjustment of status? Or should we wait till all of that is done and she got her green card?

May be someone can elaborate on their experience on this. Thank you!

[L+T 71]

Hi All,

First I'd like to thank everyone for their answers that helped me greatly in bringing my bride to the USA. We truly appreciate the time and effort people have put in helping us do our K1 Visa application.

Now that she's here, we got married. I was wondering when the best time was for her to change her last name? Should we change it before we do her adjustment of status? Or should we wait till all of that is done and she got her green card?

May be someone can elaborate on their experience on this. Thank you!

Typically the easiest and cheapest time to change name is on the marriage cirtificate. Otherwise, now you must apply seperate document through the court. The longer you wait, the more name changing you will do in the future with other areas... ie driver license, USCIS, etc... Other than that, it's all just paperwork and can be done anytime.

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to Adjustment of Status from Family Based Visas forum.

[Andrea&Henry 311]

Hi! I came here with a k1 visa on April 20, and I married my husband on May 17. We decided to change my name for his, and all you have to do is submit all her AoS documentation with her new name. If you wait until everything is done. its basically a waste of time and money cause she will need to get everything done again. When you are filling for AoS you have the chance to put your new name and show the maiden one. Once you get her EAD (employment authorization) she will get her SSN with her new name, and with that she can get her driver license under her new name too. All you need is her EAD to get everything else, that's the way a you change your name in the US. As long as her SSN have her new name, every single document would be issue with the new name.

[Nsempa 2]

Hi All,

First I'd like to thank everyone for their answers that helped me greatly in bringing my bride to the USA. We truly appreciate the time and effort people have put in helping us do our K1 Visa application.

Now that she's here, we got married. I was wondering when the best time was for her to change her last name? Should we change it before we do her adjustment of status? Or should we wait till all of that is done and she got her green card?

May be someone can elaborate on their experience on this. Thank you!

I will suggest that she fills out all the forms with her new last name. The marriage certificate is the supporting document for the change of name. uscis accepts that. It is stated clearly in the I-130 instructions. That way the green card will be issued with the new last name instead of her maiden name. There is a place on the form for other names including maiden names, which she will be required to fill also. It will be better to change the name on the forms now than to try to change it later.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Hi All,

First I'd like to thank everyone for their answers that helped me greatly in bringing my bride to the USA. We truly appreciate the time and effort people have put in helping us do our K1 Visa application.

Now that she's here, we got married. I was wondering when the best time was for her to change her last name? Should we change it before we do her adjustment of status? Or should we wait till all of that is done and she got her green card?

May be someone can elaborate on their experience on this. Thank you!

If she will be taking you name, then fill out all the AOS forms in her new married name. Whatever name you use is the name her EAD/AP and green card will come with. It will take months and a hefty fee to change the name on the green card, so do not go that route.

Typically the easiest and cheapest time to change name is on the marriage cirtificate. Otherwise, now you must apply seperate document through the court. The longer you wait, the more name changing you will do in the future with other areas... ie driver license, USCIS, etc... Other than that, it's all just paperwork and can be done anytime.

Not all states have you put your married name on the license. The marriage certificate acts as the legal name change document and you show it to change your name on the SS card, accounts and IDs.

[Moomin 292]

Submit AOS in married name, for sure! If your wife is planning on using married name anyways, no point in waiting. All forms needs to be submitted in married name, check NOA1(when it arrives) and see if it's in the married name. Bring your certified copy of marriage certificate with you to the biometrics appointment as they might ask to see it.

If you haven't gotten any already, I'd recommend you to go ahead and get a few certified copies of the marriage certificate - you'll need ot mostly for AOS, however if your wife has more than 14 days left on the i-94, then I suggest going to change/apply for SSN in married name - bring the certified marriage cert. - same procedure when applying for state ID.

As an example, I went to cash my first paycheck in a bank. I didn't have a US bank account so I had to show ID. I brought passport, EAD and an expired driver's license/state ID. They preferred the expired state ID over any other document I could provide.

[Caryh 5,206]

How you change her name to her married name varies by state. You'll get a ton of advice on the best way based on people's experience, but if they don't live in your state, it may also be totally wrong. Look up your own states procedures, its pretty easy to find with google. Search "name change after marriage" then your state name.

And definitely use the new name on the AOS. Many have not done that and its created nothing but problems getting her name changed elsewhere afterwards.

[then 0]

I would recommend changing the name before AOS to keep things simple. You want the new name on the EAD and Green Card so you don't have to pay extra to get the documents reissued.

Depending on what state you are in, you might be able to get away having a different last name and marriage certificate for identification, but it is much easier if everything is in the same name.

[Moomin 292]

How you change her name to her married name varies by state. You'll get a ton of advice on the best way based on people's experience, but if they don't live in your state, it may also be totally wrong. Look up your own states procedures, its pretty easy to find with google. Search "name change after marriage" then your state name.

And definitely use the new name on the AOS. Many have not done that and its created nothing but problems getting her name changed elsewhere afterwards.

? SSA is following the same set of rules no matter the state you have residency in. Certified marriage certificate is what is needed. Changing it after receiving greencard is also possible, through the same procedue, except by this time, the person might already have a job, and need to inform employer about name change, then chang eit with SSA too so it is matched. Bank account as well. All in all, easier to do before filing AOS.

