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How can I keep my maiden name?

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Filed: Lift. Cond. (pnd) Country: China
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hi guys...I passed the road test and went to get the license issued. The clerk there insisted that I should follow my husband's last name or they couldn't issue me a license. Both my hubby and I were really pissed off as the hassel of GC was already too much and now we had to take DMV nonsense. I showed her my SSN, AP, passport and EAD (GC is in MSC waiting to be corrected) with my maiden name and told her I did not want to change my surname. Hubby told her under no law was I forced to take his surname. However, she wouldn't listen. She said I had to get a court order indicating I could keep my maiden name.

I came back hoping I could find some info regarding the women's right to retain their maiden name but so far nothing has happened.

If any of you who has similar experience or relevant knowledge, pls let me know. I really appreciate it. Thanks.

I-751 Timeline

02-27-08 Package sent to TSC

03-01-08 Received

03-12-08 Check cashed

03-18-08 Transferred to VSC

04-09-08 Received biometrics letter

04-21-08 Biometrics done and passport stamped with 1-year extention

04-24-08 Touched and email "pending at local office"

09-10-08 Touched

01-13-09 Touched

02-19-09 Approved and Card Ordered

AOS Timeline

10-04-05 AOS&EAD received by USCIS

10-11-05 Notice date

10-26-05 AP received by USCIS

11-04-05 Notice date

12-28-05 AP approved

01-03-06 AP received

01-09-06 EAD over 90 days, never got any biometrics appointment letter; went to local office and got biometrics done for both AOS&EAD

01-11-06 EAD in the mail

01-13-06 got EAD

01-17-06 email notifying AOS is further processed

02-28-06 interview letter arrived!

05-02-06 interview in MEMPHIS, approved!

05-11-06 green card arrived but country of birth was wrong:(

09-28-06 got the corrected GC:)

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Colombia
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If you had all of this identification ( SS, AP, EAD ) with the name you wanted I don't see how they even knew that there was a name problem. DId you present your marriage license also?

YOu need to tell everybody what state your are applying in. You might get more help.

10 Nov mailed I 129F to TSC

16 Nov 29 Nov Notice date

3 Dec Received NOA 1

3 Jan 05 Please I just want to be touched

3 may 05 NOA2 E mail notification

7 May 05 Mail NOA2

11 May 05 sent petition to Bogota

18 May Packet 3 arrived

19 May Checklist taken to consulate

31 May Packet 4 delivered

29 June visa granted

1 July Visa delivered

Sometime in July Lucero came to US

13 Sept 05 Married

1 Nov 05 -USCIS recieved 485 and EAD

13 December RFE stupid things I should have included Returned very quickly

27 March received bio letter for New Orleans

7 Apr_06 Bio done in New Orleans

20 April 06 Touched on all applications

21 April Email received EAD approved

27 Apr Received EAD card

30 May 2006 Received appointment letter for JaX on 13 July 2006

13 July Interview successful approved

20 July Received green card

30 June 08 Sent I751 to remove conditions

25 July 08 Application returned erroneously incorrect fee

27 July mailed new application with separate checks

15 Sept 08 Application returned erroneously K2 not within 90 day timeframe

17 Sept Mailed 3rd application with mountains of proof of error copied Senator Mel Martinez

09 October 4th application package sent. This time they said the app signature page was a copy

10 Oct Sent package again 4th time.

25 Oct Received another NOA for Wife with $625 for the amount with one year extension

30 Oct 2008 Still nothing for step daughter. Checks still haven't cleared the bank

24 November Checks finally cleared the bank

February biometrics for wife Nothing for daughter.

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Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Indonesia
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I keep my maiden name on all docs, have no problem with DMV. Maybe you can try to go to another DMV ?? Some DMV offices are more fussy than others...

Me- Indonesia & hubby - US

married in Vancouver, Canada

USCIS-free for 10 years !

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Italy
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I bet if you go back to a different DMV or on a different day, you won't have this problem. It sounds like this lady didn't know what she was talking about.

