Changing name

[Jay&Jo 4]

I got married 3 weeks ago (approx). because of this i have a new last name obvously. yesterday i went to apply for a social security number, but wasnt allowed one under my new last name. so i've got one ordered under my maiden name and i was told i needed to wait until i had my green card through to change it. is this everyone elses experiences??

also the lady at the Social Security Office told us we needed to go to our nearest Immigration Office (Fort Lauderdale) and let them know my husband and i are married now... again, is this true, as i was under the impression i just need to send off all the forms and then wait for my interview appointment to adjust my status.

thanks everyone!!! jo

[Otto 83]

I got married 3 weeks ago (approx). because of this i have a new last name obvously. yesterday i went to apply for a social security number, but wasnt allowed one under my new last name. so i've got one ordered under my maiden name and i was told i needed to wait until i had my green card through to change it. is this everyone elses experiences??Yes. Essentially.

also the lady at the Social Security Office told us we needed to go to our nearest Immigration Office (Fort Lauderdale) and let them know my husband and i are married now... again, is this true,No - very oversimplified. as i was under the impression i just need to send off all the forms and then wait for my interview appointment to adjust my status. Your impression is correct. On the AOS (and related) forms - you may use your married name - this way your PR/Green Card (etc) will be issued in this 'new' name.

Congratulations on the marriage.

[Jay&Jo 4]

thats awesome thanks for the help!

[seawind12 0]

I got married 3 weeks ago (approx). because of this i have a new last name obvously. yesterday i went to apply for a social security number, but wasnt allowed one under my new last name. so i've got one ordered under my maiden name and i was told i needed to wait until i had my green card through to change it. is this everyone elses experiences??

also the lady at the Social Security Office told us we needed to go to our nearest Immigration Office (Fort Lauderdale) and let them know my husband and i are married now... again, is this true, as i was under the impression i just need to send off all the forms and then wait for my interview appointment to adjust my status.

thanks everyone!!! jo

After geting married, I had my name changed in my SS card even though my GC was in my old name. I showed the Social Security office the ( original ) marriage certificate and the ( original certified ) marriage license showing the new name that I intended to use after the marriage. After getting the SS card with my new name which was mailed to me after a week, I went on to change my name in the driver's license.

I am working on changing the last name on my green card now ( I-90 ). Maybe rules differ from every state? Of that, I'm not sure. Hope this helps, goodluck to you.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I got married 3 weeks ago (approx). because of this i have a new last name obvously.

Quick info: nobody is required to change their name when getting married. Many people feel okay with keeping the name they received from their parents at birth and have used all of their life.

Another advantage of keeping your name is that you don't have to apply for new passport . . . Green Card . . . Driver License . . . Bank ATM card . . . credit cards . . . car titles . . . Insurance documents . . . AAA card, etc, which saves a lot of time, money and headaches.

I can't think of any reason why somebody would want to change their name unless it's awful, hard to pronounce in English, or on the No Fly List.

[Eric-Pris 1,606]

You should have been able to get a SS card in your married name if you showed them the marraige certificate. Many SSA employees don't know what the hell they are doing, so they give out bad information. It's ok though, you can change it when you get the GC. No biggie.

You don't have to inform immigration that you're married. You just need to send out AOS paperwork, hopefully at least a week or two before the I-94 expires.

[littlecrazyangel 1]

Quick info: nobody is required to change their name when getting married. Many people feel okay with keeping the name they received from their parents at birth and have used all of their life.

Another advantage of keeping your name is that you don't have to apply for new passport . . . Green Card . . . Driver License . . . Bank ATM card . . . credit cards . . . car titles . . . Insurance documents . . . AAA card, etc, which saves a lot of time, money and headaches.

I can't think of any reason why somebody would want to change their name unless it's awful, hard to pronounce in English, or on the No Fly List.

Some of us are more traditional.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

You should have been able to get a SS card in your married name if you showed them the marraige certificate. Many SSA employees don't know what the hell they are doing, so they give out bad information. It's ok though, you can change it when you get the GC. No biggie.

You don't have to inform immigration that you're married. You just need to send out AOS paperwork, hopefully at least a week or two before the I-94 expires.

Technically yes, but as the OP would have to go BACK again after obtaining a GC to have the "DHS Authorisation required" removed, they make you wait till you prove your status so it's only done the once.

Also, I suspect when they enter "K1" on their system they then need to enter our new immigration status (why we're allowed the SSN). Just as my husband is in the system as a US citizen, i'm in their system as K1, when I go back I'm a LPR (2 year conditional).

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Quick info: nobody is required to change their name when getting married. Many people feel okay with keeping the name they received from their parents at birth and have used all of their life.

Another advantage of keeping your name is that you don't have to apply for new passport . . . Green Card . . . Driver License . . . Bank ATM card . . . credit cards . . . car titles . . . Insurance documents . . . AAA card, etc, which saves a lot of time, money and headaches.

