Wife will keep her maiden name... issues?

[K & V 33]

Hello,

I am a US citizen planning to marry my Serbian native fiancée this spring in Italy. My soon to be spouse lives and works in Italy as a legal resident, but is a Serbian national. To make a long story short, if you marry in Italy it isn't required for the wife to take the husband's last name. Knowing this would my future spouse run into any difficulties when we begin the CR-1 visa process?

[Cody and Daisy 373]

Hello,

I am a US citizen planning to marry my Serbian native fiancée this spring in Italy. My soon to be spouse lives and works in Italy as a legal resident, but is a Serbian national. To make a long story short, if you marry in Italy it isn't required for the wife to take the husband's last name. Knowing this would my future spouse run into any difficulties when we begin the CR-1 visa process?

It isn't required anywhere to take husbands last name.

It's more of a tradition to do so.

Wives don't have to.

You'll be fine.

[K & V 33]

Thanks Cody and Daisy, and what about after she arrives to the US? If we wanted to change her last name to mine would there be any issues?

[spousewaitingvisa 39]

Thanks Cody and Daisy, and what about after she arrives to the US? If we wanted to change her last name to mine would there be any issues?

No, there won't be any issues at all (before she enters and after she enters US).

After marriage and uscis/nvc/interview process, her maiden name will be on visa if she keeps her maiden name. Once she enters US, she will get her green card. Her maiden name will be on her green card.

Three options:

Option 1. If she wants to change her last name to yours immediately after she arrives in US, she will need to file I-90 to replace her green card with her new last name.

Option 2:

2a. If she is a two-year conditional resident (marriage is less than 2 years when entering US) and it is not urgent to change her name while she is in US, she can file I-90 anytime, but it is not necessary to file I-90 because it wastes your money. To remove conditions in order to get a permanent green card, your wife and you jointly can file I-751 with her new last name during the 90 day period immediately before her conditional residence expires.

2b. If she is a 10-year permanent resident (marriage is more than 2 years when entering US), she can file I-90 anytime.

Option 3: She can apply for N-400 to become a US citizen in 3 years based on your marriage with her new last name. She will get a US Naturalization certificate with her new last name.

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from Progress Reports to Process & Procedures.