6/27/06 NOA dates for I-130, I-131, I-765, I-485

7/17/06 received biometrics appt notice

7/27/06 biometrics completed

9/7/06 AP approved

9/13/06 EAD approved

11/6/06 received appointment notice for Dec 19th

12/19/06 Interviewed, approved, received stamp in passport

12/27/06 card production ordered

01/03/07 received green card (envelope postmarked 12/30/06)

09/20/08 Mailed I-751 to remove conditions

09/26/08 NOA date

10/16/08 Received biometrics notice

10/31/08 Biometrics

03/10/09 Transferred from VSC to CSC

05/15/09 I-751 approval noticed received in mail

12/01/09 Mailed N-400 for naturalization

12/07/09 NOA date

12/15/09 Received biometrics notice

01/04/10 Biometrics

02/17/10 Interview, approval, and oath

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Filed: Country: Canada
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OR you could insist to speak to the supervisor. What state are you applying in? Maybe go onto the DMV website and check out their requirements...if there's nothing that states you HAVE to take your husband's name, print out the relevant information and take it to this person and show it to them. Just a thought. :)

Teaching is the essential profession...the one that makes ALL other professions possible - David Haselkorn

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Filed: Country: Spain
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Read the state vehicle code and see what it sez. Ask her for her source of authority for this issue. In every state that Im aware of, a married woman can use either her maiden neame or married name or a hyphenated name.

I finally got rid of the never ending money drain. I called the plumber, and got the problem fixed. I wish her the best.

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Filed: Timeline
hi guys...I passed the road test and went to get the license issued. The clerk there insisted that I should follow my husband's last name or they couldn't issue me a license. Both my hubby and I were really pissed off as the hassel of GC was already too much and now we had to take DMV nonsense. I showed her my SSN, AP, passport and EAD (GC is in MSC waiting to be corrected) with my maiden name and told her I did not want to change my surname. Hubby told her under no law was I forced to take his surname. However, she wouldn't listen. She said I had to get a court order indicating I could keep my maiden name.

Since all your documents are in your maiden name and you are applying with that name how/why did being married even come up?

http://www.firstgov.gov/Topics/Motor_Vehicles.shtml

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Filed: Lift. Cond. (pnd) Country: China
Timeline

hi guys...I passed the road test and went to get the license issued. The clerk there insisted that I should follow my husband's last name or they couldn't issue me a license. Both my hubby and I were really pissed off as the hassel of GC was already too much and now we had to take DMV nonsense. I showed her my SSN, AP, passport and EAD (GC is in MSC waiting to be corrected) with my maiden name and told her I did not want to change my surname. Hubby told her under no law was I forced to take his surname. However, she wouldn't listen. She said I had to get a court order indicating I could keep my maiden name.

Since all your documents are in your maiden name and you are applying with that name how/why did being married even come up?

http://www.firstgov.gov/Topics/Motor_Vehicles.shtml

Thanks everyone for the ideas and suggestions. I'll definitely keep looking for info and go back armed with more info.

I live in Arkansas and the married name came up because they didn't require any other document but passport and marriage license. When I got my permit, I confronted another lady on using my husband's name as my last name but she refused to write down my maiden name. That was how the problem started.

I-751 Timeline

02-27-08 Package sent to TSC

03-01-08 Received

03-12-08 Check cashed

03-18-08 Transferred to VSC

04-09-08 Received biometrics letter

04-21-08 Biometrics done and passport stamped with 1-year extention

04-24-08 Touched and email "pending at local office"

09-10-08 Touched

01-13-09 Touched

02-19-09 Approved and Card Ordered

AOS Timeline

10-04-05 AOS&EAD received by USCIS

10-11-05 Notice date

10-26-05 AP received by USCIS

11-04-05 Notice date

12-28-05 AP approved

01-03-06 AP received

01-09-06 EAD over 90 days, never got any biometrics appointment letter; went to local office and got biometrics done for both AOS&EAD

01-11-06 EAD in the mail

01-13-06 got EAD

01-17-06 email notifying AOS is further processed

02-28-06 interview letter arrived!

05-02-06 interview in MEMPHIS, approved!

05-11-06 green card arrived but country of birth was wrong:(

09-28-06 got the corrected GC:)

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hi guys...I passed the road test and went to get the license issued. The clerk there insisted that I should follow my husband's last name or they couldn't issue me a license. Both my hubby and I were really pissed off as the hassel of GC was already too much and now we had to take DMV nonsense. I showed her my SSN, AP, passport and EAD (GC is in MSC waiting to be corrected) with my maiden name and told her I did not want to change my surname. Hubby told her under no law was I forced to take his surname. However, she wouldn't listen. She said I had to get a court order indicating I could keep my maiden name.

