When does my Last name change? (K1)

[NikLR 13,227]

Given name means first and middle names.

Surname means last name. Generally you only have ONE surname, but it's possible to have more than one.

Most US citizens tend to drop a name when they take on a married name. For instance: Red = First Green = middle (both are GIVEN names) and Blue = last.

Joan Nada Smith gets married to Joe Tada Nobody

Her name after marriage, should she choose, would be Joan Nada Nobody, or Joan Nada Smith-Nobody, or occasionally Joan Nada Smith Nobody.

Your name should have showed up on your visa and i-94 as Nina ela Nya Yota but didn't because they didn't realize ela was part of your FIRST name not your MIDDLE name.

You can fill out your documents as

Nina ela Nya Yota Smith if you want to.

[k_stacky 65]

Does anyone know if you can change your first name as well while you are changing your last name, or is that something that would have to be done as an official name change? I've been going by a shortened version of my first name and would like to just omit the long form of it altogether if it's that simple but I have a feeling it's not haha

[NikLR 13,227]

You can do it at citizenship but not before.