To name change now or later?

[Hawksquill 151]

My husband and I had always planned to mesh our names when we got married, combining some elements of each of our last names to create a new one without entirely hyphenating (which would have been incredibly long.)  But the state we got married in (CA) had very particular rules for this that didn't match with what we wanted - we'd have had to file a name change entirely separately.

 

We knew we were moving soon, so decided to put it off.  Now we're more settled, and going through the adjustment of status, and are wondering whether to go for a name change now-ish or wait until later.  We're concerned that changing our last names now might mess around with or delay the adjustment of status and travel/work authorisation processes.  Are we best doing this once we finally have a greencard, or should we bite the bullet and look at doing this now?

[Coco8 1,042]

I'd wait. Remember that until you get the green card your main ID will be your passport. Having several IDs that don't match each other can be a mess. 

Edited July 20, 2017 by Coco8

[Hawksquill 151]

2 minutes ago, Coco8 said:

I'd wait. Remember that until you get the green card your main ID will be your passport. Having several IDs that don't match each other can be a mess. 

 

Yeah, this was our thought.  Do you happen to know how difficult it is to get a green card changed with a new name?

 

It looks like the process would be: 

-Go through our state's legal name change procedures

-Get new social security cards

-Get new passports

-Get a new green card (somehow?) 

 

Social security cards and passports aren't hard to get name changes, I'm just worried that it will look suspicious that he's trying to change his name after he has a green card. 

 

 

[aleful 1,905]

hi

 

you can't change it after you have your GC, you change it now or you'll have to wait until you file for citizenship

 

or go to court to have it changed

 

but you can't change your name with immigration until you file for citizenship if you wait

[Hawksquill 151]

21 minutes ago, aleful said:

hi

 

you can't change it after you have your GC, you change it now or you'll have to wait until you file for citizenship

 

or go to court to have it changed

 

but you can't change your name with immigration until you file for citizenship if you wait

It is possible to get a new GC with a new name, you just have to fill out an I-90.  We were just trying to decide if it would be better to start the process now or later.  It looks like later is the safer bet. 

[Coco8 1,042]

28 minutes ago, Hawksquill said:

I'm just worried that it will look suspicious that he's trying to change his name after he has a green card. 

I don't see why it would be suspicious. If you mean the timing, I don't see that being a problem.

 

 

[aleful 1,905]

no

 

not with the i90,

 

 you have to already have your name legally changed to replace your GC once you get it to the new legal name

 

the form requests proof of legal change

 

you cannot use the i90 to legally change your name, it is to renew or replace a GC, or if it is lost, stolen or broken, or never received

 

for example, you divorced and have a divorce decree and want your maiden name to appear on the GC, you send the i90 with copy of divorce decree and GC

 

you go to court to have your name changed from the GC you received, you send a copy of the court order to legally change your last name whatever you want and GC

 

read the form

 

or you wait until you file for citizenship to change your last name, if you want to wait

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hawksquill 151]

30 minutes ago, aleful said:

no

 

not with the i90,

 

 you have to already have your name legally changed to replace your GC once you get it to the new legal name

 

the form requests proof of legal change

 

you cannot use the i90 to legally change your name, it is to renew or replace a GC, or if it is lost, stolen or broken, or never received

 

for example, you divorced and have a divorce decree and want your maiden name to appear on the GC, you send the i90 with copy of divorce decree and GC

 

you go to court to have your name changed from the GC you received, you send a copy of the court order to legally change your last name whatever you want and GC

 

read the form

 

or you wait until you file for citizenship to change your last name, if you want to wait

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I know, you use I-90 to get a new GC with your new name.  It's not the legal way you change your name, obviously.
 

The name change regulations through probate court are pretty simple in our state and apply to residents (not just citizens) so we can do it pretty easily and submit I-90 for a new GC. 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

6 hours ago, Hawksquill said:

Yes, I know, you use I-90 to get a new GC with your new name.  It's not the legal way you change your name, obviously.
 

The name change regulations through probate court are pretty simple in our state and apply to residents (not just citizens) so we can do it pretty easily and submit I-90 for a new GC. 

 

Did you notice it will cost you $540 to change your name on your greencard?

 

if you want to get your greencard issued firstly in a new name, go to court and do it before doing AOS. then the court order becomes a document that you send with AOS to show what your legal name is. Carry the name change document anywhere you think you might need explanation of a difference from you main ID (passport). If you do it now, then you can easily get your first driver's license and such in the name you really want to use.

 

Did you ever consider every female K1 Immigrant that changes to a married name shows up with a maiden name passport as ID and her biometric or interview letter has a new married name surname on it. Start with the name you desire from the beginning, then build you additional IDs as you get them. 

Edited July 21, 2017 by Wuozopo

[Hawksquill 151]

5 hours ago, Wuozopo said:

 

Did you notice it will cost you $540 to change your name on your greencard?

 

if you want to get your greencard issued firstly in a new name, go to court and do it before doing AOS. then the court order becomes a document that you send with AOS to show what your legal name is. Carry the name change document anywhere you think you might need explanation of a difference from you main ID (passport). If you do it now, then you can easily get your first driver's license and such in the name you really want to use.

 

Did you ever consider every female K1 Immigrant that changes to a married name shows up with a maiden name passport as ID and her biometric or interview letter has a new married name surname on it. Start with the name you desire from the beginning, then build you additional IDs as you get them. 

My husband is actually the immigrant, and we both want to change our names.  But it's not just taking one another's names or hyphenating, we're combining elements of both of our names into a new names.  It's not so simple as doing it on the marriage certificate and we have to pay money to go to probate court to do the name change anyway, because it's not intuitively obvious that one of us is just taking the other's name. 

 

We also don't have time to wait to do probate court before doing AOS, because it takes months and we don't want my husband to fall out of status. 

 

The question was whether we should start the name change now while AOS is pending.  It's clear now that that's not a good idea, so we'll just wait. 

Edited July 21, 2017 by Hawksquill

[Wuozopo 4,293]

2 hours ago, Hawksquill said:

But it's not just taking one another's names or hyphenating, we're combining elements of both of our names into a new names.

 

I got that part and that's what I was commenting on. I would personally change the name in court  first if I was going to change. That's based on experience of life as an immigrant and all the processes in between fiancé entry and becoming a citizen.