OK, I posted a topic on this and mdyoung was kind enough to respond, but with the same kind of legal gobbildigoop that makes me even more confused. I am sorry, but I am extremely dyslexic and when I read things written in that legal type of way I struggle to comprehend. I can read and fathom WAR & PEACE no problem. Hell, I learned how to speak sort of OK Japanese after reading SHOGUN (no kidding). But this, forget about it.

Anh's name is WRONG on every single document we have seen from the US Government and on each of them it is wrong in a different way. In moving forward for AOS and all of that we have been told it is best she changes her very long name and uses just her first name and my last name. This should simply matters, otherwise we will run into all sorts of problems because the names do not match.

BUT... We called both Department of Homeland Security and the local SS Office and neither could figure out how we should do it. Every time I talk to a government official I find they don't know anything. This process is making me a real madman and I don't like it one bit. I am tired of feeling stupid.

HOW, in NON-LEGAL terms, do Anh and I get her name changed?

Do we need the copy of our marriage certificate (which is not availabnle yet). And will it matter that her name on that certificate will not have my last name on it? At the time she wanted to keep her family name, not realizing the nightmare we would find with her name being screwed up by idiotic Americans who cannot understand Asian names.

My being so sick for over 3 weeks has made this worse. As you can see I am royally out of patience. I've tried figuring this out on my own. I have tried calling the official people who should know what to do. None of that worked.

I am begging you folks here for the answers.

For the record, she arrived on July 26. Her visa issue date was June 28 and expires December 27. There is a stamp on the I-94 card with a date of October 24, 2006.

As far as her name... Not wanting to print her entire name online, I will do it this way. Her first name has two names and will be FIRST1 FIRST2. Her middle name will be MIDDLE and her family name will be LAST.

I-94: Under Family Name it has LAST MIDDLE

On her Visa her name is listed as FIRST2 MIDDLE FIRST1 and under Family name it is correct with LAST.

On her SS card it is FIRST1 FIRST 2 LAST MIDDLE

See what I mean? It is different on every damn form!!

Here in California it wasn't too difficult at all for us. We got married, and basically chose her name from her Passport. The time to do it is when you are creating the marriage license. They are actually pretty open at that time. Her family name is Truong Thi Mai Huong and on the Marriage Certificate we changed it to Mai Huong T. Superstar (I'm not revieling my real last name). With the marriage certificate in hand, we went down and obtained her Social Security Card with that name. Once you have the SSN and marriage certificate, the EAD followed with that name so we were able to use that on her Driver's license and eventually her Green Card.

Piece of moon cake.

Oh Matt, hang in there (easier said than done) I told you the fun would start when your significant other gets here. Remember, after 1 year, it'll all be down hill...........

Ok,

Thuy choose to keep her Vietnamese name and so far we haven't had a problem with visa documents, taxes, car loan, credit cards, insurance, bank, W2s, job, classes, misc mail, etc...

Her actual first name with the gov't is "Minh Thuy"; however, it's usually just "Thuy" with all other paperwork.

"Minh Thuy" + Middle + Last: US Gov't

"Thuy" + Last or "Thuy" + Middle + Last: all other documents

Last name + Middle + "Minh Thuy": in Vietnam

I hope that helps

Anh has her SS card? Now, she can get a job to keep busy, correct?

Matt,

I wished I were in your case now... but Yes, I agree with you Mdyoung is great resource but his/her language is required major Vocab with lot of deep understanding of the legal system, put it this way, I still can't figure it out on my own.

However, in your case, you didn't file your AOS yet, you can fill out your AOS paper for her, using the name you would like to start using for her legally from now on: Anh Steven (correct)????

By start using your new marriage name on your GC application, that will solve all the issue you may face later on with SNN, with DMV and more IF you want to change her name later. Man, I give up in changing Kim's name.

We didn't fill out the AOS applications in the naming order which we'd like, so when we try to ask SSN to change her name on the SSN card, they said "No way, we only go by what it says on your GC", but of course to change name on your GC you will need to reapply and pay $250+ for a new card. DMV is fun, they check Kim's name against SSN system. So it's like a circle of hell where nobody can tell me what should happen first before the next step can be done.

I did make a mistake, not intentionally, but it was a mistake NOT to fill out Kim's AOS in the naming order which we like, and with my LAST name.

In conclusion, someone correct me, if I'm not mistakence: by start using Anh Steven on her AOS application, that's how you change your name. By filling out your legal doc with Anh Steven, it's how you change your name.

- AOS = GC = USCIS' record showing Anh's new married name = Green Card with New name = SSN Card with new married name = DMV new married name = Anh Steven.

Best of luck,

Chuck and Kim

I've been following your posts for quite a while and just want to chime in once again.

I don't think you should worry about Anh's name in I-94 or her K visa, you guys are over them now and her I-94 and K1 (?) visa will not be valid for any much longer anyway.

If she wants to change her last name, the AOS is the time when she can do so. Just put whatever name she wants in the AOS form and once she gets it approved, the GC will come in the new name. The copy of marriage certificate (even if it doesn't come with the new last name) will be sufficient as a proof of her new married name.

Same ordeal with EAD. The only thing that's a bit confusing here is her SSN. Since she already got an SSN (I believe she got this before you guys got married ?? ), then I suggest you guys to go to the nearest SSA and show them your marriage certificate and ask if she can change her last name. Just make sure that the new name will match with the one in her AOS and EAD paperwork.