How do you change your last name after marriage?

[PhDSharp 0]

Hi everyone. My Norwegian fiancé received his K1 visa in the mail last week (yay!), and he'll be joining me in the States on September 22 (yay, again!).

I decided that after I get married, I want to hyphenate my maiden name with his last name. Well, the fiancé wants us to have the same last name, so he's thinking about doing the same. In other words, as a couple we'll be something like "Mr. and Dr. Smith-Larsen."

How does a foreign fiancé change his/her last name after marriage?

Would my fiancé have to change his name in Norway or in America (or both separately)? How does that affect the visa process? Should he start the name-change process now while he's still in Norway? Or will that affect that Adjustment of Status? Can he does this after we have his permanent residency visa?

ANY advice and personal experience (or links to legit resources) on this would be appreciated. I'm at a total loss for where to even begin. I don't want to mess up the Adjustment of Status process, but I'm also afraid of having his current last name on ALL his American documents. . . since it will likely be a huge hassle to change it all later on.

Thanks everyone! Good luck to all those who are still waiting and congrats to those who've been recently approved!

[heatherw45 1]

My husband took my last name. Really, it's the same as if a woman takes a husband's surname. He did everything after we were married. The only hiccup was with his social security card. We had to wait until after he got his AOS to change it. Other than that, the first official change was the AOS paperwork. Everything will come in the new name. Then after that you can change the SS card (assuming you got it before AOS and marriage) and if you choose, his passport. We haven't done that yet but my understanding is that it is also pretty simple and straightforward.

Good luck! If you have any questions feel free to holler. I never check here anymore

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to Adjustment of Status from Family Based Visas forum; topic is more relevant to the AOS process than it is to the K1 process.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Check with the laws of the state in which you marry. I do not think all states allow for the man to change his name through marriage. He may have to go through the courts to do it.

[foreignrelations 1]

I can't speak to the Norway end of things, but if your fiance does have to change his name through the courts as Jay-Kay says, the procedure will be the same as if he were a US citizen. My husband ended up changing his name while AOS was in process and sending the name change order to USCIS. It wasn't a hassle to get the name updated in their system; on the other hand, it might have delayed the processing (we've currently been waiting nearly 11 months), and it was tense because for a while we didn't know whether the order would come through in time for the new name to be reflected on his green card. So if you do go have to go through the courts it might be better to wait for that process to finish up before you file your AOS application. To speed things along you could file the name change petition as soon as he gets to the States, without waiting for your wedding.

[PhDSharp 0]

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

Other than that, the first official change was the AOS paperwork. Everything will come in the new name.

So are you saying that you changed his name before spending in the AOS paperwork? Or you sent in the paperwork then had to change it mid-process?

Check with the laws of the state in which you marry. I do not think all states allow for the man to change his name through marriage. He may have to go through the courts to do it.

Done! I checked that yesterday and our state lets you change the husband's name upon marriage. No courts needed!

I can't speak to the Norway end of things, but if your fiance does have to change his name through the courts as Jay-Kay says, the procedure will be the same as if he were a US citizen. My husband ended up changing his name while AOS was in process and sending the name change order to USCIS. It wasn't a hassle to get the name updated in their system; on the other hand, it might have delayed the processing (we've currently been waiting nearly 11 months), and it was tense because for a while we didn't know whether the order would come through in time for the new name to be reflected on his green card. So if you do go have to go through the courts it might be better to wait for that process to finish up before you file your AOS application. To speed things along you could file the name change petition as soon as he gets to the States, without waiting for your wedding.

Hm. . . Our priority is to get his AOS processed as quickly as possible in case he needs to travel back for family reasons. Maybe it's better to just wait until after we've received his AOS. I thought we were through with the mountains of paperwork for a while! LOL We're in no rush to change his name. He'll probably go by the hyphenated name socially even though it's not his name legally.

(My parents think we're nuts for doing this, by the way. Oh, well!)

[M and C 32]

In California, when one couple applies for the marriage license, both parties (groom and bride) will be asked to fill out in the form what would their names be after marriage. In our case, my husband didn't change his name (left the box blank); while I took my husband's name, as I have filled out in the box provided in the form. I'm not sure if this is the same in all other states.

[NomadTravels 5]

So are you saying that you changed his name before spending in the AOS paperwork? Or you sent in the paperwork then had to change it mid-process?

I'm rather confused about the name change as well. Did you just put a new name on the AOS paperwork? We were never asked about what we would like our names to be on the marriage certificate. I've already applied for her Social Security Card in her new name, but we won't receive that until after we've filed our AOS.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Fill out all the AOS forms in the name you will be using after marriage.