Ladies, changing your name... where did you start?

[TLRight 0]

90 days have come and gone and now your married! For those of you who decided to change your last name to you new spouses where did you start? Any tips?

[3rd 84]

I think it depends on what you do and don't have. I was lucky that I hadn't bothered to get a US driver's license before getting married as I knew it was going to be a pain with updating it with each card update. So my Greencard had my married name, and my drivers license automatically had my married name as I applied for it under that name. My SSN I also got after marriage so I didn't have to change the name, but I did have to update once I got my Greencard to remove the restriction text. When I flew home for the first time I went to my bank with my marriage certificate and all my other ID's to change my bank account name. The only real other thing I haven't got around to changing is my passport, which has been an annoyance rather than a problem. I just have to remember to book tickets in my maiden name and bring my marriage certificate each time I fly because my Greencard is in my married name. It's on my list to change after the baby is here because it would be world's easier for travel purposes. 

 

Do you have a US bank account? You'll need to bring your marriage certificate along to change that too. There might be bits and pieces here and there that filter through mail with your maiden name and it catches you off guard! Haha.

[DavidandJen 15]

I started by submitting my AOS paperwork with my new married name. When I got my EAD card I changed the name on my SSN and applied for a driver's license. I need to change my name on our bank account still (although my credit card has been in my married name from the beginning). In terms of changes of name back in the UK, I think I might have to formally change my name by deed poll because I've hyphenated my husband's surname to my maiden name rather than just taking his name, but that's not particularly urgent so I'm putting it off for now. 

[Georgia16 2,858]

I started by just using the name on my AOS papers

 

Then changing name on my SSN card.

 

Then after that I got my DL (Hadn't gotten one with old name so that was easy)

 

Then I changed my name in home country.

 

Just got a new passport because the old one was about to expire and got that in new name also.

[Lupigirl 67]

I applied for AOS with my married name.

 

As soon as I had the marriage certificate I went to the DMV and got my license and titled and registered my car.  After that, I used my ID to open a bank account and get car and health insurance (just added to my husband's plans)

 

As things come up for renewal (our apartment lease) or I receive mail addressed to my old name, I send a copy of my marriage certificate to whatever company it is and request the name change.