Maiden Name on Forms?

[moveslikestar 1]

Hello All,

We are in the final stages of filling out and completing the i864 and DS260 (online version of DS-230). My wife currently resides in Canada and she hasnt changed her last name since we got married almost a year ago, because she would have to change it again in the states. Now, we are going through the process of filing the I864 and DS260 but we arent sure if we should put her maiden name or put her last name as mine. I understand the DS260 will be the one that will dictate the Greencard and social security name once approved. The problem is, her canadian documents all have her maiden name and they are asking for scanned copies of those. I dont want it to conflict with the scanned copies, nor hinder the process.

Should we file the I864 and ds230 with the maiden name or the new legal name? Does anyone see this causing a problem?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Visa has to match passport name.

[NikLR 13,227]

She will only get the green card in her passport name. The cost to change everything in the USA will be rather large (green card is $450 -http://www.uscis.gov/i-90 Passport from USA: $190 - $260 - http://passportcanada.gc.ca/info/section6.aspx?lang=eng&region=USA)

Her marriage certificate, if Canadian, will always have her maiden name on it because thats who she was when she got married. Her birth certificate will also always have her maiden name on it because that's who she was when she was born.

Option 1: It's her passport that is the issue, which if you want the green card in her married name, get a new passport expedited to you. She has to reapply in the married name and they'll need the marriage certificate to do it. But from a passport office you can get it in a couple days. It's still cheaper than a new green card and getting a new passport in the USA, http://www.ppt.gc.ca/info/service.aspx?lang=eng

Even without expedited people generally get their passports in 2-3 weeks.

Option 2: wait until removal of conditions to change the name on her green card. If she changes her passport before then she just pays the fee for that. She can change all other ID in the USA using the marriage certificate.

Edited July 18, 2013 by NikiR

[moveslikestar 1]

She will only get the green card in her passport name. The cost to change everything in the USA will be rather large (green card is $450 -http://www.uscis.gov/i-90 Passport from USA: $190 - $260 - http://passportcanada.gc.ca/info/section6.aspx?lang=eng&region=USA)

Her marriage certificate, if Canadian, will always have her maiden name on it because thats who she was when she got married. Her birth certificate will also always have her maiden name on it because that's who she was when she was born.

Option 1: It's her passport that is the issue, which if you want the green card in her married name, get a new passport expedited to you. She has to reapply in the married name and they'll need the marriage certificate to do it. But from a passport office you can get it in a couple days. It's still cheaper than a new green card and getting a new passport in the USA, http://www.ppt.gc.ca/info/service.aspx?lang=eng

Even without expedited people generally get their passports in 2-3 weeks.

Option 2: wait until removal of conditions to change the name on her green card. If she changes her passport before then she just pays the fee for that. She can change all other ID in the USA using the marriage certificate.

Thank you NikiR -- I followed what you said and decided it was in the best interest to leave it the way it is. We came this far... dont want to mess it up! I also read on another forum, that we can simply tell the Consular Officer and they *should* be able to augment it for us. We'll try that too.

[Mrsrwhite 5]

Thank you NikiR -- I followed what you said and decided it was in the best interest to leave it the way it is. We came this far... dont want to mess it up! I also read on another forum, that we can simply tell the Consular Officer and they *should* be able to augment it for us. We'll try that too.

i had the same issues you had. All my documents submitted were in my maiden as would have been expected (BC, marriage certificate, etc), however from the

I-130 stage I started using my married name hypened with my maiden name. On my D-230 I used my married name as well.

However the most important thing is to make sure that your passport has whatever name you wish your green card and visa to be issued in. So even though my passport (with my maiden name only) would not expire until 2015, a month before my interview I changed my passport to add my new name.

In Jamaica, that cost would was only $50US (to have it done in 14 days) a whole lot cheaper than having my green card name changed for $450.

My advice, get a new passport with your new name, to take to interview, if its cheaper than having the deal with fixing green card name.

[milimelo 4,477]

Thank you NikiR -- I followed what you said and decided it was in the best interest to leave it the way it is. We came this far... dont want to mess it up! I also read on another forum, that we can simply tell the Consular Officer and they *should* be able to augment it for us. We'll try that too.

You think consular officer can override the rules that say visa is only issued in passport name? Good luck with that one and do report back how it went.