Married on K1 - Starting AoS process questions

[Stelare 35]

So I just looked over the remainder of the K1 flowchart with the AoS details. My SO and I got married a week ago, and I just received my SSN in the mail today.

We plan to go and change my name on my SSN to my married name during the week, as we need to receive some marriage documents.

 

I have a few questions...

- I used my maiden name signature on my marriage license, as per what I read online. Do I start signing the AoS documents with my 'new signature'? (My old signature had my maiden name). Obviously because we only got married recently and I have no ID with my new married name, I don't have any documentation with what my new signature would be.

- How soon should we start the application process for the AoS? I know I should have a joint bank account set up with my husband and stuff, and we can't do that until i get my SSN adjusted.

- How long should we expect the process to take until the interview + receiving the green card?

- Will I receive the EAD and travel document BEFORE the green card, or with the green card? Is it possible to get ahold of the travel document sooner?

 

- Is there anything I need to do in regards to name change? Or is just my marriage license/certificate enough?

[geowrian 22,337]

39 minutes ago, Stelare said:

So I just looked over the remainder of the K1 flowchart with the AoS details. My SO and I got married a week ago, and I just received my SSN in the mail today.

We plan to go and change my name on my SSN to my married name during the week, as we need to receive some marriage documents.

 

I have a few questions...

- I used my maiden name signature on my marriage license, as per what I read online. Do I start signing the AoS documents with my 'new signature'? (My old signature had my maiden name). Obviously because we only got married recently and I have no ID with my new married name, I don't have any documentation with what my new signature would be.

- How soon should we start the application process for the AoS? I know I should have a joint bank account set up with my husband and stuff, and we can't do that until i get my SSN adjusted.

- How long should we expect the process to take until the interview + receiving the green card?

- Will I receive the EAD and travel document BEFORE the green card, or with the green card? Is it possible to get ahold of the travel document sooner?

 

- Is there anything I need to do in regards to name change? Or is just my marriage license/certificate enough?

Congrats!

 

1. I'll defer to others here, but normally you would use the name on your passport. If you had used your married name on the marriage license, then I would have said to use your married name moving forward as that document serves as a legal name change document in the US. Since you used your maiden name, legally your name hasn't changed yet (at least AFAIK).
2. Normally, I would say as soon as you're ready to do so. However, I would work on ensuring your legal name is changed first as I don't think they can't issue the green card under that name otherwise. Once it is changed (i.e. you get a new SSN card), then you owuld list your married name on the forms and include your maiden name under other names on the application.
3. It varies based on various factor, but the current average from filing to interview is 226 days. Then add on some time to actually get the card (within a month or less usually). Of course it can take longer if you get RFEs or need a second interview of something, but that's the current average length as predicted by VJ.

   http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/aosstats.php

4. EAD usually takes about 90 days for approval. You will get the EAD once it is approved and mailed (you don't need to wait for AOS to be completed).

5. I'll again defer to others, but I believe if you get your name changed on your Social Security Card, that qualifies as a legal name change. The marriage certificate should be enough proof.

Good luck.

[GregC2015 3]

1 hour ago, Stelare said:

So I just looked over the remainder of the K1 flowchart with the AoS details. My SO and I got married a week ago, and I just received my SSN in the mail today.

We plan to go and change my name on my SSN to my married name during the week, as we need to receive some marriage documents.

 

I have a few questions...

- I used my maiden name signature on my marriage license, as per what I read online. Do I start signing the AoS documents with my 'new signature'? (My old signature had my maiden name). Obviously because we only got married recently and I have no ID with my new married name, I don't have any documentation with what my new signature would be.

- How soon should we start the application process for the AoS? I know I should have a joint bank account set up with my husband and stuff, and we can't do that until i get my SSN adjusted.

- How long should we expect the process to take until the interview + receiving the green card?

- Will I receive the EAD and travel document BEFORE the green card, or with the green card? Is it possible to get ahold of the travel document sooner?

 

- Is there anything I need to do in regards to name change? Or is just my marriage license/certificate enough?

 

 

I am not sure if this will apply to you, but my wife was not able to change her SSN to her married name until after she received her green card. Also, I could not add her to my bank account until after she received the green card. As soon as we were married and received the marriage certificate, she started signing everything with her married name. The marriage cert was good enough proof for that.  I-485, Biometrics was signed with her married name. 

 

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

****** Moving from K1 to AOS from Family Visa forum as this is the part of the process Op is asking about ******

[Stelare 35]

9 hours ago, geowrian said:

Congrats!