I can't think of any reason why somebody would want to change their name unless it's awful, hard to pronounce in English, or on the No Fly List.

Oh puh-lease. I enjoy "the hassle". i'm not one of those crazy people who thinks just because I change my name suddenly I've "lost my identity". I am my husbands wife but aside from that i'm the same person I was the day before I met him. I'm proud to take his name and have everyone know I am a part of his family and he is part of mine. I personally disagree with people hyphenating, or NOT changing their name but you don't see me responding constantly to those people admonishing them for their name choice. I prefer the traditional that's me, you didn't, that's you.

p.s. Some people would LOVE to change their name. If I was "Apple", or some of the other random names out there i would RELISH the ability to do it with such ease.

Edited January 28, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[mari joe 1]

We took all our info to ss but they only wanted to see our marriage cert, app. for first time ss#, and I 94. She entered the name for the ss card exactly how we told her to enter it with her new name. We rec'd the card in 10 days w/ no problems.

Edited January 28, 2010 by mari joe

[Krikit 1,164]

You should have been able to get a SS card in your married name if you showed them the marraige certificate. Many SSA employees don't know what the hell they are doing, so they give out bad information. It's ok though, you can change it when you get the GC. No biggie.

You don't have to inform immigration that you're married. You just need to send out AOS paperwork, hopefully at least a week or two before the I-94 expires.

Ditto to the above. I applied for and received my SSN in my married name prior to receiving a greencard.

Technically yes, but as the OP would have to go BACK again after obtaining a GC to have the "DHS Authorisation required" removed, they make you wait till you prove your status so it's only done the once.

It is not a necessity to do this. The GC is the DHS authorization.

Moving thread from the AOS forum to the SSN section.

[I'm Gone 60]

Which SSA office was this?

RM 00203.210 Changing Numident Name Data

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203210

C. Procedure - Immigration Document as Evidence of Legal Name

When issuing immigration documents, the Department of State and DHS issue them in the person’s legal name. The legal name is also generally the name in which the foreign passport was issued.

When an alien applies for an SSN card, presume the name on the immigration document is the legal name unless the applicant presents evidence of a legal name change (e.g., marriage) that occurred after the immigration document was issued.

In cases where an alien applies for a replacement SSN card and submits an immigration document showing a name that is different from the name on the prior Numident record, accept the immigration document as evidence of the legal name. In these cases, the prior SSN card may have been issued in a name that was not the NH’s legal name.

D. Examples of Legal Name Changes

4. Name Change to a Name Different From Name on Immigration Document

Monica Mumma Stottlemyer applies for a replacement SSN card in her married name. She:

Completes an SS-5 showing her first name as Monica, her middle name as Mumma, and her last name as Smith;

Completes the other names used field, showing that name as “Monica (first name), Mumma Stottlemyer (last name);”

Signs the SS-5 as “Monica M. Smith;”

Submits a U.S. marriage document showing Monica Mumma Stottlemyer and John Smith married last week (the marriage document shows the dates of birth for Monica and John);

Submits a driver's license with her photograph that shows the name Monica M. Smith; and

Submits a DHS employment authorization card with her photograph and showing her name as “Mumma Stottlemyer, Monica.”

The U.S. marriage document supports the legal name change and is acceptable evidence of identity in both the old name and the new name because it shows biographical data (date of birth) that can be compared to the Numident record. Further, the name to be shown on the SSN card agrees with the name on the additional identity document in the new legal name (the driver's license).

SSA can process the name change request. Process the SS-5 to have the name “Monica (first name) Mumma (middle name) Smith (last name) to be shown in the card and enter “Monica (first name) Mumma Stottlemyer (compound surname) as an “other name used.” The compound surname must be entered the same way it is shown on the immigration document. Advise the NH to also contact DHS to change her surname to “Smith” with that agency.

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Notice it says ADVISE number holder to contact DHS, not MUST before application can be processed.

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When an alien requests an SSN or replacement card, SSA must verify his or her documents/current status with the appropriate bureau of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If the initial online verification is not possible through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system, SSA may need to send a Form G-845 to the appropriate bureau of DHS for manual verification.

Social Security field offices can submit an additional electronic online verification, which with the majority of applications eliminates the need to send a Form G-845 along with a copy of the applicant’s immigration documents.

However, some applications still require a copy of the immigration document(s) to be mailed to the appropriate bureau of DHS along with Form G-845 for manual verification.

Note: If the applicant has changed his/her name after an immigration document, for example, Form I-94, was issued, for example, married and is now using the married name, but has not obtained a corrected immigration document showing the new name; this is not a name discrepancy for enumeration purposes, that is, SAVE clearance, if the applicant can provide an acceptable legal name change document to establish the new name.