Married Name Change During ROC

[vajaster 7]

Hi guys,

 

Bear with me here ... I've heard many things regarding this (from getting a court order to getting LPR's Passport Name changed first, etc.)

 

Basically my wife's green card has her maiden last name on there. We will be filing for ROC and want to change her last name to my last name.

 

Do we file the I-751 WITH her current maiden last name or my last name (the one we want to change it to)?

 

NO OTHER DOCUMENTS (SSC, Passport, DL, etc.) have been changed yet they are all in her maiden last name,

 

And do we include a cover page in the I-751 package confirming to the officer that we are requesting to change the last name?

 

Thank You!

[Amhara 460]

Hi vajaster!  Long time, no see!  I have been gone for a while!

 

You should be able to apply for the green card with your last name if that is the last name on your marriage certificate.  You should be able to change her SSC and DL with the marriage certificate alone, and explain the change to the USCIS.  You should then be able to apply to change her passport, although my husband was able to change his name on his Afghan passport without documentation (figures!)

 

We did a legal name change for my guy.  His 2-year GC is in a different name, so when we apply for his ROC, we will change his name on that 10-year GC (or maybe we will be able to apply for his citizenship by then!)

[vajaster 7]

5 hours ago, Amhara said:

Hi vajaster!  Long time, no see!  I have been gone for a while!

 

You should be able to apply for the green card with your last name if that is the last name on your marriage certificate.  You should be able to change her SSC and DL with the marriage certificate alone, and explain the change to the USCIS.  You should then be able to apply to change her passport, although my husband was able to change his name on his Afghan passport without documentation (figures!)

 

We did a legal name change for my guy.  His 2-year GC is in a different name, so when we apply for his ROC, we will change his name on that 10-year GC (or maybe we will be able to apply for his citizenship by then!)

Hey Amhara!

 

Haha it's been a while  Hope all's well with you guys!

 

We don't have an official marriage certificate in the U.S.

(Ours it eh one we have from back home, it's got wife's maiden last name.)

 

What you guys are going to do is exactly what I want to do - to change my wife's last name to my last name, during the ROC process.

My question though is do I complete the I-751 with her current (maiden name) or as her new last name that we want to change to (which is my last name).

 

And I read a couple posts where people just put a cover sheet stating they wanted to just change the last name. I'm not sure if that's true? And whether or not we complete the I-751 as maiden last name or new last name that is requested.

[Amhara 460]

I think you can do that.  Your Afghan nikka may also allow her to change her name in the States, too.  Do you think you can get your wife a new passport with your married name?  The USCIS will also take that into consideration.  You shouldn't have to do an official name change if you just want to change her last name.

 

If the Afghan passport is too much of a trip, I would try the SSC name change first since that is free.  Then DL and send those copies with the ROC in the married name.  

 

We only have 4 months and 20 days before we send ours off, too!  I hope you won't have problems, but the worst that will happen is a RFE.