Changing last name in the US + effects on home country (Belgium)

[Taygi 0]

Hey all,

 

I have a rather long and hard to pronounce last name and am considering changing it when I arrive in the US. Mostly because A) it's proven that foreign and hard to pronounce names give you a disadvantage when looking for work B) It really annoys me when people butcher my last name. I understand why it's hard and it's not anyone's fault but it annoys me enough to want to avoid it.

 

I don't want to lose my connection to my family and homeland though so I'd probably change it to my mom or grandmother's last name. Still recognizable as Dutch but much easier to pronounce and spell. 

 

I've heard changing your name is easy enough to do in the US but I'm having a hard time figuring out what the impact of it is on the following

 

- My Green card (as it will be under a different name, would I have to get that all adjusted?)

- Removal of conditions 2 years later (as my new petition would be under a new name)

- Effects on my status in Belgium (as my name in the US would be different from my name in Belgium. Would it make the processes of remaining a belgian citizen or travel to Belgium harder?)

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

[Going through 5,671]

4 hours ago, Taygi said:

- My Green card (as it will be under a different name, would I have to get that all adjusted?)

- Removal of conditions 2 years later (as my new petition would be under a new name)

- Effects on my status in Belgium (as my name in the US would be different from my name in Belgium. Would it make the processes of remaining a belgian citizen or travel to Belgium harder?)

1) You should, so that the GC reflects your new name, and all your other ID matches up.  You'd have to file a i-90 and pay the fee sending in proof of your new legal name.  You should also update your SS, driver licence, etc. with the new name.

 

2) By the time your ROC rolls around 2 years from now, will be a non-issue since your GC already reflects the new name change.  You would list your original last name as "other legal names used/aliases used" on the petition.  Not sure what type of visa you are entering the US on----if a CR-1, there is no ROC stage.

 

3) Changing your legal name doesn't mean you've renounced your Belgium citizenship.  In terms of travel, presumably you would be updating your passport as well to reflect the new name when it is close to expiring.

Edited March 29, 2019 by Going through

[Taygi 0]

11 minutes ago, Going through said:

3) Changing your legal name doesn't mean you've renounced your Belgium citizenship.  In terms of travel, presumably you would be updating your passport as well to reflect the new name when it is close to expiring.

 

Thanks for your answer!

 

As for point 3 I more meant what are the effects of having a different name in the US than I do in Belgium? Since I wouldn't be changing my name in Belgium. I've heard from a Dutch immigrant to the US (from the Netherlands) they had some issues because the names were different but I am unable to find information about this for Belgium. 

[Going through 5,671]

3 hours ago, Taygi said:

 

Thanks for your answer!

 

As for point 3 I more meant what are the effects of having a different name in the US than I do in Belgium? Since I wouldn't be changing my name in Belgium. I've heard from a Dutch immigrant to the US (from the Netherlands) they had some issues because the names were different but I am unable to find information about this for Belgium. 

Don't know the circumstances of your friend, perhaps they tried applying for some sort of government benefits from Belgium and the name-change caused some issues for them that needed straightening out.

 

You could try asking in the regional forums for advice regarding your home country:  

 

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/95-europe-amp-eurasia-except-the-uk-and-russia/ 

 

 

[Joulie 15]

On 3/29/2019 at 5:22 AM, Taygi said:

 

Thanks for your answer!

 

As for point 3 I more meant what are the effects of having a different name in the US than I do in Belgium? Since I wouldn't be changing my name in Belgium. I've heard from a Dutch immigrant to the US (from the Netherlands) they had some issues because the names were different but I am unable to find information about this for Belgium. 

 

Hi Taygi!

 

I've been in the US for 5 years now and decided not to change my last name (French sounding). Other than the fact that some people may mispronounce it, I didn't get any issue with that.

Where I live (WI), there are lots of immigrants from Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands so a lot of people actually have some very European sounding last names and no one seems to bother.

 

After that, it's up to you. But for me it felt like I would be giving away a part of my identity to change my name

[TBoneTX 45,328]

Completely up to you, of course, but:

Do you really embrace a lifetime of mispronunciations, misspellings, and covert bias (regarding employment)?

Consider adopting a new last name and perhaps keeping your current last name as a middle name.

Deal with home-country issues (presumably few and isolated?) as they arise.