Using our husband's Surname

[mike-n-becca 0]

We had our interview for my Adjustment of Status last August 30, 2006. And up to now I am still waiting for my green card. We did the fiancee visa.

I had a major problem though on how I used my name here after my husband and I got married.

In the Philippines when u get married there. Our surname becomes our middle name and our husband’s surname is our new surname.

So I followed that rule then when the guy was interviewing me, he told me that I should still use my maiden name when I was still single and choose if I will drop my dad’s surname and change it to my husband’s surname.

I said to him, Nope I don’t want to drop my dad’s surname so he then told me that I will need to use both. So my name is so long now. I already have 2 names as my first name then my middle name plus now 2 surnames.

He also told me though that I could change my name the way I wanted it to be after I get my citizenship, Hello it is still a long way to go since I arrived here as K1.

Anyone here who had a problem like that?? THANKS!!!

[YuAndDan 153]

Very interesting one, my fiance is thinking the same thing when marry, in China it is common for husband and wife to continue using their family names and not change names. Since my fiance has no middle name we think she could use her family name as middle name and my she would adopt my family name.

There are a few threads I have read about changing name.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...c=31647&hl=

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=31982

Hope helps.

[YuAndDan 153]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...c=32336&hl= Edited September 17, 2006 by YuAndDan

[walls1010 3]

We had our interview for my Adjustment of Status last August 30, 2006. And up to now I am still waiting for my green card. We did the fiancee visa.

I had a major problem though on how I used my name here after my husband and I got married.

In the Philippines when u get married there. Our surname becomes our middle name and our husband’s surname is our new surname.

So I followed that rule then when the guy was interviewing me, he told me that I should still use my maiden name when I was still single and choose if I will drop my dad’s surname and change it to my husband’s surname.

I said to him, Nope I don’t want to drop my dad’s surname so he then told me that I will need to use both. So my name is so long now. I already have 2 names as my first name then my middle name plus now 2 surnames.

He also told me though that I could change my name the way I wanted it to be after I get my citizenship, Hello it is still a long way to go since I arrived here as K1.

Anyone here who had a problem like that?? THANKS!!!

Hello,

I know that you're worried dropping your dad's surname. Middle names here in the USA means second name and not really your dad's surname, coz if they will ask you for your maiden name of course that is your dad's surname.

[I'm Gone 60]

We had our interview for my Adjustment of Status last August 30, 2006. And up to now I am still waiting for my green card. We did the fiancee visa.

I had a major problem though on how I used my name here after my husband and I got married.

In the Philippines when u get married there. Our surname becomes our middle name and our husband’s surname is our new surname.

So I followed that rule then when the guy was interviewing me, he told me that I should still use my maiden name when I was still single and choose if I will drop my dad’s surname and change it to my husband’s surname.

I said to him, Nope I don’t want to drop my dad’s surname so he then told me that I will need to use both. So my name is so long now. I already have 2 names as my first name then my middle name plus now 2 surnames.

My wife just used her maiden name for her new middle name and my last name for her new last name once we were married for everything and has never had a problem.

[scottseattle 0]

I'm also thinking of this same issue. My fiancee will take her last name as her middel name, and take my last name. She does not have a middle name now (Germany) nor is there anything on the marriage certificate about doing this. So is there enough information on the certificate, in general, to allow us to do this? I'm in Washington State, it has both our full names.

I ask, because I was told, legally, her name is now either, Andrea Scottslastname, or Andrea Andreaslastname, and to add a middel name where one does not exist would require court action.

Thanks

Scott

[JnJ 0]

We had our interview for my Adjustment of Status last August 30, 2006. And up to now I am still waiting for my green card. We did the fiancee visa.

I had a major problem though on how I used my name here after my husband and I got married.

In the Philippines when u get married there. Our surname becomes our middle name and our husband’s surname is our new surname.

So I followed that rule then when the guy was interviewing me, he told me that I should still use my maiden name when I was still single and choose if I will drop my dad’s surname and change it to my husband’s surname.

I said to him, Nope I don’t want to drop my dad’s surname so he then told me that I will need to use both. So my name is so long now. I already have 2 names as my first name then my middle name plus now 2 surnames.

My wife just used her maiden name for her new middle name and my last name for her new last name once we were married for everything and has never had a problem.

i did the same thing. had no problem at all.

