Down to the last steps and hit a snag with the DS-260

[dmahr 0]

My wife and I just sent in our package that includes our cover letter, I-130, G-325A(me and hers), photos, passports, BC's, fee payment, affidavits, timemlines, and G-1145. After a while the Embassy in Seoul finally sent us a letter back saying out case was approved and it will be sent up to Frankfurt (she lives in Frankfurt) for it to get processed as well as her to go and do her medical(which she has done last month in May). In the email that they sent to us, they were telling us that she has to go online and fill out DS-260 (which we have done and submitted), and I saw another part where it list that we have to fill out forms: I-864EZ(which we have done and mailed in). I know after reading this your are like, soooo what's your question. Here's my question, My wife wants to keep her Japanese last name on her passport(which I agree) for when she goes back to Japan and has already amended her passport to include my last name in parenthesis and her Japanese last name is in the barcode on the bottom of the page in the passport. We requested to the Frankfurt field office to print her name on her VISA and GC with her first name and my last name ONLY. They wrote back to her sayin

" We have to use your Last name just like it is listed in your Passport. It is correct that they added your husband’s last name but your passport is still issued under your family name(See Barcode on Passport). Therefore you must correct the form DS-260 and we have to issue your visa with that name."

The Japanese Embassy told me that:

Should I use my married name on the I-130 petition?

If you would like to use your married name in the U.S., you may use your married name for the I-130. Please make sure to amend your passport to your married name before your immigrant visa interview. We cannot put your married name on your visa unless you have amended your passport.

I asked my mother and she her friends if they went through this situation and was told by friends that they had their last names automatically changed with no problems at all....does the U.S. Embassy in Germany do what they want to do or do they follow a completely different set of rules? I read on here that someone said that if we get her VISA and GC with her last name all she has to do is go to the Social Security Office and USCIS get her name changed there...is this true and if so how long will it take? Also since I am military and PCSing to WA and will be living there at the end of this month, I want her to be with me as soon as possible. Please help!!!!!

[Ryan H 3,790]

Visa name reflects name in passport, name on green card reflects name on visa, this is universal, not specific to Frankfurt. Anything you may have heard about last names being automatically changed is either incorrect or was done at a time ages ago under different rules and procedures which no longer exist.

Also, the Social Security office has no jurisdiction for changing names.

[dmahr 0]

Thanks Ryan, I appreciate your response and your useful information, the sucky thing is is that my wife's name will not change and include my name on any of her documents...

Dennis

[NikLR 13,220]

You can change it after arrival. Either by paying $450 and getting a new green card or by changing it at ROC. You can also obtain driver's licenses etc, in a married name, by using the marriage certificate when applying for such things.

[Memo007 2]

Where ever you go.your name on your passport will be taken as ur first and last name no matter what .so if ur wife wants to change jer last name ur wife need to apply for passport with the name she wants to keep

..

[NikLR 13,220]

Where ever you go.your name on your passport will be taken as ur first and last name no matter what .so if ur wife wants to change jer last name ur wife need to apply for passport with the name she wants to keep

..

Not necessarily in the USA.

[dmahr 0]

NLR, what and where is ROC? Thanks memo.

[Ryan H 3,790]

NLR, what and where is ROC? Thanks memo.

ROC = Removal of Conditions on residency

This is not a process you will be dealing with until at least 90 days before the expiration date of her green card.