Complicated name change on AOS application

[NatO23 235]

I got married yesterday (yay!) after arriving on my K1 a couple of weeks ago. I would like to change my last name, but it's a little more complicated than the typical way things are done... I'll use example last names to describe the scenario:

 

My wife was married before, and changed her own last name from Jones to Smith.

When she got divorced, she kept Smith to match her kids' last name - they were very young at the time and it saved confusion.

Now that the kids are older, she is going to change back to her maiden name of Jones but hasn't done so yet.

I would like to change my last name to Jones, so that we will have the same last name eventually. HOWEVER... Our marriage certificate still lists her last name as Smith. 

 

My question is: If I submit my AOS paperwork with my last name as Jones, due to the fact that by the time I get my green card, my wife will also have the last name of Jones, will it cause an issue if Jones doesn't appear on our marriage certificate? My fear is that the case handler won't like the fact that I'm submitting everything under a name that isn't anywhere on our marriage certificate and therefore isn't a logical last name to use. We're in Ohio, and didn't have the option of stating what my/our married names would be on the certificate.

 

I hope that makes sense. If anyone has any advice on the best way to go about filing the paperwork, that would be great.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

At the time of your filing, will her name be Jones? If not, then Jones is not an option. You may choose her current last name (Smith) or your own surname,  but not a name you pull out of the air because she wants to have that name in the future. Perhaps you can wait to file until she has documentation of a legal change to Jones.

[sweetadams 138]

If you guys want to have the same matching last name, why don't she changes hers to your own last name? It will bring total confusion if your last name does not match what is on your marriage certificate. The IO does not have much time to start figuring who is who with a last name pulled out of the air.

Best advice is you both change your last name before you file the paper work, that way you have a legal document that shows your new last name as Jones and hers as Jones too.

Good luck

[NatO23 235]

6 hours ago, Wuozopo said:

At the time of your filing, will her name be Jones? If not, then Jones is not an option. You may choose her current last name (Smith) or your own surname,  but not a name you pull out of the air because she wants to have that name in the future. Perhaps you can wait to file until she has documentation of a legal change to Jones.

Thanks to you and @sweetadams for your input here. I had a feeling that would be the answer, but I always like to get some confirmation/extra thoughts from the VJ community on all of this stuff. She and I will discuss it all in more detail tonight and come up with a plan based on what you've both said. 

 

Thanks again - much appreciated.