All Japan Filers

[J & K 2]

I guess I will join this thread too.

Sent in our I-129F package for K-1 five days ago. Now I am waiting on NOA1 and a receipt number so I can start tracking it on the USCIS website.

[honbako 1]

congrats!!!

you will be rejoined soon!!

Thank you! It's been pretty hectic making plans for her arrival and a busy work schedule. I still need to start to put together the things we'll need for AOS.

I guess I will join this thread too.

Sent in our I-129F package for K-1 five days ago. Now I am waiting on NOA1 and a receipt number so I can start tracking it on the USCIS website.

Yokoso and welcome aboard!

[honbako 1]

Hi everyone,

My fiancee will (finally) be arriving here next week on her K-1 visa and we're trying to finalize some things as far as the necessary paper work.　　My fiancee's planning on changing her name, but the main question is the timing of it. As I presently understand it the steps are:

1. Get married.

2. Using marriage certificate, get SSN with name changed

3. Apply for AOS (or maybe this should be #2)?

4. <other paperwork/procedures>

When I apply for AOS for her, do I do so with her maiden name or the update name after we're married?

Also there's the issue of updating her name on her passport after we're married. The Embassy of Japan has some information about that here: パスポートへの外国式の氏名表記。

My main concern/question is when should she update her name on her passport. My assumption is that her K-1 visa is stamped somewhere on her passport and if we update the passport (I'm not sure whether she'd get the old one back), we'd lose access to the I-94 and K-1 information stamped therein. There's also the issue of updating the Family Registry: 婚姻届。

I'm curious to hear about anyone else's experience and any advice you might have. Thank you!

[Akiko 0]

Hi everyone. Its been awhile since I've been here.

I had some questions concerning traveling. My husband and I will be visiting my family in Japan in December. I still have a Japanese passport under my maiden name. But I have government ids (green card, drivers license, etc) under my current married name. Am I supposed to book tickets under my maiden name or my current name? Or was I supposed to do something about my passport after I got married?

And does anyone know the process during customs and immigration when I arrive in Japan?

Thanks!

Edited October 17, 2010 by Akiko

[honbako 1]

Hi everyone. Its been awhile since I've been here.

I had some questions concerning traveling. My husband and I will be visiting my family in Japan in December. I still have a Japanese passport under my maiden name. But I have government ids (green card, drivers license, etc) under my current married name. Am I supposed to book tickets under my maiden name or my current name? Or was I supposed to do something about my passport after I got married?

And does anyone know the process during customs and immigration when I arrive in Japan?

Thanks!

Hi Akiko-san,

Your question sounds pertinent to my question. It would seem that you would have to book your tickets under your maiden name since it is still on your Japanese passport; it's likely that your boarding pass and passport will be checked (at least at the airport security). I can't say for sure since I've yet to go through this myself.

In regards to your passport, if I understand correctly the Japanese seems to require notification of name changes, etc within 6 months after the marriage has happened. At least this is what I can ascertain from the two links below:

http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/j/passport/passport_name.html (for the passport)

http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/j/koseki/marriage_top.html (for the family registry)

Unfortunately, since I'm a U.S. Citizen, I can't answer what the process will be during customs and immigration for you. Hopefully someone who has direct experience can answer that for you soon before you travel.

Since we're on the topic of name changes (and it seems that you were a K-1 visa holder), could I ask you some questions?

My fiancee (who's a Japanese citizen) and I will be married next month. She's a K-1 visa holder and she's planning on using her married name on the passport, etc after we're married. When you applied for the AOS, did you apply for it using your married name? Also (if you don't mind me asking), did you sign your marriage certificate using your married name as well?

I've searched the forums and have read inconsistent answers. Some people seemed to have signed their marriage certificates under their married name ... then that constitutes as their "name change" while I've read that others have signed the marriage certificate under their maiden name, then changed their names when they applied for a social security number.

Thank you.

[Akiko 0]

Hi Akiko-san,

Your question sounds pertinent to my question. It would seem that you would have to book your tickets under your maiden name since it is still on your Japanese passport; it's likely that your boarding pass and passport will be checked (at least at the airport security). I can't say for sure since I've yet to go through this myself.

In regards to your passport, if I understand correctly the Japanese seems to require notification of name changes, etc within 6 months after the marriage has happened. At least this is what I can ascertain from the two links below:

http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/j/passport/passport_name.html (for the passport)

http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/j/koseki/marriage_top.html (for the family registry)

Unfortunately, since I'm a U.S. Citizen, I can't answer what the process will be during customs and immigration for you. Hopefully someone who has direct experience can answer that for you soon before you travel.

Since we're on the topic of name changes (and it seems that you were a K-1 visa holder), could I ask you some questions?

My fiancee (who's a Japanese citizen) and I will be married next month. She's a K-1 visa holder and she's planning on using her married name on the passport, etc after we're married. When you applied for the AOS, did you apply for it using your married name? Also (if you don't mind me asking), did you sign your marriage certificate using your married name as well?

I've searched the forums and have read inconsistent answers. Some people seemed to have signed their marriage certificates under their married name ... then that constitutes as their "name change" while I've read that others have signed the marriage certificate under their maiden name, then changed their names when they applied for a social security number.

