MARRIED NOW - WORKING ON AOS & EAD

[rjsteodosio 4]

Hello everyone!!

I am happy to say that my fiancé (now husband) and I married on September 20, 2014.

We are getting ready to file for his AOS and EAD.

I was just wondering... Upon filing, do I sign everything in my married name even though I haven't legally changed my name yet?

Any other FEMALE petitioners out there??

[baron555 934]

You use your current legal name.

[jxn 86]

Just to clarify, where did you get married? A lot of jurisdictions allow you to declare a married name on the marriage certificate, so if that's the case you wouldn't have to go through a separate name change process.

[Caryh 5,206]

Fill out the forms using your new married name. First Name, Paternal Last Name, Husband's Last Name. Filling out the forms this way is part of the process of establishing your new married name. Enter you unmarried name, and a name formerly used.

[jxn 86]

Fill out the forms using your new married name. First Name, Paternal Last Name, Husband's Last Name. Filling out the forms this way is part of the process of establishing your new married name. Enter you unmarried name, and a name formerly used.

There is no automatic format for a married name. It's whatever you declare at marriage (depending on the jurisdiction) or during a legal name change. If OP didn't change her name on the marriage certificate or via the courts, she has to continue to use her legal name.

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from K1 Process to Fam.-based AOS Forum~

~Inquiry about AOS-associated processes, past K1~

[Caryh 5,206]

There is no automatic format for a married name. It's whatever you declare at marriage (depending on the jurisdiction) or during a legal name change. If OP didn't change her name on the marriage certificate or via the courts, she has to continue to use her legal name.

As a Philippine Citizen, there is a a format on what legal names she can have after marriage. This is written into the laws of the Philippines. No other forms will be recognized in her country.

Most states do not include the name after marriage on the marriage certificate. The one wishing to take a new name after marriage does so by changing their IDs after marriage in the format they desire.

It appears Guam follows the same name after marriage format as the Philippines.

http://www.guampdn.com/guampublishing/bridal/2005/2005/002firstthing.html

Edited September 30, 2014 by Caryh

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

There is no automatic format for a married name. It's whatever you declare at marriage (depending on the jurisdiction) or during a legal name change. If OP didn't change her name on the marriage certificate or via the courts, she has to continue to use her legal name.

You are mistaken and giving out misinformation. Many states do not have you declare what you name you will use or put the new married name on the marriage certificate. They still can use the married name right away. The marriage certificate still acts as a legal name change document. Just because you live in a state that does not list the married name on the marriage license/certificate, does not mean you must get a court order to change your name through marriage.

OP> If you want to change your name after you married to your husband's, then do so. Use the married name on all your AOS forms, as the name you put on the forms, is the name that will be on your EAD/AP and green card. Put your maiden name where it asks for other names used/maiden name. The copy of your marriage certificate that include with your AOS paperwork is your legal name change document.

[jxn 86]

You are mistaken and giving out misinformation. Many states do not have you declare what you name you will use or put the new married name on the marriage certificate. They still can use the married name right away. The marriage certificate still acts as a legal name change document. Just because you live in a state that does not list the married name on the marriage license/certificate, does not mean you must get a court order to change your name through marriage.

OP> If you want to change your name after you married to your husband's, then do so. Use the married name on all your AOS forms, as the name you put on the forms, is the name that will be on your EAD/AP and green card. Put your maiden name where it asks for other names used/maiden name. The copy of your marriage certificate that include with your AOS paperwork is your legal name change document.

My apologies if I'm wrong. I did try to clarify that name changes that happen simultaneously with the marriage certificate depend on the jurisdiction, and I'd love to learn more about states where you change your name when getting married but they don't actually put it on the marriage certificate—seems counterproductive to me. Are you saying that states list the spouse's maiden name only, even though they give her the option to update her name? Or are you saying that USCIS will allow you to take the format "FirstName HusbandsLastName" without that name having been previously written into a marriage certificate? Thanks for all your input!

