Maiden name as middle name - recognized by Germany?

[D.Ba 85]

This post by msdynamite which has never been answered made me think:

Can someone maybe help me? Here's my situation: let's say my maiden name is Mary Miller. That's what's on my birth certificate and passport. I never had a middle name or second first name before. My husbands last name is Smith.So then I married an filled in the AOS application like this: Mary as my first name, Miller as my middle name and Smith as my last name.
I got my greencard and everything was printed like I applied for.
When I tried to update my SSN they said even though the card was printed correctly USCIS had me in their system as Mary Miller Miller. So I send a letter to USCIS and they changed it. I went to SSO and DMV and got the SSN and my drivers license like I wanted it. Mary Miller Smith.
Thought: good. Done.
But NOW I got another letter from USCIS that they checked my file and they saw I never had a middle name on my birth certificate so they changed my name in their system to Mary Smith without my maiden name as my middle name.
What I wonder now is: I thought I could just apply in the name I wanted if I never had a middle name before??? I heard lots of people did it this way.
How do I get USCIS to take my maiden name back in their system? Will it be a problem let's say for traveling abroad that I have my name on all my documents differently than USCIS has me in their system??!?
Help would be highly appreciated. THANK YOU [End Quote]

I never had a middle name and wanted to adopt my maiden name as middle name (in AZ). Has anyone else had problems?

And will Germany accept it? Here we are definitely not used to this concept! Ah yes, and Germany does not have a "middle name" as such. You can have as many given (first) names as you like, but there is never a space for a "middle initial" in a form.

[Shauneg 762]

You can't just suddenly choose to change or have a middle name and start using it on forms like you can going from maiden to married name, You have to go to the courthouse and request legal name change. That's the basics of it, check the local courthouse, usually isn't a big deal at all.

[D.Ba 85]

As far as I read when you get married you can choose to keep maiden name as last name, take husbands name as last name or drop old middle name and use maiden name as middle name.

I was under the impression this is one of the 4 options (including hyphenated or double-barreled last name) you can pick when you get married.

And of course it's not "suddenly" like in "randomly", but in connection with a change in marital status.

Edited August 21, 2015 by D.Ba

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from Adjustment of Status from Family Based Visas forum to Europe and Eurasia regional forum.

[Sabrina&Chuck 32]

ya possible just maiden name ... maiden name and husbands name ..just husbands name

[piano 25]

ya possible just maiden name ... maiden name and husbands name ..just husbands name

I'm german and don't have a middle name. I filed all my forms with my last name as middle name and husbands last name and had no issue (as of yet lol)

From what I understand, for germany to recognize the name change, you have to file an actual name change declaration, as it is not something they automatically do.

http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/05__Legal/02__Directory__Services/04__Family__Matters/__Name.html

http://www.germany.info/contentblob/3079380/Daten/5528470/Name_Family.pdf

In that form, you can choose whether you adopt the new name change based on German law or the country's law in which you got married. I don't really understand the german options (the second one in particular), so I am just going to go with the American law, lol. Under that, you are limited only by what your state lets you do without a court order. In my state, choosing the maiden as middle name is an option, but I hadn't considered whether that lets you do so without having had a middle name in the first place.

I guess worst case you would have to get an actual court ordered name change, but I don't think that is necessary. I guess I'll find out when I try to update my name with the SSA.

Edited August 21, 2015 by piano

[D.Ba 85]

Yes, I saw that website too. I find it strange that in the text it lets you believe if you're German, the German naming law always, always applies if you're a citizen, and then in the form you can choose whether you want to use German or foreign naming law.

I agree that the second option is confusing. What does it mean "part of my former name" - if I was McGill can I just use the "Mc"? Well, I am not planning to fuse our names, so I'll just ignore that.

[piano 25]

Yes, I saw that website too. I find it strange that in the text it lets you believe if you're German, the German naming law always, always applies if you're a citizen, and then in the form you can choose whether you want to use German or foreign naming law.

I agree that the second option is confusing. What does it mean "part of my former name" - if I was McGill can I just use the "Mc"? Well, I am not planning to fuse our names, so I'll just ignore that.