Thank you.

Hey thanks for the links. I will definitely check them out.

When I applied for the AOS, I applied with my married name. Same with the marriage certificate, I signed with my married name. Because isn't that the name that will appear on the permanent resident card (green card)? I've noticed that many people got their social security number before they got married. I got mine after I got married because I thought it would be a hassle getting my name changed. I didn't have any problems with the AOS so it should be fine to use the married name when you sign, apply for AOS, etc...

Good luck. Let me know if you have any more questions.

[honbako 1]

Hey thanks for the links. I will definitely check them out.

When I applied for the AOS, I applied with my married name. Same with the marriage certificate, I signed with my married name. Because isn't that the name that will appear on the permanent resident card (green card)? I've noticed that many people got their social security number before they got married. I got mine after I got married because I thought it would be a hassle getting my name changed. I didn't have any problems with the AOS so it should be fine to use the married name when you sign, apply for AOS, etc...

Good luck. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Thank you for the information! That helped clear up a lot of unknowns and uncertainties. We're going to get the social security number after the wedding for the same reasons of trying to avoid any extra headaches and hassle of having to do the name change again. Thank you kindly again.

[chicalifornia 0]

Hello, yes, I am from japan, too!! I guess it's not so hard to find what you want in Japanese on Internet for us, so maybe that's why there are not so many folks from there. But I think visajourney is very helpful and I thought there are many info that everybody can share regardless of countries of origin, so I signed up here a few days ago.

In case you are wondering I am Japanese in California who came here in July with k1 visa and I turned in my adjustment of status last month so I am doing my best to settle in and waiting for my ead and green card. I used to study in us, and that's where I met my husband. Nice to meet you all!!

[MochiKamo 93]

Got the NOA1 on 10/19!

[Addie_Goodvibes 0]

My wife is Japanese, We got her 10 year green card in 2006

@ Akiko - My Wife travels on Her Japanese passport, She shows her Green card when re-entering the US. She has never had any problems.

Right now she is trying to establish a credit history in the US. It seems no one will extend her a credit card under her own name.

She has excellent credit in Japan. She always gets turned down here due to insufficient credit history.

Any Ideas on how she can establish credit?

She is already on a couple of my accounts as joint card holder, she is also on my mortgage and Auto Loan.

Edited October 27, 2010 by Addie_Goodvibes

[honbako 1]

Hello, yes, I am from japan, too!! I guess it's not so hard to find what you want in Japanese on Internet for us, so maybe that's why there are not so many folks from there. But I think visajourney is very helpful and I thought there are many info that everybody can share regardless of countries of origin, so I signed up here a few days ago.

In case you are wondering I am Japanese in California who came here in July with k1 visa and I turned in my adjustment of status last month so I am doing my best to settle in and waiting for my ead and green card. I used to study in us, and that's where I met my husband. Nice to meet you all!!

Hello and welcome aboard!

Got the NOA1 on 10/19!

Congratualations!

[honbako 1]

My wife is Japanese, We got her 10 year green card in 2006

@ Akiko - My Wife travels on Her Japanese passport, She shows her Green card when re-entering the US. She has never had any problems.

Right now she is trying to establish a credit history in the US. It seems no one will extend her a credit card under her own name.

She has excellent credit in Japan. She always gets turned down here due to insufficient credit history.

Any Ideas on how she can establish credit?

She is already on a couple of my accounts as joint card holder, she is also on my mortgage and Auto Loan.

Based on the way the credit system works, I believe your wife will have to get a secure starter credit card under her own name. The secured card might require some kind of co-signing on your parer to act as a guarantor in some fashion. Here's a link that might get you started: http://education.cardhub.com/starter-credit-card/

[Amastar 0]

Ahh I remember these days.

Its been a couple of years since I contributed but I wanted to wish everyone good luck on your journey.

Reading all these posts is making me remember all the stuff me and my wife had to go through.

I havent been keeping up with the USCIS and the wait time since Ako moved here but hopefully things have sped up since we had to go through all of this.

Take care and good luck the rest of the way!

[MochiKamo 93]

Going to visit Tokyo for New Year in T minus 20 days!!! :D

Edited December 7, 2010 by Yagisama

[YOUTOO 2]

My wife is Japanese, We got her 10 year green card in 2006

@ Akiko - My Wife travels on Her Japanese passport, She shows her Green card when re-entering the US. She has never had any problems.

Right now she is trying to establish a credit history in the US. It seems no one will extend her a credit card under her own name.

She has excellent credit in Japan. She always gets turned down here due to insufficient credit history.

Any Ideas on how she can establish credit?

She is already on a couple of my accounts as joint card holder, she is also on my mortgage and Auto Loan.

It took us about 6 months to begin seeing approvals for credit card. We started with the easiest of card, a gasoline credit card. Ours was from Shell, you could try any other one. Next we tried for a store card, that worked for Macy's. Also when we opened joint bank accounts we also opened one separate account just for me at the same time. That earned me a debit card. So, slowly and piece by piece we got where we are now. Just be patient, you wll get there.

Happy Holidays to all.