Changing Your Name

[moonyanyo 0]

Hello,

 

My husband and I haven't submitted the I-190 forms yet because we are wondering if I need to change my last name to his.

I live in Canada and he will be sponsoring my daughter and I to live in the US with him.

I haven't changed my name to his yet, as it will require me to reapply for a passport all over again (paying the the fee over again and finding a guarantor again).

My passport doesn't expire for two and a half years - so I would prefer keeping my last name (maiden name) until after I move to the US (God willing).

I read online that I will have to wait one to two years after moving to the US to change my name - and I do not mind.

 

My questions is:

 

Will it look any better or worse if I don't change my last name to my husband's (for the application and interview).

 

Has anyone not changed their name and everything went well?

 

Has someone had the opposite experience?

 

Thank you so much for any feedback!

[arken 4,197]

 

16 minutes ago, moonyanyo said:

 

Will it look any better or worse if I don't change my last name to my husband's (for the application and interview).

 

Has anyone not changed their name and everything went well?

 

Keeping maiden name won't affect the petition in any way. 

[SalishSea 18,172]

49 minutes ago, moonyanyo said:

My husband and I haven't submitted the I-190 forms yet because we are wondering if I need to change my last name to his.

Of course not.  No one needs to change their last name.  It is a personal choice.

[Chancy 6,243]

6 hours ago, moonyanyo said:

I read online that I will have to wait one to two years after moving to the US to change my name

 

At least on the federal level, there is no such rule in the US.

 

6 hours ago, moonyanyo said:

Will it look any better or worse if I don't change my last name to my husband's (for the application and interview).

 

As others already said, use of your maiden name will have no impact on the decision for visa approval/denial.

 

But, if your preference is to use your married name for your life in the US, I strongly recommend you get a new passport listing your married name before your visa interview.  No need to change your passport now.  If you will be interviewing in Montreal, by the time your case gets to the consulate stage, it will likely be time to renew your passport anyway.

 

If your maiden name is on your passport at the interview, that will be the name on your spouse visa.  Also on your GC and SSA card.  Other US government-issued IDs will likely match your SSA card name.  To change your name, you would need a court order.  SSA will not accept your marriage certificate as a legal name change document because it predates your spouse visa.