Name Change after marraige

[Hik07 11]

I saw in a post that for some their Chinese wife took their husbands last name and used her family name as her middle name. My wife future wife wants to do the same. We are marrying next month and want to know is there any thing I should do for name change, to make that process go smoothly? Like before submitting the I-130 . I was wondering if there was something we should do in China for the name change on marriage certificate? Then what about when filling out I-130? Passport change or not.ect. Any advise would be appreciated. Maybe some one could share step by step how and when they did it or if your opinion is to wait like to know why that's better... Pro's and Con's ...Thank you

[bigdog 376]

Legally we let the IO change her name at the time of the interview, (ordering the green card with the name as we wanted it). Once the green card arrived with the names as you want go to social security and change it. After both of those are done, change the DL / State ID, banking etc. We debated on filing with the married name as we wanted it and listing her maiden as a AKA. My wife kept her passport as it was, having other documents with her last as a middle we have never had an issue with TSA, Immigration etc. Being in AZ they are particular as to the order, GC, SS, DL others. Good luck. The only thing the IO mentioned is that immigration does not like hyphenated names (unknown why). The marriage certificate is what it is.

[Darnell 8,478]

marriage in china ? name change in china, hukuo book change, to facilitate a passport name change ?

have a passport name change, so visa name change also ?

then a green card name change ?

sounds painful, when starting with a marriage in china.

note bigdog not marry in china, so the 'married name' thing was easier in the USA for his wife.

[Hik07 11]

Oh I thought they were married in China. Yes I agree sounds like to much to do. For some reason I thought I saw it mentioned in other post it wasn't a big deal. Does the CO ask what name do you want on green card at interview? Or do you just keep it as her name is now and change all later except passport once in the States? Maybe someone can tell us the best and easiest way to do this.

[Darnell 8,478]

as far as uscis is concerned - they allow a name change when going through the citizenship process.

however, prior to that, after arrival,

can go to a county judge and get a legal name change done there. once you have the county's document, can get an updated green card by paying a fee and filing the I-90, showing the court document.

with an updated green card in hand, can get name change on ssn card.

sure, it's money, but it's a money vs time problem, here in the USA, for an IR-1/CR-1 visa holder. Repeat for emphasis - bigdog's wife came in on a K-1 visa; the namechange handled in USA because of USA marriage cert. They still haven't changed the passport name, at all. Nor the hukuo book.