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How to change my maiden name?

#1 J&N*

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Posted 08 July 2012 - 03:25 PM

I'm a little behind on this (moving to 3 different places in the 20 months I've been here) and other things, but I really want to change my name now, where do I start?? It feels so overwhelming but I need to do it fast before we've our first child (due in 2 months) cause I want us all to have the same last name. I remove conditions next January so I'm really confused...

Thanks a lot!
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#2 MayLiana72

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Posted 08 July 2012 - 03:34 PM

You have to go to your local family court.
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#3 amykathleen2005

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Posted 08 July 2012 - 03:56 PM

This can sometimes be tricky because sometimes you have to establish residency in a certain county to change your name. Officially you do it at Social Security when you first get married, but I don't know if there is a time limit to when you have to change it with just a marriage certificate.
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#4 Deema & Wayne

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Posted 08 July 2012 - 04:03 PM

This can sometimes be tricky because sometimes you have to establish residency in a certain county to change your name. Officially you do it at Social Security when you first get married, but I don't know if there is a time limit to when you have to change it with just a marriage certificate.



Social security won't let you change it unless your married name is on your green card. I'm changing mine when it's time to remove conditions cause they wouldn't allow me to do that until I get my name changed to my married name on my green card first.
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#5 LeftCoastLady

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Posted 08 July 2012 - 04:06 PM

There's actually a "change my name" kit that is customized based on your location/jurisdiction and includes the relevant documents: http://www.namechangekit.com/newlywed/
It's $30 and you'd still have to file those documents in person.

Or, you can take your marriage certificate to the DMV and the Social Security Administration office to with a request change your name from your maiden name to married name. (Be sure to specify that because there's a whole different process involved for people who want to legally change their name when it's not tied to marriage.) If you don't have a copy of your marriage certificate, get that first. If you were married in Chicago, that would the Cook County Clerk's office: http://www.cookcount...es/default.aspx

I'm a little behind on this (moving to 3 different places in the 20 months I've been here) and other things, but I really want to change my name now, where do I start?? It feels so overwhelming but I need to do it fast before we've our first child (due in 2 months) cause I want us all to have the same last name. I remove conditions next January so I'm really confused...

Thanks a lot!


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#6 And_Sam

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Posted 08 July 2012 - 09:12 PM

I'm a little behind on this (moving to 3 different places in the 20 months I've been here) and other things, but I really want to change my name now, where do I start?? It feels so overwhelming but I need to do it fast before we've our first child (due in 2 months) cause I want us all to have the same last name. I remove conditions next January so I'm really confused...

Thanks a lot!



Wow Nermeen! Has it been that long??? Congrats on the new addition to you and Joe! I would think with all your paperwork, ie..marriage certificate you can put in a request to change your name on your green card. That would be the first thing then you can go to the Social Security office to get it changed there and also the DMV.
http://www.usimmigra...ame-change.html Here is some information that can help you!

Take care and good luck!:thumbs:

Andrea
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#7 Dave&Roza

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Posted 08 July 2012 - 10:49 PM

Social security won't let you change it unless your married name is on your green card. I'm changing mine when it's time to remove conditions cause they wouldn't allow me to do that until I get my name changed to my married name on my green card first.



That person at the SSA was wrong wrong wrong. They state on their own website you need a marriage certificate or other legal document to show the new name. What if you are a USC that just got married? You do not have a GC. You have your maiden name and a marriage certificate that state you are married. You take that into the SSA and have them change the name on your SSC. You never have to tell them that you are not a USC. Of course most people that work at the SSA are dummer than a box of rocks. E-mail the main SSA office listed on the website and ask them about changing your name due marriage.

Good luck,

Dave

Edited by Dave&Roza, 08 July 2012 - 10:49 PM.

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#8 GlobeHopperMama

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 12:52 AM

I legally took on a married name last summer after 4 years of marriage. Just a lot of international travel and I had been avoiding it so I wouldn't have to change my passport. Anyway, at least in IL, it gets a little dicey after 2 yrs have elapsed since the marriage, but you're still within that so I think you shouldn't have a problem getting it done just with the marriage certificate. If possible, try to get some other record as well, like a doctor/lab report, a piece of mail, anything else using your married name. I went through the SSA office in Aurora. It kind of drove me nuts and I almost gave up after the 3rd failed attempt, but 4th time was a charm for me.
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#9 Mithra

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 03:03 PM

Take your marriage cert. along with another form of ID (passport, drivers license, etc.) down to the local DMV and have it changed there. When I changed my last name I went to the DMV then to SSA to have it changed.
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#10 And_Sam

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Posted 09 July 2012 - 08:48 PM

When my husband got here to the US we went to the SSA office to get his ss card. The woman who we spoke to said that his full name that is on the visa in his passport was too long and wouldn't fit on the card. I argued with her because I knew it would. Well sure enough they put his first, middle and very last name (he has 2 last names) on the card. Well he got his greencard and it had his first, middle, and BOTH last names. Next step was to the dmv to get his driver's license. Well the DMV would NOT take his greencard AND ss card because it did not match IDENTICALLY. So back to the ss office again. The first woman we talked to said that Homeland Security had to change his name to match his social security card. Yeah, right. Finally, after talking to a supervisor, he was able to get his ss card with the same exact name that is on his greencard. What a mess....

So yes, Nermeen you do need to get your name changed on your greencard then get it changed on your social security number, driver's license....

Let us know how it goes!
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