The importance of Name Change?

[TeamSleep 0]

We just got married over a week ago. Before that I applied my SSN in my maiden name.

I'm wondering if I have to change my last name to my husband's? I prefer to change it after I get all the paperwork done, which right now is way over my head. Is it ok to, say, change my last name to my husband's in 2 years?

To fill in the AOS form, can I just use my maiden name? I read that you should use your married (husband's) last name to fill out the forms.......but then I also read that there are some complications when your married name doesn't match the name on your SSN.

Basically, should I or should I not change my name to best avoid all the hassles in the future? Thank you all. I wouldn't know what to do without all your help.

[garya505 2]

We just got married over a week ago. Before that I applied my SSN in my maiden name.

I'm wondering if I have to change my last name to my husband's? I prefer to change it after I get all the paperwork done, which right now is way over my head. Is it ok to, say, change my last name to my husband's in 2 years?

To fill in the AOS form, can I just use my maiden name? I read that you should use your married (husband's) last name to fill out the forms.......but then I also read that there are some complications when your married name doesn't match the name on your SSN.

Basically, should I or should I not change my name to best avoid all the hassles in the future? Thank you all. I wouldn't know what to do without all your help.

Check with your local governmemt, state government, and the SSA if there are time limits on changing your name after marriage. I suspect there will be. I'm sure waiting 2 years is going to cause you some problems.

I suggest you file for AOS in married name. Changing name on your SSN is easy, and there's really no rush on that anyway.

Edited January 28, 2008 by garya505

[yassmine2878 1]

We just got married over a week ago. Before that I applied my SSN in my maiden name.

I'm wondering if I have to change my last name to my husband's? I prefer to change it after I get all the paperwork done, which right now is way over my head. Is it ok to, say, change my last name to my husband's in 2 years?

To fill in the AOS form, can I just use my maiden name? I read that you should use your married (husband's) last name to fill out the forms.......but then I also read that there are some complications when your married name doesn't match the name on your SSN.

Basically, should I or should I not change my name to best avoid all the hassles in the future? Thank you all. I wouldn't know what to do without all your help.

I waited to change my name w/SSA, intending to do so after AOS. My thinking was that it would be easier to keep all the USCIS-related paperwork in the same name until we hit the 2-year break. However, given all the ridiculous problems we've had with AOS, Im kinda wishing I had done it beforehand.

[TeamSleep 0]

Thank you so so much! That's exactly what I thought, that I would keep everything in the same name until I get my residency, the 2 year period.

But now that I know there will be many complications involved, I should just use my husband's last name

[Bernie4Bien 0]

I agree with Garya505. File your AOS and EAD using your married name, hence, you are already married. You can change your name in your SS Card later on when you got your EAD or Green Card. It is easy to do. That's what I did and I got my new SS Card without problems.

Correct me if I am wrong, you can request for name change 3 times a year, and reissue of SS Card no more than 10 times in your life time. This is as far as I can remember.

[Melyssa 0]

We just got married over a week ago. Before that I applied my SSN in my maiden name.

I'm wondering if I have to change my last name to my husband's? I prefer to change it after I get all the paperwork done, which right now is way over my head. Is it ok to, say, change my last name to my husband's in 2 years?

To fill in the AOS form, can I just use my maiden name? I read that you should use your married (husband's) last name to fill out the forms.......but then I also read that there are some complications when your married name doesn't match the name on your SSN.

Basically, should I or should I not change my name to best avoid all the hassles in the future? Thank you all. I wouldn't know what to do without all your help.

From what I understand it's certainly not a requirement... you can wait 2 years if you really want to, but if you do it right away, it's a lot more convenient and inexpensive.

I read and heard the same thing about the SSN but then I heard that it wasn't true. Besides, you should be able to get your SSN under your married name, although the people I went to didn't, because THEY thought there would be problems. But we're going to go get it fixed as soon as I get my EAD. Also, we applied for my SSN AFTER we filed all my forms... we just put N/A or none in the SSN fields. No problems that I know of were caused by the SSN having my maiden name (I have my AP approved so far), but they still should have put my married name, apparently.

