Changing Name before or after AOS

[JordViole 1]

Hey Everyone,

So my husband (USC) and I have been putting all of our info together for adjustment of status from my F-1 visa. We just got married this July! Woohooo!

We were wondering what to do about changing my name? I have heard that all you need to do is fill out every AOS form with your new name (provide maiden name where they ask you to) and then just send your marriage license which is enough prove to change your name. I heard this will then provide a green card with my new married name (assuming everything goes well).

We are providing other documents such as my social security card, drivers license, car titles (joint ownership), bank statements, bills and lease as proof of bonafide marriage. All of these documents show my maiden name. I have not changed my name anywhere.

My questions is: Do I have to change my name on all of these documents FIRST (license, sscard, bills, bank, titles etc) before applying for AOS? Or is it okay that all of these documents will show my maiden name?? Will it be enough to just fill out everything with my new married name, send the marriage certificate and then change everything else after I receive my green card with my new married name??

Does this make sense??

We don't want to be stuck later with a green card that has my maiden name since Ive heard it costs a lot of money to change the name on the green card.

What does everyone think???

[natalieblake 0]

I applied for AOS with my new name and I am not sure if there is any correlation, but three days after I changed it with Social Security, we received the electronic notifications that our AOS package was received. If you plan to change your name, I would do it sooner than later but you do not need to change it before submitting the packet. I hope this helps. Good Luck!

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

It is okay to send that old evidence with your maiden name and fill in the immigration paperwork in your married name. I am not sure why you want to send your DL and SS Card, though. What does it prove?

[VanessaTony 3,567]

It is okay to send that old evidence with your maiden name and fill in the immigration paperwork in your married name. I am not sure why you want to send your DL and SS Card, though. What does it prove?

DL makes sense (to show same address) but I'm confused about the SS card myself..

[AnotherLostSoul 167]

I think the DL is not the most proof of living together. Sure, your address and his/her address could be the same on it, but that does not prove that you guys are living together. For example, both my husband and I changed our address on our DL but DMV does not even issue you a new card, and they also stopped (in my area at least) the mass production of those small paper cards for change of address. They simply changed the address on their computer and that's it. Nothing else did we get as a proof that we have the same address on our DL, or did we get to replace our DL. We might have been able to do that for another $20-$20 but spending $40 dollars for something that is not even a strong proof, is just a waste of money. The IO also knows how addresses are changed nowadays (in my area) when one already in possession of a valid DL, so at this point, it's really not relevant. Co-mingling of finances, rental agreements on both of your names, bills etc. are far more of an evidence of living together than having two plastic DL card with the same address on it. You could walk into DMV and tell them your professor's address, or friend's address that you would like to have your DL address changed to. They would not even ask you to show proof of residence there, or anything like that. Everybody could do it at any time. Again, this is in my area, maybe in your area this is way better regulated, and you do get a new DL, or a paperslip for the new address and have strict regulations of who and how can change an existing address on a valid DL.

Good luck!

[Newbie608 103]

Fill out forms in Married name. That's what I did and I get my GC in my husbands name. Then I went and do name change on social and DL, jobs, school bank etc....