Name Change??

[SmittnMittn 0]

Hello!

 

I moved to the US from Canada after marrying a US citizen back in 2015. I'm currently a green card holder and eligible for citizenship. I didn't change my name on anything at that time, including my immigration documents, drivers license and social security card, nor my Canadian passport.

 

I'm now at a point where I'd like to take my husbands name officially but i'm so lost on where to even begin. I'm open to becoming a US citizen and changing my name for immigration purposes at that time, but do i need to do anything at a local point?

 

I signed my name on my marriage certificate as my maiden name. Is that all that is needed to change my name with SSN? What about SoS? Do I need to change it with USCIS before I do the previous?

And what about filing with the local courts?

 

Does anyone have insight as to what, if anything I need to do to update things in Canada?

 

And I worry to about not being able to travel during this potentially long processing period.

 

any help appreciated.

[Dashinka 24,638]

I know for changing one's family name after marriage the marriage certificate (regardless of how it is templated) will function as a legal name change document.  I am not aware of a time limit to using the marriage certificate for changing a name, others may know more.  The other option would be to request the name change (even a family name) during the naturalization process and use your naturalization certificate to make the changes to your other documents.

 

As to your Canadian passport, I am not aware of what is needed to make that change.  In that case the template of the marriage certificate may play a role.  I know in my wife's case, our marriage certificate would not suffice to legally change her name in Russia.  We thought about doing something when she naturalized, but the process to change the name on a Russian passport (even pre-war) is a huge bureaucratic pain and she has a workaround for traveling so she left that passport as is.

 

Good Luck!

[Positive_Vibes 63]

Best place to start would be changing it with Social Security first since the DMV will use that information to confirm the name change later. You can use your marriage certificate as proof of name change. Just wanted to clarify though; you stated you signed your marriage certificate with your maiden name. Do you also mean that the printed name on the certificate is also your maiden name? Or you were just referring to your signature? 

 

Not sure what you have to do in regards to updating things with Canada.

 

For travel: From my personal experience, I was able to travel with my GC even though it did not match my passport name because my passport name had my last name from my first marriage (I'm originally from the Philippines and they don't recognize divorce there, so I was unable to revert to my maiden name after divorce). So I traveled with my green card (under my maiden name) and PHIL Passport under my married name with no issues. I always brought my Divorce Decree with me in case I was questioned but customs never asked to see it.

[powerpuff 6,744]

*** Thread moved from US citizenship process forum to Your Life in America forum where similar topics are discussed ***