Since all your documents are in your maiden name and you are applying with that name how/why did being married even come up?

http://www.firstgov.gov/Topics/Motor_Vehicles.shtml

Thanks everyone for the ideas and suggestions. I'll definitely keep looking for info and go back armed with more info.

I live in Arkansas and the married name came up because they didn't require any other document but passport and marriage license. When I got my permit, I confronted another lady on using my husband's name as my last name but she refused to write down my maiden name. That was how the problem started.

What name is on your marriage certificate? If you took your husband's name on the marriage certificate, then that is your legal name. You must use it on all your legal documents, including the driver's license. If your maiden name is on your marriage certificate, then the DMV is wrong and you should tell them to go to hell.

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Filed: Timeline
What name is on your marriage certificate? If you took your husband's name on the marriage certificate, then that is your legal name. You must use it on all your legal documents, including the driver's license. If your maiden name is on your marriage certificate, then the DMV is wrong and you should tell them to go to hell.

Most states want the DL name to match the SSN record and her SSN record has her maiden name. If it was me I would just go back and not say anything about being married.

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I would suggest going back armed with your knowledge and ask to speak to a supervisor if necessary.

I had a similar issue this week. I went to get my Canada license converted, (in Mass.) and they did not want to give me my Mass. license. They wanted a green card, and of course I don't have it. My K1 was expired, and to make matters worse, I don't have an I94 in my passport because I used my AP and on the way back in they only gave me a stamp.

I had every piece of ID they could want, and I was prepared for them. It took till closing time, but I walked out with my temp. and the card's in the mail!

Be persistent. Know your stuff and speak with a supervisor.

Adjustment of Status 2008

May 6, 2008 ~~~~~~~ I751 package mailed to Vermont

May 17, 2008 ~~~~~~~~Check Cashed

May 19, 2008 ~~~~~~~~ NOA1

June 20, 2008 ~~~~~~~ Fingerprinting appointment

April 1, 2009 ~~~~~~~~ APPROVED!!!!

K-1 Visa

October 11, 2005 ~~~~~ Mailed I129F (Vermont)

October 25, 2005 ~~~~~ NOA2 in email (yay)

February 8, 2006 ~~~~~ Interview Day! APPROVED!!!

AOS, EAD, AP

March 27, 2006 ~~~~~~ Mailed AOS, EAD, AP to Chicago

March 29, 2006 ~~~~~~ AOS, EAD, AP arrives at Chicago Lockbox

March 31, 2006 ~~~~~~~ NOA's for all 3

April 18, 2006 ~~~~~~ Biometrics Appointment in Providence

May 15, 2006 ~~~~~~ RFE in the mail-more financial info

May 26, 2006 ~~~~~~ AOS touched

June 19, 2006 ~~~~~ EAD Card in the mail

July 27, 2006 ~~~~~ Interview for Green Card

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
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I found this information but I'm not sure how much it will help. The second one is from the California DMV; I looked for Arkansas but their website didn't provide much meat, just a series of links for contacting their office directly.

The irony is, most of the time the issue is proving the married name, not proving you are who you've always been! I wish you luck.

***************

Legal status and criticisms

Laws respecting married names vary. In areas whose legal systems derive from the English common law—such as most parts of the USA, Canada, and the UK—a name change usually does not require legal action, because a person can choose to be known by any name (except with intent to defraud); this is why authors, actors, and step-children, as well as married women, can adopt new names without taking any legal action. In many jurisdictions whose legal systems derive from the civil law—such as France, Spain, the Canadian province of Quebec, and the U.S. state of Louisiana—however, the default position is for a woman's "legal name" to remain the same throughout life: Citizens there who wish to change their names legally must usually apply to do so via a formal procedure.

Source

************

BD = Birth Date

LP = Legal Presence

What is a True Full Name?

Your true full name appears on your BD/LP document. If you change your name, then you must provide one of the following documents to verify your name change:

* Adoption documents that contain the legal name as a result of the adoption.

* A name change document that contains the legal name both before and after the name change.

* Marriage certificate (issued from a local or state Office of Vital Statistics).

* Dissolution of marriage document that contains the legal name as a result of the court action.