Deciding to change name to something else(first(middle/last name) is where the hurdles are by it being state dependant. I don't know if that's what you meant, I just wanted to clarify the difference of changing last name after marriage and changing name in general.

Congrats on AOS btw - fellow december filer I see.

[Caryh 5,206]

? SSA is following the same set of rules no matter the state you have residency in. Certified marriage certificate is what is needed. Changing it after receiving greencard is also possible, through the same procedue, except by this time, the person might already have a job, and need to inform employer about name change, then chang eit with SSA too so it is matched. Bank account as well. All in all, easier to do before filing AOS.

Deciding to change name to something else(first(middle/last name) is where the hurdles are by it being state dependant. I don't know if that's what you meant, I just wanted to clarify the difference of changing last name after marriage and changing name in general.

Congrats on AOS btw - fellow december filer I see.

The topic was changing to the new name after marriage. The process is controlled by the state in how they expect you to do it. Some say just bring your marriage license and get a new ID with the name you want. My own state uses the marriage certificate to show the before and after marriage names. That makes life really easy here. I've heard of people running into all types of problems getting the name changed to the married name when they're here on a K-1. Some states won't give them an ID until they have green card. Some refuse to accept different married name conventions, like moving the last name to the middle name location.

[Dave&Roza 748]

Hi All,

First I'd like to thank everyone for their answers that helped me greatly in bringing my bride to the USA. We truly appreciate the time and effort people have put in helping us do our K1 Visa application.

Now that she's here, we got married. I was wondering when the best time was for her to change her last name? Should we change it before we do her adjustment of status? Or should we wait till all of that is done and she got her green card?

May be someone can elaborate on their experience on this. Thank you!

For immigration you can change the name during AOS, ROC or the last time at naturalization free of charge. You just put the new name on the form and show proof of why the name was changed. The N-400 is a complete name change that you can do with no supporting documents. As for all the otehr IDs that is specific to them. Just a word to the wise. If her passport is in her maiden name and the GC is in her married name, the airline tickets or any other international travel documents must be in the government issued ID used for international travel which is the passport. All the GC does is allow her to re-entry the US withous a visa. She might want to take along a copy of her marriage certificate to show that the name in the passport and the name on her GC are in fact the same person for those dense airline people.

Good luck,

Dave

[Moomin 292]

The topic was changing to the new name after marriage. The process is controlled by the state in how they expect you to do it. Some say just bring your marriage license and get a new ID with the name you want. My own state uses the marriage certificate to show the before and after marriage names. That makes life really easy here. I've heard of people running into all types of problems getting the name changed to the married name when they're here on a K-1. Some states won't give them an ID until they have green card. Some refuse to accept different married name conventions, like moving the last name to the middle name location.

I do understand what you're saying. DMV have different rules depending on the state, getting an ID isn't the same as changing last name after marriage. The topic is "when to change last name". The marriage license isn't a "binding contract", the marriage certificate is. My state uses marriage certificate, take to SSA, change last name to husband's last name. They're not required to accept any other country's way of doing the name-after-marriage-thing unless you want to go through a different procedure. And moving the last name to be a middle name is a different procedure than just taking spouse's last name after marriage, indeed. SSA go by the same rules, it's the employees that are misinformed. That, and less than 14 days left on i-94 requires waiting until getting the EAD/greencard to change it. Besides, SSA has no say in changing a last name to middle name, and as far as I know, you'll have to go through own country until becoming an LPR to change the legal name except for going from maiden to married name - US style.

[nexgenasian 0]

I will suggest that she fills out all the forms with her new last name. The marriage certificate is the supporting document for the change of name. uscis accepts that. It is stated clearly in the I-130 instructions. That way the green card will be issued with the new last name instead of her maiden name. There is a place on the form for other names including maiden names, which she will be required to fill also. It will be better to change the name on the forms now than to try to change it later.

Thanks again all! Quick newby question.

What if our marriage certificate on the line for her full name, her last name is her maiden name still? I think that's normal right? She's not suppose to have my last name yet till after the marriage? So as long as the USCIS sees my last name on the certificate its OK?

I was a bit confused at that state dept but I remember asking about her changing her name and they said I have to do it later, without elaborating that the marriage certificate should be changed or shouldn't.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Thanks again all! Quick newby question.

What if our marriage certificate on the line for her full name, her last name is her maiden name still? I think that's normal right? She's not suppose to have my last name yet till after the marriage? So as long as the USCIS sees my last name on the certificate its OK?

I was a bit confused at that state dept but I remember asking about her changing her name and they said I have to do it later, without elaborating that the marriage certificate should be changed or shouldn't.

The marriage certificate does not change. Get certified copies from the court. A certified copy of the marriage certificate is what you use to change her name for IDs, SSN, accounts, etc. She uses her married name after you are married, and the marriage certificate is the legal name change document. It shows your last name, that she married you, and that is the proof that she needs to change her last name to yours. http://www.ehow.com/how_7491949_change-name-after-marriage-illinois.html

Fill out all the AOS paperwork in her married name. The certified copy of your marriage certificate that send in with your I-485 is all that is needed for her new married name to be printed on her EAD/AP and green card.

I also want to add that you do not need the I-130 when adjusting from a K-1.