name change on forms

[imdustin 0]

We just recently got married and trying to do all the paperwork for AOS. She want to change her name by getting rid of her middle name and replacing it with her maiden name and then in turn taking my last name. Nothing has officially been documented as a name change....Do we use her old name on the forms or the one she just made up or will they see her maiden name as her middle name to be a hyphened last name? I hope I'm not confusing you. I guess in the Philippines when you get married you put your maiden name as your middle to take your husbands name. Trying to figure out the best way to fill out these forms Thanks for reading

[Azteca143 9]

We just recently got married and trying to do all the paperwork for AOS. She want to change her name by getting rid of her middle name and replacing it with her maiden name and then in turn taking my last name. Nothing has officially been documented as a name change....Do we use her old name on the forms or the one she just made up or will they see her maiden name as her middle name to be a hyphened last name? I hope I'm not confusing you. I guess in the Philippines when you get married you put your maiden name as your middle to take your husbands name. Trying to figure out the best way to fill out these forms Thanks for reading

I just filed my AOS,i put my married name in all forms...like for ex: from MARIA GOMEZ TORES to

MARIA TORES SMITH and on your G325a put her maiden name as her other name used...hope this helps!...

[Tahoma 2,292]

We were K-1'ers too. When we got married, Chinook started using her maiden surname as her new middle name, and started using my last name as her last name. When Chinook filed to adjust her status, she used her married name because that was her new name and she wanted her new name on her conditional green card.

Also, we got some official copies of our marriage certificate from the county clerk's office, and we showed the marriage certificate to anyone who needed to see it in order for Chinook to change her name. For example, Chinook took it to the bank to change the name on her bank account from her maiden name to her married name. She also took along our marriage certificate when we went on an Alaska cruise in case she had to document the reason why the name on her Philippines passport (maiden name) did not match the name on her green card (married name).

Edited July 28, 2012 by Tahoma

[Caryh 5,206]

That is the normal Philippines way and its how my wife's name appears on her green card. They understand it at USCIS, and the Philippines is not the only country that follows this tradition. Paternal last name moves to the middle name position to replace the maternal name there. Husband's last name now becomes the her new last name. She must follow this naming convention, or she will not be allowed to update her Philippines passport in the new name. Do fill out the AOS following the traditional naming convention of the Philippines, or she'll always have different names in each country. BTW she didn't make up this name, its just how its done there and is actually spelled out in their laws.

[jean♥bill 2]

They may understand it but not all USCIS offices are alike or operate with the same rules or knowledge. My wife had friends, both that had AOS interviews and not, that were allowed to use the Philippine traditional way. After our marriage, we did the same for all documents (bank, drivers license & SS card), and it seemed acceptable. Even our AOS paperwork went through without any issues. When we attended the interview, the officer said that we had to switch the last names as was typically done in the US. We mentioned her friends and all have GC's in the intended way but he wouldn't accept this. His answer was that once you became a citizen, you can change your name to anything you want. now we have her GC in the american style and most other paperwork in the Phils traditional way.

Good luck, maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones.

[imdustin 0]

Thanks everyone