Name Change

[popper9892 1]

My wife and I got married in Norfolk, VA. All of her paperwork thus far says her maiden name. We want to change her and her daughter's last names to mine, but we are nervous about doing so because we don't know if it will affect the paperwork while filing for the AOS. Does anyone know how to go about changing their surnames in Virginia, and properly documenting it? Or would it be better to wait until after the AOS is complete?

[bunkx 25]

We live in Virginia and my US spouse changed his last name to mine, it was pretty easy. We just went to the DMV and the social security office with a certified copy of our marriage certificate and it only took half a day. It really doesn't matter, but we changed our name before sending the paperwork to USCIS. We got married 1/1 and submitted everything 1/18. If you change your name during your application, I would assume you'd just have to bring updated documents to the interview. It's like changing an address, we moved during the process and we are going to bring all our updated documents during the interview including our joint lease for the new apartment.

 

The only thing to worry about is getting a greencard and then changing your name and having to get another one... You might think surely a replacement card would be quicker but nothing is ever quick when it comes to USCIS.

 

I would assume changing your last name looks better on paper too. I guess fewer people would go as far as changing their name just to get a green card.

 

Wish you best of luck! Happy thanksgiving!

Edited November 22, 2017 by bunkx

[doggieandsam 765]

1 hour ago, popper9892 said:

My wife and I got married in Norfolk, VA. All of her paperwork thus far says her maiden name. We want to change her and her daughter's last names to mine, but we are nervous about doing so because we don't know if it will affect the paperwork while filing for the AOS. Does anyone know how to go about changing their surnames in Virginia, and properly documenting it? Or would it be better to wait until after the AOS is complete?

hi - will not affect the paperwork negatively, in fact changing to married name during AOS is one of the easiest / most straightforward ways to do it. all you need to do is fill out all your wife's AOS/EAD/AP forms in her new married name. i did mine the same way. USCIS then sent the NOA in my married name. The day i received those letters, I started writing / signing / using my married name. After this, you can slowly switch over all her other documents (SSN, DL or state ID, bank accounts, etc) - depending on whether that office is willing to accept the marriage license as proof of name change (they should, but some offices do not know better). if they don't, just wait for her EAD and you can change those docs then.

 

this does not apply for your wife's daughter's change of last name though. don't you need to formally adopt her so that she can take your last name?

Edited November 22, 2017 by iamdegie

[popper9892 1]

Thanks for the feedback. The only issue I still have is that our marriage certificate still has her maiden name on it and she already has a social security card. Should I just file for a change of name or see if they can alter the marriage certificate? And then go back to social security office with her new married name?

[bunkx 25]

A virginia marriage certificate will always have the maiden name. When you go the DMV and social security office you bring the cert. with you and they change the name to one of the names already on the certificate if that makes sense.

 

As in, either the wife can take the husbands name or the husband can take the wifes name - or you can hyphenate or whatever but this is to make sure people arent making up new last names. You have to go through the court system for a brand new last name, or you can do it when you become a citizen, but not through marriage.