Error on Marriage certificate

[Pertster 4]

Hello all!

 

My wife (petitioner) and me (beneficiary) were reviewing our documents today and we noticed that there is an issue in the marriage license, a major issue. The clerk at the courthouse has typed in my wife's maiden name as her last name on the marriage certificate, although our intention was that she would take my last name. The blame on this eventually falls on me, as the clerk asked me to go over the details in the marriage certificate, but I didn't pay close enough attention.

 

The real issue now is that in our AOS submission we have submitted everything with her having my last name. Naturally, we also submitted a certified copy of our marriage certificate as evidence with our package. Has anyone else been in a similar situation, or does anyone have any advice on what to do?

 

My first plan of action is to contact the courthouse tomorrow on Monday to get this resolved with them first and foremost. But I am also wondering what to do with the USCIS. Do I contact them about this? Perhaps through their customer support line. 

 

I see this being an RFE or perhaps even something worse (hope not). 

 

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[aaron2020 11,651]

There is no error.  Her maiden name is the one that should be on the marriage certificate.  Under state law, spouses can legally take each other's last names.  

 

Mary Jones marry Bob Smith.  The marriage certificate with her name on it is what links Mary Jones to the Smith name.  Under state law, this marriage certificate allows Mary Jones to legally take the name Mary Smith.   That's how we know that Mary Jones is Mary Smith.

 

If they used Mary Smith and Bob Smith on the marriage certificate, then they would not have anything official to link Mary Jones to the Smith.  

Edited March 24, 2019 by aaron2020

[Pertster 4]

2 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

There is no error.  Her maiden name is the one that should be on the marriage certificate.  Under state law, spouses can legally take each other's last names.  

 

Mary Jones marry Bob Smith.  The marriage certificate with her name on it is what links Mary Jones to the Smith name.   That's how we know that Mary Jones is Mary Smith.

 

If they used Mary Smith and Bob Smith on the marriage certificate, then they would not have anything official to link Mary Jones to the Smith.  

Ah, well that is great news. What confused me was that in the certificate it states "current name", so I made the connection that this would mean her actual current name. I will just doublecheck with the courthouse tomorrow, but for now I'll take your word for it. Thank you and have an awesome Sunday

[aaron2020 11,651]

Just now, Pertster said:

Ah, well that is great news. What confused me was that in the certificate it states "current name", so I made the connection that this would mean her actual current name. I will just doublecheck with the courthouse tomorrow, but for now I'll take your word for it. Thank you and have an awesome Sunday

Her maiden name was her current name at the time that she filed the marriage certificate.  Once the MC is recorded and is official, then she can use that document to change her name.  

 

Lots of people are confused by this.

[stacyt 209]

It’s not the same in different states. We got married in Nevada and I have specific statement with my kaden name and then my husbands last name that I wish to use after the marriage. If you don’t have those lines, you’re probably fine. If you do, and both have her maiden name, you would probably need to go to court to legally change her name

[Pertster 4]

Just now, stacyt said:

It’s not the same in different states. We got married in Nevada and I have specific statement with my kaden name and then my husbands last name that I wish to use after the marriage. If you don’t have those lines, you’re probably fine. If you do, and both have her maiden name, you would probably need to go to court to legally change her name

Okay. In our certificate there is only one box for last names. Given the fact that she has been able to change her name with several companies / institutions, I think we are good here. But I will doublecheck tomorrow with the courthouse.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Google "change legal last name marriage certificate Wisconsin" 

[Illiria 980]

7 minutes ago, stacyt said:

It’s not the same in different states. We got married in Nevada and I have specific statement with my kaden name and then my husbands last name that I wish to use after the marriage. If you don’t have those lines, you’re probably fine. If you do, and both have her maiden name, you would probably need to go to court to legally change her name

Eh? I got married in Nevada and don’t have that. Did it change? 

 

Here is example http://ww9.onvacations.co/nevada-wedding-certificate/

[stacyt 209]

4 minutes ago, Illiria said:

Eh? I got married in Nevada and don’t have that. Did it change? 

 

Here is example http://ww9.onvacations.co/nevada-wedding-certificate/

We got married in Vegas if that makes any difference. See below 

 

 

[Pengunista 221]

It’s true, each state is different. I got married in California and my marriage certificate on the bottom part has a slot that says new name and that’s where my new name is listed. 

[Pertster 4]

Just now, Pengunista said:

It’s true, each state is different. I got married in California and my marriage certificate on the bottom part has a slot that says new name and that’s where my new name is listed. 

Not only that, but at this point I think each county might be different too.

Edited March 24, 2019 by Pertster

[Illiria 980]

1 minute ago, stacyt said:

We got married in Vegas if that makes any difference. See below 

 

 

So did I, weird must be new. 

[Pengunista 221]

2 minutes ago, Pertster said:

Not only that, but at this point I think each county might be different too.

Yeah I think so too. There is a post here of someone who got an RFIE asking for proof of name change, their marriage certificate is the same as yours, it only shows her maiden name. We think the person looking at her forms just made a mistake or they lost the copy of the marriage certificate.

[Sunnyland 639]

We got married in Florida and my maiden last name is the one that appears in the marriage certificate.  Then when we did my AOS (years ago) there I put my husband last name as the last name I wanted to have printed on the GC, etc. But OP,  you better double check how things work in your state.

 

[Jenny17655 284]

My marriage certificate actually shows my current name ar the time, then there is a space designated for my maiden name and lastly there is a space designated for name after marriage.  Covers all bases