This document must be issued by a government agency within the United States or a foreign jurisdiction that is authorized to issue such documents. The document must be a legible and unaltered original or certified copy with a government seal, stamp or other official imprint. You will need to surrender your current driver license and/or ID card.

Source

What name is on your marriage certificate? If you took your husband's name on the marriage certificate, then that is your legal name. You must use it on all your legal documents, including the driver's license. If your maiden name is on your marriage certificate, then the DMV is wrong and you should tell them to go to hell.

Most states want the DL name to match the SSN record and her SSN record has her maiden name. If it was me I would just go back and not say anything about being married.

This is true of Washington, although I hadn't changed my SSN to my married name until after the DL was issued and the woman at the DOL was able to do "something" in their system to put it in my married name first. My DL was the first piece of "formal" ID I had with my married name.

Electricity is really just organized lightning.

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What name is on your marriage certificate? If you took your husband's name on the marriage certificate, then that is your legal name. You must use it on all your legal documents, including the driver's license. If your maiden name is on your marriage certificate, then the DMV is wrong and you should tell them to go to hell.

Most states want the DL name to match the SSN record and her SSN record has her maiden name. If it was me I would just go back and not say anything about being married.

SSN record should be in a person's legal name. If her legal name has changed, she should change her SSN record. I currently have an a different name on my SSN card than on my driver's license. In California, SSN alone is not enough proof of legal name, you must provide something else. The DMV wouldn't accept the SSN name as the name on my driver's license. They used the name on my citizenship certificate and passport.

Arkansas doesn't even accept a SSN card as identifying document. You have to provide something else. That list is here: http://www.arkansas.gov/dfa/driver_services/ds_license.html

Sounds to me like this person changed her legal name on her marriage certificate.

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline
Sounds to me like this person changed her legal name on her marriage certificate.

I'm confused by this statement. My marriage certificate shows my maiden name (my name as the party entering into the marriage) and as such, I signed it with my maiden name. On the notarized copy of the marriage certificate it shows the same information as described above (i.e. not designating which name I use in practice).

Is my marriage certificate not the norm from the 'usual'? (I've only been married the once so have no basis for comparison. ;) )

Anyway, it's still weird to me, as my maiden name is still my legal name, and the married name I use is also legal (through the legal marriage). I can and have used both. To make my maiden name 'defunct' as a legal name I would have to have my birth certificate amended and go through a legal name change in Canada.

And the OP isn't changing her name, simply using the one she's had all along. So why does she lose the privilege to use it?

(I know that's what she's asking. I'm sleepy still. LOL)

Electricity is really just organized lightning.

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Sounds to me like this person changed her legal name on her marriage certificate.

I'm confused by this statement. My marriage certificate shows my maiden name (my name as the party entering into the marriage) and as such, I signed it with my maiden name. On the notarized copy of the marriage certificate it shows the same information as described above (i.e. not designating which name I use in practice).

Is my marriage certificate not the norm from the 'usual'? (I've only been married the once so have no basis for comparison. ;) )

Anyway, it's still weird to me, as my maiden name is still my legal name, and the married name I use is also legal (through the legal marriage). I can and have used both. To make my maiden name 'defunct' as a legal name I would have to have my birth certificate amended and go through a legal name change in Canada.

And the OP isn't changing her name, simply using the one she's had all along. So why does she lose the privilege to use it?

(I know that's what she's asking. I'm sleepy still. LOL)

In the US, there are no laws that say you have to use a certain name. Hence many people take pseudonyms and professional names. But you only have one legal name at any given time. There are several ways to establish a legal name. One is obviously the name you were given on your birth certificate.

Other ways to establish one's legal name is to get married and change one's name on the marriage certificate, get divorced/marriage anulment/legally separated and change one's name with the judgment, become naturalized as an US citizen and change one's name at the naturalization ceremony, obtain a citizenship certificate with a new name, or goto court and get a legal name change through a court order.

In your case, your legal name is your maiden name if that is the name on your marriage certificate. Unless you have changed it through the methods above, then that is your legal name. You are of course free to use any names you wish, but on your legal documents like passports, driver's license, SSN card, tax returns, etc. you should really use your legal name.

My wife's legal name is her maiden name, which is the name on our marriage certificate. She can use my last name anytime she likes at work, on credit cards, bank accounts, etc.. She can be known as Mrs.XXXX but that is NOT her legal name. Her legal name remains her maiden name until she changes it.

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