Name change help

[Gillian+Mike 6]

Hi, I have a question about changing my name once married. I will be applying to be a dental hygienist in California (after marriage), and in order to do so, I need my full name to be the name that matches all of my previous info (my diploma, exam results, etc). which would be my maiden name. I need a SSN in order to be registered as a dental hygienist, therefore would need my SSN to be my maiden name. Am I able to wait awhile to change my name and still get a SSN with my maiden name? I would just need to change my last name after receiving my license to work. I know it's more of a hassle to do it this way but it is necessary. Would I need to wait until after AOS to change my name? Or wait for my name change to file for AOS? I hope I am making sense! This is very far down the road but it has been something I'm thinking about. Thanks in advance,

Gillian

[lost_at_sea 995]

You don't have to change your name at all if you don't want to. You can wait as long as you want and decide to change it later if you so choose.

[Lemonslice 4,843]

I am in a similar situation and didn't change my name; changing my name everywhere would have been more efforts than the immigration process - and could not be done for some documents.

[Moustafa/Crystal 65]

Changing names during the immigration process seems to complicate things for some people.

If it is important to you, change your name.