[Yodrak 7]

mdyoung,

Yes, I think that mike-n-becca were misguided by the USCIS interviewer. She should have been allowed to do as your wife did, as she wanted to.

Don't know quite what to do about it now, other than apply for a new Green Card with a corrected name and pay the fee. Maybe it could be successfully argued that the error was on the part of the USCIS, but it might be a difficult case to make.

I think I'd try to claim USCIS error the first time, then pay the fee the 2nd time if it came to that.

Yodrak

We had our interview for my Adjustment of Status last August 30, 2006. And up to now I am still waiting for my green card. We did the fiancee visa.

I had a major problem though on how I used my name here after my husband and I got married.

In the Philippines when u get married there. Our surname becomes our middle name and our husband's surname is our new surname.

So I followed that rule then when the guy was interviewing me, he told me that I should still use my maiden name when I was still single and choose if I will drop my dad's surname and change it to my husband's surname.

I said to him, Nope I don't want to drop my dad's surname so he then told me that I will need to use both. So my name is so long now. I already have 2 names as my first name then my middle name plus now 2 surnames.

My wife just used her maiden name for her new middle name and my last name for her new last name once we were married for everything and has never had a problem.

[sophyie 0]

@scottseattle: I think what you were told is true, adding a middle name might be complicated. I'm wondering: why don't you go for the "bindestrich"- method? (bindestrich = hyphen)

That is what I believe is common practice in Germany, if the husband's name is the "family name" and the wife does not want to completely give up her last name...

So her name would be Andrea Andreaslastname- Scottslastname (or the other way round) and she could use your lastname for daily life... So you kind of make Andreaslastname the middle name without going through the hassle.

Because of time- issues (we filed my visa petition shortly after getting married) I kept my name for now (would've taken too long to have my passport etc changed prior to filing) but hopefully, when we have the big family wedding next year (Sea- town also by the way ) I will keep my last name and add my husband's...

[xoxo77 1]

We had our interview for my Adjustment of Status last August 30, 2006. And up to now I am still waiting for my green card. We did the fiancee visa.

I had a major problem though on how I used my name here after my husband and I got married.

In the Philippines when u get married there. Our surname becomes our middle name and our husband’s surname is our new surname.

So I followed that rule then when the guy was interviewing me, he told me that I should still use my maiden name when I was still single and choose if I will drop my dad’s surname and change it to my husband’s surname.

I said to him, Nope I don’t want to drop my dad’s surname so he then told me that I will need to use both. So my name is so long now. I already have 2 names as my first name then my middle name plus now 2 surnames.

He also told me though that I could change my name the way I wanted it to be after I get my citizenship, Hello it is still a long way to go since I arrived here as K1.

Anyone here who had a problem like that?? THANKS!!!

I have the same issue about middle names. Americanos always had middle names. And it's not the way we Pinoys do it. lol. And I'm glad you posted this issue because I thought dear husband is nuts...well obviously its DH and CO who are the nuts..lol just kidding.

I now understood what my hubby was trying to explain. I still feel bad about dropping my father's surname but not anymore that I read this. COnsidering that we did not have a personal appearance for AOS interview. Dear hubby is very well calibrated with Consulate officer's rule of thumb about middle name dropping, huh?cool!

[~krakatoa~ 27]

I had almost same dilemma after marriage. But I sticked with the common law rule-changing names on marriage in the US. Here is part of what I read,

"Believing that a person has the right to adopt, assume, or use any name they want as long as it isn't defrauding or hurting anyone else, many states allow a person, including a child, to change his or her name by using the common law rule.

Under the common law rule, all you have to do is use your new name "consistently, openly and non- fraudulently, without interfering with other people’s rights."

Another way to change your name is to have a court proceeding by filing a petition with a local court. (which is a tedious and a bit extra to do at this point).

It might depend on the jurisdiction of that state of the court when it comes to changing names.

Another thing, doing as how americans do their names might simplify things. Especially, taking into mind there is the possibility of FBI namecheck. Fewer words, fewer hits, shorter waiting time. If the last name seems more ordinary than the maiden (middle) name, the probability of getting more hits with other names is higher, naturally. If one wants to play it safe at this point (AOS and removal of conditions), simply drop the family name and go the US way. Anyway, one can always have that option for change later on, after.. say .. 3 years or 5?

Whatever gives you the peace of mind is fine,

Edited May 5, 2007 by mysticbluerose