 

1. I'll defer to others here, but normally you would use the name on your passport. If you had used your married name on the marriage license, then I would have said to use your married name moving forward as that document serves as a legal name change document in the US. Since you used your maiden name, legally your name hasn't changed yet (at least AFAIK).
2. Normally, I would say as soon as you're ready to do so. However, I would work on ensuring your legal name is changed first as I don't think they can't issue the green card under that name otherwise. Once it is changed (i.e. you get a new SSN card), then you owuld list your married name on the forms and include your maiden name under other names on the application.
3. It varies based on various factor, but the current average from filing to interview is 226 days. Then add on some time to actually get the card (within a month or less usually). Of course it can take longer if you get RFEs or need a second interview of something, but that's the current average length as predicted by VJ.

   http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/aosstats.php

4. EAD usually takes about 90 days for approval. You will get the EAD once it is approved and mailed (you don't need to wait for AOS to be completed).

5. I'll again defer to others, but I believe if you get your name changed on your Social Security Card, that qualifies as a legal name change. The marriage certificate should be enough proof.

Good luck.

I was actually asking about signature; When we went to register for our marriage license, we filled out a 'worksheet' that had us put down our legal names, and then there was a section for "legal name taken after this marriage", which I then wrote down my married name. I signed the documents with my maiden name signature, as I looked around online beforehand and that was what was suggested by everyone, as technically, the name change isn't official until after we got married. And we got married 3 days after we registered for the license.

My question was, when do I start signing with my married name signature? And is the marriage license the only official document I need to show for my name change?

Edited January 1, 2017 by Stelare

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

13 hours ago, Stelare said:

So I just looked over the remainder of the K1 flowchart with the AoS details. My SO and I got married a week ago, and I just received my SSN in the mail today.

We plan to go and change my name on my SSN to my married name during the week, as we need to receive some marriage documents.

 

I have a few questions...

- I used my maiden name signature on my marriage license, as per what I read online. Do I start signing the AoS documents with my 'new signature'? (My old signature had my maiden name). Obviously because we only got married recently and I have no ID with my new married name, I don't have any documentation with what my new signature would be.

- How soon should we start the application process for the AoS? I know I should have a joint bank account set up with my husband and stuff, and we can't do that until i get my SSN adjusted.

- How long should we expect the process to take until the interview + receiving the green card?

- Will I receive the EAD and travel document BEFORE the green card, or with the green card? Is it possible to get ahold of the travel document sooner?

 

- Is there anything I need to do in regards to name change? Or is just my marriage license/certificate enough?

1. You can start signing with your new married name as soon as you're married. I pretty much am using my old signature since a signature just needs to be something that is regularly used by you to sign legal documents. It can be a doodle pretty much and still legal.

2. This depends on the bank but there is nothing that says that you need your SSN adjusted before opening an account. I even opened mine before having a SSN using my passport.  If you want it opened in your new name you just bring the marriage certificate. It's all you need, along with two identifying documents.  I had my overseas DL's as 2nd doc.

3. I think you got a good answer above? And yea you might not even get called for interview 

4. See answer above.... and you can get it emergency expedited if you you have specific circumstancesthat require you to travel such as a sick family member or similar.

5. Nope, it's enough

[geowrian 22,337]

3 hours ago, Stelare said:

I was actually asking about signature; When we went to register for our marriage license, we filled out a 'worksheet' that had us put down our legal names, and then there was a section for "legal name taken after this marriage", which I then wrote down my married name. I signed the documents with my maiden name signature, as I looked around online beforehand and that was what was suggested by everyone, as technically, the name change isn't official until after we got married. And we got married 3 days after we registered for the license.

My question was, when do I start signing with my married name signature? And is the marriage license the only official document I need to show for my name change?

Ah, okay. I thought you meant you filled in your maiden name as your new legal name on the license. What you signed the paper as doesn't really have an relevance with immigration. haha In that case, then your legal name will be changed as of the marriage certificate, which acts as a legal name change document in the US.

 

As somebody else noted, you can technically start signing under the married name at any point. However, your legal name hasn't actually changed until the marriage certificate is processed.

 

No. The marriage certificate (not the license, which is signed before the wedding) is the document proving your name change. That should be the only document you need to update your Social Security card, driver's license, credit cards, etc.

Edited January 1, 2017 by geowrian

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

3 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Ah, okay. I thought you meant you filled in your maiden name as your new legal name on the license. What you signed the paper as doesn't really have an relevance with immigration. haha In that case, then your legal name will be changed as of the marriage certificate, which acts as a legal name change document in the US.

 

As somebody else noted, you can technically start signing under the married name at any point. However, your legal name hasn't actually changed until the marriage certificate is processed.

 

No. The marriage certificate (not the license, which is signed before the wedding) is the document proving your name change. That should be the only document you need to update your Social Security card, driver's license, credit cards, etc.

Just a note that in Texas the marriage license IS the certificate only signed by the JOP and processed at the county clerk's office. Same piece of paper

[geowrian 22,337]

Just now, Suss&Camm said:

Just a note that in Texas the marriage license IS the certificate only signed by the JOP and processed at the county clerk's office. Same piece of paper

Oh, cool. Thanks for the heads up. I know marriage licenses and certificates vary from state to state, but wasn't aware that it served both purposes in some states.