New passport just before interview?

[cookiesandcream 7]

Ideally I would like my married name in my passport, so my green card can be issued in my married name. Is it a problem if I apply for a new passport after my case is complete at the NVC, or does this invalidate the Police Certificates I have already sent them?

[MIRICK02 6]

Ideally I would like my married name in my passport, so my green card can be issued in my married name. Is it a problem if I apply for a new passport after my case is complete at the NVC, or does this invalidate the Police Certificates I have already sent them?

Hi, well as I understand, for IR CR1 Visa, all forms to be submitted to the USCIS/NVS must be under our married name and that includes the police cert. And so I also had to renew my one year old passport from maiden to married name. But some friends said that it is optional. I followed my immigration lawyer's instruction to use my married name in all docs. Ok just sharing my case, trying to help.

Other VJ friends, may have info to share.

[velrich 50]

If you want your married name in the passport go ahead and do get it done even if you already have case complete.

The visa will be issued in the name of the passport and your green card will then also have that name.

All the papers submitted in my case had my married name and my passport was in my maiden name. I had planned to change it before the interview but did not do so. My visa was issued in my maiden name also my SSN.

It does not affect the police clearance.

[Roosha 51]

You already sent PC to NVC? How? I mean, you just got your NOA2, right? If you can get a new passport in about a month or so you should be able to send a copy of that by the time you get to the IV packet stage of NVC...

[loveromelyn 0]

If you want your married name in the passport go ahead and do get it done even if you already have case complete.

The visa will be issued in the name of the passport and your green card will then also have that name.

All the papers submitted in my case had my married name and my passport was in my maiden name. I had planned to change it before the interview but did not do so. My visa was issued in my maiden name also my SSN.

It does not affect the police clearance.

I don't quite understand what the right answer is. My wife has not changed her name in the Philippines, all the security papers, marriage certificate, and birth certificate are in her Maiden name. We are waiting for her visa interview to be scheduled at the moment. Can she simply have her name changed once she comes to the USA and then gradually have her name changed on documents as they expire? To me that sounds simplest, but then again maybe it is easier if she can change all the names right now while we are waiting for the interview. What do you all think?

~Don

[cookiesandcream 7]

You already sent PC to NVC? How? I mean, you just got your NOA2, right? If you can get a new passport in about a month or so you should be able to send a copy of that by the time you get to the IV packet stage of NVC...

No not yet I am just thinking ahead! I don't really want to get one now because it has all my work visas in it, and I will need it to get my police clearance done within the next month to avoid delaying the case. I guess I could apply for a new passport now, but it would mean my NVC docs and the USCIS docs don't match?

I am trying to work out if it is easier to get a new passport after NVC case complete (and have to renew my work visa, which could be a pain), or change my greencard/get a new one, after I go to the USA (also a pain).

I didn't change my name on the marriage cert. (because of the visa issue), so I am not even sure if the UK will let me change my name tbh.

Hi, well as I understand, for IR CR1 Visa, all forms to be submitted to the USCIS/NVS must be under our married name and that includes the police cert. And so I also had to renew my one year old passport from maiden to married name.

This wouldn't be submitted to the NVC/USCIS, but the embassy.

[Roosha 51]

No not yet I am just thinking ahead! I don't really want to get one now because it has all my work visas in it, and I will need it to get my police clearance done within the next month to avoid delaying the case. I guess I could apply for a new passport now, but it would mean my NVC docs and the USCIS docs don't match?

I am trying to work out if it is easier to get a new passport after NVC case complete (and have to renew my work visa, which could be a pain), or change my greencard/get a new one, after I go to the USA (also a pain).

I didn't change my name on the marriage cert. (because of the visa issue), so I am not even sure if the UK will let me change my name tbh.

Ah ok, I was confused there for a min! Yea I'd actually go ahead and start doing that now. My husband's passport expires in August so we're getting it renewed now, the copy I send in the IV packet will be of the new passport. I just felt like it would be the easiest time to do it.

How long will it take for you to go through the name change/passport process? If time is more important then I'd just wait until getting to the US. It's a pain to change your name in any case, might as well just wait until you're in the states and this whole process is done, then you can take your time and do it at your leisure.

I also need to change my husband's name b/c the spelling is atrocious, I hate it. And my kids will all carry that last name! But we're going to do it when we get to the states, right after we get there or right before naturalization.

[cookiesandcream 7]

How long will it take for you to go through the name change/passport process? If time is more important then I'd just wait until getting to the US. It's a pain to change your name in any case, might as well just wait until you're in the states and this whole process is done, then you can take your time and do it at your leisure.

It could take 2 - 3 months if I apply overseas, but about 1 month if I go through the UK and mail documents back and forth with my mother. But after further research, this is looking pretty disastrous. Since I didn't change my name on my marriage cert I need other forms of ID like driver's license (which would need to be official translated, another pain) to prove I am actually using my married name, but Japan isn't going to issue me a driver's license in my married name either if it wasn't on my marriage certificate or in my passport.

But it looks like (someone please correct me if I am wrong), that once in the US I can just go and get my driver's license name and SSN name changed without too much effort? So I could then use those documents to prove I was using my married name and change my passport then, and then change my green card. My god this unnecessarily complicated.

[velrich 50]

But it looks like (someone please correct me if I am wrong), that once in the US I can just go and get my driver's license name and SSN name changed without too much effort? So I could then use those documents to prove I was using my married name and change my passport then, and then change my green card. My god this unnecessarily complicated.

You can do that although I dont see why you need anything else apart from your marriage certificate to prove that you are married.

[cookiesandcream 7]

Because I used my maiden name on my marriage certificate, I didn't want to have to get new work visas and a passport at that time (because we wanted to file the petition soon after) so it seemed (at the time) better to wait.