Name Change

[LebaneseMama 1]

Throughout this entire visa process I have used my maiden name for everything. I wasn't planning on changing my name until Ali's feet were actually on American soil. I thought as soon as he got here I would go change my name and etc.

But I was thinking would that mess me up in the process ? Should I wait till after he gets his green card to change my name ?

Now my next question is how do we go about doing this ? Would a translated marriage certificate (like the one we sent the NVC and CSC) do it or do we need something new from here ? How do we go about being recognized as a married couple here in the states ?

I know I still have months but these questions were on my mind and the board has been kinda slow lately so I thought I would start something new that may be helpful to alot of us.

Edited April 5, 2006 by LebaneseBride

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

I waited until my husband arrived (nearly 1 year after our marriage) to change my name.

Your first stop should be your local Social Security office. I advise you to read their website for the very latest information before you go (VJ member mdyoung has posted the link here on VJ somewhere.... I know I posted on that thread. Do a search with my name or mdyoung's name and "Social Security" and you will find it.) SS has all sorts of different rules for different scenarios, and the documents required from people married overseas are different than for the ones married in the U.S., so read the rules that pertain to your situation very carefully.

In our case, we went down to the Social Security office together, armed with his green card, his passport, my driver's license, and a translated, certified copy of our marriage certificate. We applied for his card, then did my name change at the same time. The clerk was not familiar with the new regulations (which had been changed about a month before.) He kept asking us to provide documents which are not required in our particular case. Luckily I had done my research, and was able to point to the new regulations.

However in our case (U.S. citizen married to foreign national in a foreign country) the documents I mentioned were sufficient. They will ask for a translated birth certificate of the foreign spouse "if available," but we didn't have one here, so (according to the new regulations) his green card and passport had to suffice.

It takes about a week or so for your new Social Security card to arrive. You can then take it down to the Department of Motor Vehicles (along with your marriage certificate just in case) and get a new driver's license. You will need the driver's license in your new married name in order to change your banking/credit accounts.

Don't forget to take the new Social Security card to your employer's Human Resources manager, so that they can change their records/payroll as well. Usually they can't do that until they see a new SS card.

Hope this helps !

-MK

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

I waited until my husband arrived (nearly 1 year after our marriage) to change my name.

Your first stop should be your local Social Security office. I advise you to read their website for the very latest information before you go (VJ member mdyoung has posted the link here on VJ somewhere.... I know I posted on that thread. Do a search with my name or mdyoung's name and "Social Security" and you will find it.) SS has all sorts of different rules for different scenarios, and the documents required from people married overseas are different than for the ones married in the U.S., so read the rules that pertain to your situation very carefully.

In our case, we went down to the Social Security office together, armed with his green card, his passport, my driver's license, and a translated, certified copy of our marriage certificate. We applied for his card, then did my name change at the same time. The clerk was not familiar with the new regulations (which had been changed about a month before.) He kept asking us to provide documents which are not required in our particular case. Luckily I had done my research, and was able to point to the new regulations.

However in our case (U.S. citizen married to foreign national in a foreign country) the documents I mentioned were sufficient. They will ask for a translated birth certificate of the foreign spouse "if available," but we didn't have one here, so (according to the new regulations) his green card and passport had to suffice.

It takes about a week or so for your new Social Security card to arrive. You can then take it down to the Department of Motor Vehicles (along with your marriage certificate just in case) and get a new driver's license. You will need the driver's license in your new married name in order to change your banking/credit accounts.

Don't forget to take the new Social Security card to your employer's Human Resources manager, so that they can change their records/payroll as well. Usually they can't do that until they see a new SS card.

Hope this helps !

-MK

Tried to edit but my time elapsed

I do suggest waiting until his green card arrives to do the Social Security fandango.... it makes the process much easier if you have the green card as identification. My husband's came in the mail about a month after he arrived in the U.S.

[honeyblonde 0]

Wow, this info really varies by state. I didn't have to show proof of my name change for quite a few accounts, including a credit card with a national bank.

One thing to remember, if you haven't filed your taxes yet: your name on your social security card needs to match what you put on your taxes.