[Caryh 5,206]

My apologies if I'm wrong. I did try to clarify that name changes that happen simultaneously with the marriage certificate depend on the jurisdiction, and I'd love to learn more about states where you change your name when getting married but they don't actually put it on the marriage certificate—seems counterproductive to me. Are you saying that states list the spouse's maiden name only, even though they give her the option to update her name? Or are you saying that USCIS will allow you to take the format "FirstName HusbandsLastName" without that name having been previously written into a marriage certificate? Thanks for all your input!

Most states do not put the name after marriage on the marriage certificate. They will tell you to just go get a new ID in the married name you want and a new SS card. As your marriage certificate gives you the right to do that.

But I agree with you, it is much clearer in states where you put the name you want after marriage on the original license and show it on the certificate. Saves a lot of headache for Filipinas that want their married name recognized in their home country, but some bureaucrat tells them they can't change their middle name with the marriage certificate. I believe only NY state is the only state with a law against changing the middle name with marriage.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

My apologies if I'm wrong. I did try to clarify that name changes that happen simultaneously with the marriage certificate depend on the jurisdiction, and I'd love to learn more about states where you change your name when getting married but they don't actually put it on the marriage certificate—seems counterproductive to me. Are you saying that states list the spouse's maiden name only, even though they give her the option to update her name? Or are you saying that USCIS will allow you to take the format "FirstName HusbandsLastName" without that name having been previously written into a marriage certificate? Thanks for all your input!

Both. Some states do not even ask what name you want to use after marriage. For example, my state of FL does not ask what name you want to use and only the names at the time you applied for the marriage license will appear on the marriage certificate. The marriage certificate is actually just a copy of the license with the registration number and county clerk's signature/stamp. You can still use the marriage certificate as your legal name change document. USCIS accepts the marriage certificate as the legal name change document.

One downside to state's that do not have you state what name you wish to use, is that you can only take your husband's name as it is on the marriage license. At least that is the case here in FL. Since my husband listed both his last names, then I had to take both as well and could not use just one without the other. If I want to use only one, then I will need to get a court-ordered name change to drop one of the two.

[jxn 86]

Most states do not put the name after marriage on the marriage certificate. They will tell you to just go get a new ID in the married name you want and a new SS card. As your marriage certificate gives you the right to do that.

But I agree with you, it is much clearer in states where you put the name you want after marriage on the original license and show it on the certificate. Saves a lot of headache for Filipinas that want their married name recognized in their home country, but some bureaucrat tells them they can't change their middle name with the marriage certificate. I believe only NY state is the only state with a law against changing the middle name with marriage.

My wife and I married in Hawaii and I assumed other states did it the same way… it lists the maiden and declared (married) name of both the bride and groom. They do have rules regarding the names—the middle and last names can only remain the same or be a maiden or married surname (or some combination thereof). For Essentially (using a middle name example), if John Smith marries Jane Marie Doe, she could become Jane Doe Smith or Jane Marie-Doe Smith but she couldn't become Jane Sarah Doe or Jane Sarah Smith, if that makes sense.

[Hank_ 9,174]

Hello everyone!!

I am happy to say that my fiancé (now husband) and I married on September 20, 2014.

We are getting ready to file for his AOS and EAD.

I was just wondering... Upon filing, do I sign everything in my married name even though I haven't legally changed my name yet?

Any other FEMALE petitioners out there??

In most states, once married your simply start using your married name, there is no process, so you use your married name for EVERYTHING... including AOS documents!

You grab a certified copy of you marriage certificate stop by SSA get your SS card updated, you get your driver's license update, the bank... well you get the idea.

[Caryh 5,206]

In most states, once married your simply start using your married name, there is no process, so you use your married name for EVERYTHING... including AOS documents!

You grab a certified copy of you marriage certificate stop by SSA get your SS card updated, you get your driver's license update, the bank... well you get the idea.

It appears she's in Guam though, which from what I read, makes it appear her name automatically switches to the married name following the Filipino way unless she opted out of it before hand.

[Hank_ 9,174]

It appears she's in Guam though, which from what I read, makes it appear her name automatically switches to the married name following the Filipino way unless she opted out of it before hand.

She - is a USC .