Lawyers, confusion and arguments.

[shell20 746]

I am not sure how they "tied" you to a contract for AOS. Can you explain that?

I find their reply email much more immature and offensive than the one you send to them. A professional is supposed to mollify you, not get into a teenage argument and threaten you.

Apparently when we signed for the K1 visa we also signed for the A0S, My husband told me that it was in the small print of the contract. I didn't want them for AOS as we got misinformation from them during the K1 process. The email that was sent by them for my husband to tell them what he thought is below. It got us both really upset as I already have my bank account, medical card, social security number in my married name.

"""""" name is reported on the marriage certificate as """"""""""""""""""". As such, unfortunately, that remains her official legal name at this time and what we need to report on the case forms. If she wants to change it, she must file an official name change petition through your local county courthouse or to change it for free she will have an opportunity in approximately 3 years when she applies for US citizenship.

Sorry but upon marriage, it is the obligation of the parties to notify the officiant of the bride's intention to change/take her spouse's name so it is reported as such on the marriage certificate.

Eat some ice-cream or chocolate to calm your nerves.

How about a pint of vodka?

[Daveykins 17]

Thanks for you kind words, not ignoring you but I am feeling dizzy and sick now. They have stressed me out way too much!!

I am SO going to sack them and report them to the bar.

Good luck!

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Shell, everything for your AOS is fine. There is no need to panic about that. The only problem is the lawyer, and how to deal with that situation. How about check with another lawyer to see if the contract you signed is legal? Have you already paid them for AOS?

[shell20 746]

Shell, everything for your AOS is fine. There is no need to panic about that. The only problem is the lawyer, and how to deal with that situation. How about check with another lawyer to see if the contract you signed is legal? Have you already paid them for AOS?

yes we have paid them. In the email they said they may drop us with no refund. I have to drop them now, I can't have them call my husband names and let me them get away with that I will be reporting them to the bar.

[sweet cakes 326]

Im sorry I havent yet I am trying to calm down my husband and I am feeling ill, I havent been well for weeks and they are just adding to my stress levels have you read what I posted just a minute ago a copy of my husbands email and their response. They phoned me after sending it, calling my husband immature, saying they didnt know how he held down a job. I said that is personal. I feel SO angry I cant even think straight right now.

Their email response sounds like you are working for them, instead of them working for you. If they have been giving out false info from the start, I would vote firing them soon too. It's totally unprofessional for anybody (not only lawyers) to respond with hostility to their clients. AOS from K1 is normally straightforward, so it's funny how they make it sound so complicated.

Stay healthy and stress-free, and hope you feel better soon!

[shell20 746]

Their email response sounds like you are working for them, instead of them working for you. If they have been giving out false info from the start, I would vote firing them soon too. It's totally unprofessional for anybody (not only lawyers) to respond with hostility to their clients. AOS from K1 is normally straightforward, so it's funny how they make it sound so complicated.

Stay healthy and stress-free, and hope you feel better soon!

I HAVE to sack them they can't call me and call my husband names, when all he need was point out facts to them, its factual they are incompetent.

[David & Diana R 1,005]

shell: yes we have paid them. In the email they said they may drop us with no refund. I have to drop them now, I can't have them call my husband names and let me them get away with that I will be reporting them to the bar.

Don't drop them without thinking first. You may violate the contract you signed with them and therefore will not be eligible for any refund if you fire them. Take a deep breath...don't be rash.. Regardless whether you fire them or not you can continues the process yourselves. Good luck,

[shell20 746]

shell: yes we have paid them. In the email they said they may drop us with no refund. I have to drop them now, I can't have them call my husband names and let me them get away with that I will be reporting them to the bar.

Don't drop them without thinking first. You may violate the contract you signed with them and therefore will not be eligible for any refund if you fire them. Take a deep breath...don't be rash.. Regardless whether you fire them or not you can continues the process yourselves. Good

Good point, we will make them drop us, by telling them we wont be apologising.

[Tina and Johan 206]

" (USCIS office specifically) takes a different approach then the state of Pennsylvania."

The very fact that they used "then" instead of "than" tells me they're idiots! (English teacher hat off) You can absolutely sign in your married name. The certified copy of your marriage license shows the transition from maiden to married name. They need to be fired. AND you should try to get a refund. Your husband's email was definitely the more professional of the two.

[Tina and Johan 206]

PS: David makes a good point. Make sure about the contract first.

[Ketsuban 1,034]

Sorry but upon marriage, it is the obligation of the parties to notify the officiant of the bride's intention to change/take her spouse's name so it is reported as such on the marriage certificate.

Eh? This wasn't even brought up during our wedding. Sure, my maiden name is on the certificate, but I have had ZERO trouble using it to change my name legally, even here in the UK.

Another Ebay degree lawyer!

[shell20 746]

" (USCIS office specifically) takes a different approach then the state of Pennsylvania."

The very fact that they used "then" instead of "than" tells me they're idiots! (English teacher hat off) You can absolutely sign in your married name. The certified copy of your marriage license shows the transition from maiden to married name. They need to be fired. AND you should try to get a refund. Your husband's email was definitely the more professional of the two.

Yes their English has a lot to be desired. And they are the ignorant ones sometimes they don't even include me in their emails, calling me "she". Last week they sent a confidential email to some random person..

I am not sure if we can sack them will have to read their never ending contract. As for my husband, unfortunately for them he is a qualified accountant with the intelligence to actually challenge what they say.

Eh? This wasn't even brought up during our wedding. Sure, my maiden name is on the certificate, but I have had ZERO trouble using it to change my name legally, even here in the UK.

Another Ebay degree lawyer!

precisely!!

[shell20 746]

PS: David makes a good point. Make sure about the contract first.

yep will do, I don't want them getting away with all our money for their inadequate services.

[ajhigh 2]

OP, sorry for what you're going through, it sounds awfully stressful.

VJ-ers, out of interest (and for the sake of others reading this thread in future), are you basically saying that even if Pennsylvania (or some hypothetical state) has unique rules about needing to go to the courthouse to change your name (i.e. rather than it being 'automatic' on marriage), that is irrelevant for USCIS' purposes?

I don't know *anything* about name-changes in the US. I did mine in my home-country, where it's not automatic on marriage but needs to be registered with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages - my understanding (again, I could be wrong) was that if I didn't do that 'extra step', then marriage alone didn't have any effect on my name change. If Pennsylvania follows a similar system, is the consensus on the forum that that is irrelevant for federal purposes? (FWIW: https://www.rocketlawyer.com/article/how-to-get-a-legal-name-change-in-pennsylvania-after-getting-married.rl)%C2'>

Assuming that's indeed the case, it sounds like these lawyers are pretty darn dodgy and again, very sorry OP that you're going through this. I agree with the suggestion of contacting the state bar re. the incorrect advice and lack of professionalism (not to mention them tying you into an AOS contract in the fine print of your K1 contract!). Good luck!

[belinda63 3,047]

Most if not all US states use the marriage certificate as a legal name change for the spouse (some are limited to wife). When you become married you can chose to use either your maiden name or your married name. BUT you have to be consistent, you can't change some of the documents and not others....it is all or nothing. I have never heard of a newly-wed wife having to obtain a legal name change through court procedures in the US.

As a side note when you divorce they ask if you would like to revert to your maiden name or keep the married name (at least they did me) but never when you marry.