Need a little help

[dcrespo314 0]

HI all again lol, i will make my question quick, if i wrote this in the incorrect forum i apologize. I will be getting married with my fiancee next week my quesiton is the following

how do i go about changing her name (legally) to my last name?

they told me in the court house that i have to go change it and the Costarican embassy here in Miami, but i called the embassy and they told me that they do NOT change the name on her passport even though she was married, she said the name you are born with is the name you die with.

from what i have heard when i go get her SS card they will give her a card based on the name on her passport, and when i fill out the forms for AOS i would imagine i will have to fill out the application with her maiden name. so when she gets her green card it will come in her maiden name..

once again how do i go about changing her name so that all her documents from here (Drivers lic, Credit card, SS etc are under her married name?

[NCWife 0]

Congratulations on your wedding next week.

First of all, you both get married and your marriage certificate is the document to show that your fiancee's change of last name. Then, she goes to the Social Security office and get her social security card in her new name and remember to bring your marriage certificate. Once she gets her social security card in hand, she will be able to apply for driver's license/permit and bank account with her new married name since these require her to have her social security card. Pretty easy

As for her Costa Rican passport, she will probably have to go back and change it there, I am not sure.

All the best!! Cheers...

[dcrespo314 0]

HI all again lol, i will make my question quick, if i wrote this in the incorrect forum i apologize. I will be getting married with my fiancee next week my quesiton is the following

how do i go about changing her name (legally) to my last name?

they told me in the court house that i have to go change it and the Costarican embassy here in Miami, but i called the embassy and they told me that they do NOT change the name on her passport even though she was married, she said the name you are born with is the name you die with.

from what i have heard when i go get her SS card they will give her a card based on the name on her passport, and when i fill out the forms for AOS i would imagine i will have to fill out the application with her maiden name. so when she gets her green card it will come in her maiden name..

once again how do i go about changing her name so that all her documents from here (Drivers lic, Credit card, SS etc are under her married name?

sounds pretty easy the way you but it, the people i talked to on the phone were as confused as i was when it came to this lol,

ok so when filling out the paper work for AOS, i used her married name then correct?

[Eric-Pris 1,602]

As for her Costa Rican passport, she will probably have to go back and change it there, I am not sure.

Costa Rica doesn't allow name changes on official government documents. Each person is born with 2 last names (the mother's and father's) and in the eyes of the government, that never changes. So her passport will always remain in her maiden name. She should bring her marriage certificate when travelling. But even that's not really needed, my wife hasn't been asked to produce it yet. They know how the CR government works, so they assume the greencard will be in her married name.

Nothing to worry about. All documents here should be filled out using the name she plans to use going forward, whether it's married or maiden.

[Nik+Heather 121]

Congratulations on your wedding next week.

First of all, you both get married and your marriage certificate is the document to show that your fiancee's change of last name. Then, she goes to the Social Security office and get her social security card in her new name and remember to bring your marriage certificate. Once she gets her social security card in hand, she will be able to apply for driver's license/permit and bank account with her new married name since these require her to have her social security card. Pretty easy

As for her Costa Rican passport, she will probably have to go back and change it there, I am not sure.

All the best!! Cheers...

Pretty good summary. I would add that you should get her SSN in her maiden name (as they need to match it on the database from when she entered), and then once you get it, go back and change her name with the marriage certificate. I believe you will find that this two step process will be easier than trying to get a new SSN issued AND change the name all at once.

You can also fill out her married name on the GC forms, and that's how they will issue it to her. I don't think it has to match up with anything previous. Then you can use the GC to go back and get the name changed on the SSN, if they give you any grief about it when you go with just the marriage cert.

[NCWife 0]

Good advice.

I applied for my Social Security Card after I got married, about 2 months after I entered the US. The clerk was pretty knowledgeable about K-1 visas and all, so she didn't give me a hard time when I told her I am applying with my new married name and just handed my marriage certificate and passport. And that was like in Aug 2008, so probably things at the Social Security Administration has changed now.

The only trouble I had was with the DMV, when I applied for my driving permit. After I passed my test, they did not issue me the permit because my name was flagged in their system for some reason and they had to confirm with Department of Homeland Security for my legal presence in the US, even though I produced my EAD card. I had to go back there like 3 days later to get permit issued to me. The flag was removed and put back on the second time and the DMV clerk had to call their headquarters to explain and got clearance to issue my permit. What a hassle and hours wasted standing in line.

To the OP, yes, when you fill out the AOS forms, use her married name if she wants. Whichever name you fill out on the forms will be the name that is going to appear on her GC, EAD and of course their system etc..

All the best!

Pretty good summary. I would add that you should get her SSN in her maiden name (as they need to match it on the database from when she entered), and then once you get it, go back and change her name with the marriage certificate. I believe you will find that this two step process will be easier than trying to get a new SSN issued AND change the name all at once.

You can also fill out her married name on the GC forms, and that's how they will issue it to her. I don't think it has to match up with anything previous. Then you can use the GC to go back and get the name changed on the SSN, if they give you any grief about it when you go with just the marriage cert.