Changing name on greencard

[Chicken_Little 0]

Hi all,

I got my greencard last March, and at the time I was still going by my maiden name. Well, after some thinking, I decided to change my name to take my husband's (hyphenated, actually so I now am Maiden-Married) and now I am having the headache of trying to change everything over.

I have already changed my name legally (have to court order and everything) and have my new driver's license, and my new SSN card, and now I am figuring out whether to change my passport first or my greencard. For the passport, all I do is go the Canadian Embassy here in Boston, and for $12 they will "add" my new name. A new passport is not required, they just add in an "observance". This is done while I wait, and should take about 45 minutes they said.

For the green card, I have to fill out form I-90. This is where it gets confusing: they don't specify WHICH name they want me to put on the application: my "new" name, or the one my card was issued in? Also, they ask where the original petition for the green card was filed. Do they mean where I was living at the time, or where my husband, the petitioner, was living since he was the one who sent it in?

I'm so confused.

Also, should I wait to get my passport done until I know when I have to get my fingerprinting and photo done? My concern is that we travel to Canada pretty much every month for a weekend to visit my family. Jan.1st 2007 they started requiring passports as well as greencards be shown, so if my passport has a notation in it, saying I've changed my name, but my greencard is still in my maiden name, do you think they'll give me a hard time?

I don't want them to be all like "This passport says your legal name is Maiden-Married, but you green card says Maiden. You can't come back into the States, sorry".

Anyone else been through this? *sigh* I'm kicking myself now for not chaning my name when I first got married. Had I done that, my greencard would be in the proper name and I wouldn't be going through this #######!

[Velvettt 0]

I didn't take my husband's name, either. My green card is in the hyphenated state already. I intended to keep my name because my passport is in that name and I have no intention of changing my passport. When my green card arrived, both names were on it. I have no idea why, but I've continued using that.

[shoe 0]

I didn't take my husband's name, either. My green card is in the hyphenated state already. I intended to keep my name because my passport is in that name and I have no intention of changing my passport. When my green card arrived, both names were on it. I have no idea why, but I've continued using that.

Hey Velvettt when u went 4 your interview u did not ask the interview officer to have it changed but they just did it? I mean when u signed your AOS papers did u use your maiden or married name? Im in the same dilema I want my green card to be in my maried name as in maiden-married but when I signed the AOS papers my lawyer told me to just use my maiden name since I had not changed it on anyother documents. I dont want to go thru anymore paper work after I get approved and get my card God willing u know like what Chicken_Little is going thru.

[Velvettt 0]

I filled everything out using my maiden name. I honestly have no idea why the paperwork came back from the govt with both last names on it. I was married before and I debated whether or not to keep my maiden name back then. I decided to take my (former) husband's name because his family got so outraged that I didn't want it. I regretted it for the whole 25 yrs I was married.

After my divorce, I had to jump through unbelievable hoops to get my name changed back, and I just didn't want to change it again. My wonderful husband had no problem with that, but obviously someone in the gov did!

edited to add: "your lawyer told you..." hmmmmm.... hang around this website long enough and you'll know that I was rolling my eyes when I read that.

Edited January 20, 2007 by Velvettt