Names Change after Marriage

[eap620 0]

Hey everyone,

I posted this in the K3 forum but I'm not having any luck...thought you guys might could help.

Just wondering....I was married in late December and haven't changed my last name yet. I wanted to file the petition ASAP and was curious as to what I should put on the forms. Should I put my married name since it is not legally changed yet? I wouldn't think so but I wanted to ask. And, what if I put my maiden name and current last name on the forms but I will for sure change it before the petition is approved?

I haven't even notified anything in America that I am married. What was your first step in doing this? Probably the name change, right What should I do in regards to all of this for the petition?

Thank you!!!

Erin

P.S. For those that wondered...Dean and I did not get his travel visa earlier this week in Belize.

They also said that Belize is not accepting the I-130's directly anymore. Ugh! I was hoping they would have started accepting them by now.

[zyggy 9]

THe second you got married, you could legally use the name. If you want to be known by your married name, use that name on your paperwork...

What they said is true, THe consulates are no longer accpeting I-130's. You have to go to the USCIS field office that has jursidiction over Belize to file the I=130 if you are resident in Belieze with aequate proof of that condition.

The USCIS field office that has jurisdiction over Belize is in Guatemala City.

[eap620 0]

zyggy...

Thanks for the response. To clarify what you have said - I can use my married name even though I have not officially changed it? It's not the name on my passport or anything official. I am just curious as to what name I put on the petition (married or maiden)? I want to file really soon (possibly next week) but I didn't know if I needed to notify the proper people in the states first and additionally have my name changed. I don't want people to think that this marriage isn't legitimate.

And next...are you saying that I can file DCF but I have to do it through Guatemala City? The CO seemed to think that I would need to send the petition through the service centers in the U.S. Please elaborate on my options with Guatemala.

Thanks again so much!!!

Erin

[BelwinMills 0]

I used my married name. I haven't officially changed it on everything. The process is running smoothly for me.

[malka 0]

And next...are you saying that I can file DCF but I have to do it through Guatemala City? The CO seemed to think that I would need to send the petition through the service centers in the U.S. Please elaborate on my options with Guatemala.

Thanks again so much!!!

Erin

Well... you MIGHT be able to file with the USCIS office in Guatamala City. It isn't really DCF - it's overseas filing with USCIS. Some overseas offices for USCIS are taking petitions from locally resident USCs, or from USCs in their jurisdiction, but there is a lack of clarity on this policy at the moment. USCIS is supposed to clarify things with their overseas offices soon. In the meantime, you would probably be best off checking directly with USCIS in Guatamala City to find out their current interpretation of the policy, since each USCIS overseas office is handling this differently, and the laws are changing around a bit this week.

And Zyggy made an important point - you'll need to be able to prove residency in Belize, otherwise you'll almost certainly have to file through the US USCIS offices.

Edited March 3, 2007 by malka

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I used my married name. I haven't officially changed it on everything. The process is running smoothly for me.

Same here -- no problems with the 'unofficial' new name.

[eap620 0]

Thanks everyone!!!! I will look into the whole Guatemala City thing but most likely will just file in the states since that is what the CO in Belize suggested. I just wanna do it right.

From what y'all have said I guess it seems normal to go ahead and use your married name on the petitions even though you haven't changed it on anything else. As long as that's acceptable with USCIS then I'm happy about it. Thanks for all you help and if you think there is anything else I need to know about this, please pass along the info.

Best,

Erin