Difficult Name Change After Marriage

[Mary2020 0]

Hi,

 

I am a LPR and have petitioned successfully my husband under F2A. We married in my home state of NV. We did not change my last name at the time of marriage, as we did not want to complicate our running immigration petition. However, my home country now told me, that a name change was only possible if I requested this within 30 days of the marriage date and is not anymore possible now, unless I enter a possibly year long court case. 

 

Now I inquired in the US, and it seems that name changes here are quite straight forward. However, is it possible for a US state to change my name as I am not yet a US citizen (I need 1.5 year longer). I would like to change also my first name in this process to be more easily pronounced by Americans.  Locally I did not hear anything against it, and if I change my US driver license and SS card name, that would most properly be all I need, but not sure if only my citizenship country can change my name or also the US as my resident country. Anyone knows something about this process please?

[NikLR 13,227]

You can adopt your married last name at any time in the USA.  However changing your first name either requires some court time or just wait for naturalization. 

 

[payxibka 10,045]

1 hour ago, NikLR said:

You can adopt your married last name at any time in the USA.  However changing your first name either requires some court time or just wait for naturalization. 

 

Name change laws are state dependent and NOT universal.  In Minnesota, your "married" name must be chosen and noted on the marriage license application, as the now known as name is front and center on the marriage certificate 

[NikLR 13,227]

1 hour ago, payxibka said:

Name change laws are state dependent and NOT universal.  In Minnesota, your "married" name must be chosen and noted on the marriage license application, as the now known as name is front and center on the marriage certificate 

You can do it afterwards, just requires a name change petition.  But you're right each state is different and I'll remember that from now on. 

The OP was married in Nevada though. 

[payxibka 10,045]

9 hours ago, NikLR said:

You can do it afterwards, just requires a name change petition.  But you're right each state is different and I'll remember that from now on. 

The OP was married in Nevada though. 

Which is different than "adopt " at anytime in the USA.

 

Another item is some states, upon marriage, even allow any or all names to be changed upon marriage and does not require any "court" time.  You could even change it to a unpronounceable "symbol".  

[Mary2020 0]

Thank you everybody for taking the time to answer!
My last worry is about my passport - when I fly abroad my plane tickets will be with my new name, but my national passport will still have my old name and i will need to enter the US with the national passport. Do you think this will cause any problems?
I assume I need to use my passport name on the plane ticket as airlines will not recognize my US driver license. But then my green card does not match my passport. Did anyone have a similar problem? My home country will not issue a new passport with a new name and will not recognize the name change in the US as legal name change in my home country (I already emailed our embassy here).

[NikLR 13,227]

Book tickets in passport name always.  Bring marriage cert and green card or AP when travelling if names differ. 

[payxibka 10,045]

3 hours ago, Mary2020 said:

Thank you everybody for taking the time to answer!
My last worry is about my passport - when I fly abroad my plane tickets will be with my new name, but my national passport will still have my old name and i will need to enter the US with the national passport. Do you think this will cause any problems?
I assume I need to use my passport name on the plane ticket as airlines will not recognize my US driver license. But then my green card does not match my passport. Did anyone have a similar problem? My home country will not issue a new passport with a new name and will not recognize the name change in the US as legal name change in my home country (I already emailed our embassy here).

Not an issue.   What country?

[Mary2020 0]

On 5/29/2020 at 10:25 PM, payxibka said:

Not an issue.   What country?

Home country is Bulgaria, I got married and live in Nevada.