So after doing some more reading, I really don't know how this is going to work. Technically all you can decide on is the last name, which is going to be my husbands last name. As of 2013, D won't let you put double last name without hyphen, so that won't work. According to the policies governing a Vornamen you can't choose a last name for that either, so that won't work as well. So I suppose best I can get in a German passport is my first name and husbands last name? I guess I'm going to have to wait til my name change is official here and then contact the embassy to see what they say. Now I wish I would have just dropped the darn thing lol.

[D.Ba 85]

The last thing I'd want is a double last name, with each of our last names 3 syllables and 9 letters long already.

I guess I can do without my maiden middle name in my German passport. Traveling shouldn't be a problem since the middle name certainly is optional?

[Lemonslice 4,858]

The last thing I'd want is a double last name, with each of our last names 3 syllables and 9 letters long already.

I guess I can do without my maiden middle name in my German passport. Traveling shouldn't be a problem since the middle name certainly is optional?

Just buy your tickets in your passport name(s).

[Thozelle 16]

As far as I read when you get married you can choose to keep maiden name as last name, take husbands name as last name or drop old middle name and use maiden name as middle name.

I was under the impression this is one of the 4 options (including hyphenated or double-barreled last name) you can pick when you get married.

And of course it's not "suddenly" like in "randomly", but in connection with a change in marital status.

Wife applied her passport and all her other id's dropping her middle name and taking her maiden name as her middle name. She had to go thru Commission of Filipino Overseas office to do that.

Below is a link to procedures for the US and other countries.

http://m.wikihow.com/Change-Your-Name-After-Marriage

[piano 25]

This is the most sort-of affirmative response i have found, also in response to mysdynamite. It still does not answer her original problem though, so the hope is that USCIS doesn't mess up lol.

http://www.amerika-forum.de/threads/224465-frage-zu-family-middle-u-first-name-umlaute-und-gestaltung/page4?highlight=msdynamite

Edited August 23, 2015 by piano

[Sabrina&Chuck 32]

I'm german and don't have a middle name. I filed all my forms with my last name as middle name and husbands last name and had no issue (as of yet lol)

From what I understand, for germany to recognize the name change, you have to file an actual name change declaration, as it is not something they automatically do.

http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/05__Legal/02__Directory__Services/04__Family__Matters/__Name.html

http://www.germany.info/contentblob/3079380/Daten/5528470/Name_Family.pdf

In that form, you can choose whether you adopt the new name change based on German law or the country's law in which you got married. I don't really understand the german options (the second one in particular), so I am just going to go with the American law, lol. Under that, you are limited only by what your state lets you do without a court order. In my state, choosing the maiden as middle name is an option, but I hadn't considered whether that lets you do so without having had a middle name in the first place.

I guess worst case you would have to get an actual court ordered name change, but I don't think that is necessary. I guess I'll find out when I try to update my name with the SSA.

I have 3 names..one name to be called. .and 2 middle names.. and the last name so actually 4

[msdynamite 57]

The last thing I'd want is a double last name, with each of our last names 3 syllables and 9 letters long already.

I guess I can do without my maiden middle name in my German passport. Traveling shouldn't be a problem since the middle name certainly is optional?

Hi everyone- I've just found this thread. I'm still busy with the name change problem. So apparently that letter I got could've been diregarded since at least in America my name wishes have been accepted. First name, maiden name middle name, husband last name.

I've been traveling with my non updated passport and marriage certificate without any problems. My passport is good another 5 years BUT my two year greencard is going to expire and the question of citizenship (I'm gonna go double) came up. In this case I will have to update my passport.

I've been in contact with the German embassy and the bottom line simply is: YOU CANNOT HAVE YOUR MAIDEN LAST NAME AS A MIDDLE NAME IN GERMANY!

That's a huge bummer. BUT at least the embassy stated, that I can have this name-constellation in the states without having it matched in my German passport. Means they will drop the middle name on it.They will maybe ask why that is at customs but they said it shouldn't be a problem.

I don't know how that's gonna go with the citizenship paperwork etc. what an ordeal :/

If anyone did this with success PLEASE let me know!

Good luck to anyone. I can only recommend: if you love your maiden name: keep it. I will probably have to drop my maiden middle name and that is really sad.

Edited February 22, 2016 by msdynamite

[TabeaK 517]

I never understood this name change hullaballoo anyway. Just keep your name... Neither me nor my husband changed anything. Don't see the point and don't need the added running around to change documents.

Anyway, under US naming law you can have the constellation you want - so why not go for it? The German passport will be different - but does that matter?