Edited January 28, 2008 by Melyssa

[zeroland 0]

I have had some of these same questions....In our case, my fiancee wants to keep her maiden name, and not take my last name. Does anyone have any thoughts about the process for us? I thought it would be like this....She enters the country, we wait 2 weeks, apply for SSN....do we have to wait for the card to show up? Get married. Then we re-apply for the work authorized version of the SS card? Then apply for AOS, AP, and EAD.

Also, for another twist...my fiancee was in the U.S. for a 10 month period in the 90's. She applied for and got a SS card, but I'm not sure if it was work-authorized or not. I seem to remember reading that once a SSN is issued in your name, that it's yours for life. Anyone want to take a guess about how this will impact the process for us? Should we start off by asking the SSA to look her up and see if that number is still good? I guess they'd want proof of ID, such as birth certificate and passport...I know that Ruth no longer has the actual card itself. I thought about trying to find out that info myself, but with security issues and all, I just figured they wouldn't tell me anything. Thanks!

[Nina+Matt 0]

@zeroland i dont think you can re-apply for a work authorized ss card. and if so you need to wait for you ead so you could proof the work authorization.

some courthouses want the ssn of groom and bride. but im sure that if you would tell them that you applied but didnt receive it yet it wont be a problem.

if your wife already had a ssn the ss office wont issue a new number to her. just go to a local office and tell them and they should be able to find her in the system since a ssn is a life time thing. make sure to bring some id.

@team sleep you dont have to change your last name to your husbands. your husband can also change his name to your last name. or you can have to last names with a hiven inbetween. but you gotta decide what you want to do before you fill out the forms for your aos, ead, ap. if you would file the paperwork in your maiden name and then later decide to change your name after getting the green card you would have to pay a lot of money to get the name changed on the cad. for changing the name on a ss card, thats not a problem at all. just go to your local office after you got married, tell them you got married, show them your marriage certificate and they will take care of it. some offices requiere the ead for name change though. so your name on the ead should be the name your going to use in the future.

i cant really understand the problems people have changing their names?! just use your married name on all the forms for aos, ead and ap and your name change is done! for everything esle, drivers license, bank account...... bring your marriage certificate and they will change it.

its not complicated at all and less expensive as for changing a name on a green card.

[TeamSleep 0]

We got married at a courthouse and I didn't have my SSN yet (still waiting) and it was fine.

So eventhough my passport and K-1 visa, and all the documents before was in my maiden name, I can just use my husband's name filing for AOS, EAD and AP without a problem? (What is AP? hahaha)

Right now I'm waiting for my SSN and a marriage certificate to be mailed to me so I can start the AOS and EAD application. I must fill in those in the forms? No?

And while I wait for all these to get started and processed, I was hoping to get a state ID (I don't know how to drive yet) and a few months down the road a driver's license......I should just put my husband's last name for those too?

[Nina+Matt 0]

when i filled out the forms for aos, ead and ap i just used my new last name (my husbands last name) and i havent had any problems so far!

i got my ead with my married name, and also my ap (ap=advance parole= travel document= you need that when you want/need to leave the usa before you get youre green card in the mail, otherwise they wont let you in when you fly back)

as for the ssn, i went there with my marriage certificate and they changed my name and send me a new card with the new name!

when you fill out the forms you dont need a ssn if you dont have it by that time. thats what i was told. you just need the marriage certificate and some other docs that you need to submit with your application.

[TeamSleep 0]

Thank you so much everybody!

[garya505 2]

We got married at a courthouse and I didn't have my SSN yet (still waiting) and it was fine.

So eventhough my passport and K-1 visa, and all the documents before was in my maiden name, I can just use my husband's name filing for AOS, EAD and AP without a problem? (What is AP? hahaha)

Right now I'm waiting for my SSN and a marriage certificate to be mailed to me so I can start the AOS and EAD application. I must fill in those in the forms? No?

And while I wait for all these to get started and processed, I was hoping to get a state ID (I don't know how to drive yet) and a few months down the road a driver's license......I should just put my husband's last name for those too?

Yes, use your married name for AOS and EAD. Make sure it's correct on the AOS forms, as SSA will take your name as it's shown on your green card only. If you are taking your maiden name as your middle name, this is the time to do that too.

I suggest using your married name for your state ID too. If they say you don't have enough documentation to get it in your married name, just get one in your maiden name and then change it later (that's what we did). The state ID is handy because then you don't have to carry your green card when you need an "official" ID.

[TeamSleep 0]

Thank you Garya!