Changing name after marriage

[F & J 21]

I followed the Philippine naming convention with regards to women taking their husband's name and I was told that I was not supposed to do this as the American naming convention is different.

I was told that following the Philippine naming convention where you drop your middle name (your mother's maiden name) and take your father's last name as your new middle name then your husband's last name as your new last name would in effect be a name change that has to be done at court.

Maiden Name: (FIRST NAME) (MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME) (FATHER'S LAST NAME)

Married Name: (FIRST NAME) (FATHER'S LAST NAME) (HUSBAND'S LAST NAME)

The lady who looked over my I.D.s still processed my biometrics with the name as it was on my ASC notice and said that it will be up the USCIS officer if they let me use my married name on the green card. I really hope it won't be a problem because I've read other people who did the name change on their AOS and had no problems using their "Philippine" married name.

Did anyone else do this?

I also read another thread where they had changed the name during the AOS but during Naturalization, the USCIS officer crossed out the father's last name and replaced it with the mother's name and she would have to do the "judicial oath ceremony" to get her name officially changed according to Philippine naming convention. *sigh...

Edited February 4, 2010 by Fatima and Jim

[criszel 0]

Hi Fatima and Jim-

Have had the same problem with the naming issue. My wife's AOS paperwork has her

Fistname Maiden(last) Name Married Name

She dropped her middle name at marriage same as you did. This was not mentioned at Biometrics or by anyone yet with the AOS stuff but our local DMV (motor vehicle) people would not process her name that way. Had to do first name middle name maiden name-married name. The people as the SS office were even more enjoyable and would only issue her SS card in her maiden name as it was what was on the visa even though we had the marriage certificate with us.

I'm not worrying about changing any of it yet, some of the documents you are getting (SS card) are rarely used in everyday life. Will change what I need to when we need to.

Good Luck.

[Tahoma 2,298]

I was told that following the Philippine naming convention...would in effect be a name change that has to be done at court.

When you get married, you can legally change your name without going to court. Simply use your new name on the marriage documents.

My wife followed the Filipino naming tradition when we got married. Now she has everything in her new name...Social Security card, State ID card, etc., etc.

No problem.

~ Tahoma

[Pinay Wife 47]

I also did my name change the Philippine way and have had no problems with it.

[ChuckandRhean 0]

Im using my Mother's maiden name as my middle name followed by my husband's last name.And so far Im not encountering any problem with my papers nor any transactions done concerning it.

[edp333 9]

If you filled out your I-485 and I-765 with the Philippine naming convention you should not have any problems. The social security card name can be changed after you receive the green card.

[RyaNRiza 1]

During my interview with an immigration officer for the green card, he told me that I should be using my mother's maiden name as my middle name because that's how it is done here in the US. So he said, my green card will have my mother's maiden name as my middle name, then my married name. Haven't gotten my green card yet, but expecting what he told. My SS and state ID both have my maiden name as my middle name, so, I think I need to go back to SSA to get it changed.

I don't understand why immigration policy on "names" are not the same. I have friends who retained their maiden names as their middle names. It's confusing.

Edited February 4, 2010 by RyaNRiza

[PhiLandShiR 18]

I also did my name change the Philippine way and have had no problems with it.

Shirr did the same thing. No problems at all...

-P

[Zen Den 18]

I followed the Philippine naming convention with regards to women taking their husband's name and I was told that I was not supposed to do this as the American naming convention is different.

I was told that following the Philippine naming convention where you drop your middle name (your mother's maiden name) and take your father's last name as your new middle name then your husband's last name as your new last name would in effect be a name change that has to be done at court.

Maiden Name: (FIRST NAME) (MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME) (FATHER'S LAST NAME)

Married Name: (FIRST NAME) (FATHER'S LAST NAME) (HUSBAND'S LAST NAME)

The lady who looked over my I.D.s still processed my biometrics with the name as it was on my ASC notice and said that it will be up the USCIS officer if they let me use my married name on the green card. I really hope it won't be a problem because I've read other people who did the name change on their AOS and had no problems using their "Philippine" married name.

Did anyone else do this?

I also read another thread where they had changed the name during the AOS but during Naturalization, the USCIS officer crossed out the father's last name and replaced it with the mother's name and she would have to do the "judicial oath ceremony" to get her name officially changed according to Philippine naming convention. *sigh...

this is one thing that USCIS should clear up someday soon.

the confusion arises because here in the US they do not use their mother's maiden name at all.

if you have a second name (ex. maria rosa), the second name is what they call here your middle name.

(unlike in the philippines where we use our mother's maiden name as our middle name, and drop it when get married and replace it with our last name as our new middle name and our husband's last name as our new ast name)

the "filipino way" makes more sense because it's easier to trace our parents by our father's last name first. and we don't even spell out our mother's maiden name unless it's required in a form.

but americans have their own way, or maybe they just don't get it.

don't worry, whatever you use is ok.

just be consistent with your choice (it should appear the same way in all your government issued papers/IDs

[JSVP08 3]

When you get married, you can legally change your name without going to court. Simply use your new name on the marriage documents.

My wife followed the Filipino naming tradition when we got married. Now she has everything in her new name...Social Security card, State ID card, etc., etc.

No problem.

~ Tahoma

we took advantage of this when we applied for our marriage license at the courthouse. i have 2 given first names which i never really like to use both so i drop the other one when we applied for marriage license. we have sent our AOS using my "one first given name, my fathers surname as middle name now, hubby's surname"... so far all is ok.. and havent been question at biometrics. am hoping it will be smooth sailing.. like the rest.

best of luck to you ... am sure ul get it sorted out.

[Tahoma 2,298]

we took advantage of this when we applied for our marriage license at the courthouse. i have 2 given first names which i never really like to use both so i drop the other one when we applied for marriage license. we have sent our AOS using my "one first given name, my fathers surname as middle name now, hubby's surname"... so far all is ok.. and havent been question at biometrics. am hoping it will be smooth sailing.. like the rest.

best of luck to you ... am sure ul get it sorted out.

You should have no problems.

[JoBri 552]

When we got married, my wife signed the marriage certificate with her maiden name. But she got her Philippines passport renewed using the Filipino way, last name becoming middle, and my last name becoming her last name.

I just assumed that wasnt even an issue.

Anyway, to this day all her documents are in the traditional filipino way too, as stated above. That includes all her immigration stuff, her filipino passport, her visa, her social security card, drivers license, bank cards, vehicle registration, green card, etc. It never was an issue. She is "Josephine (her former last name as middle)(my last name as her last name)".

[F & J 21]

When we got married, my wife signed the marriage certificate with her maiden name. But she got her Philippines passport renewed using the Filipino way, last name becoming middle, and my last name becoming her last name.

I just assumed that wasnt even an issue.

Anyway, to this day all her documents are in the traditional filipino way too, as stated above. That includes all her immigration stuff, her filipino passport, her visa, her social security card, drivers license, bank cards, vehicle registration, green card, etc. It never was an issue. She is "Josephine (her former last name as middle)(my last name as her last name)".

I didn't think it was going to be an issue either We had no problems changing my name on all the military-related records (DEERS / military I.D. and privilege card, life insurance policy, Tricare dental insurance), all they asked for was our marriage certificate. And with our bank accounts, they just looked at my military I.D. and social security card (though the SSN card is still in my maiden name).

Thank you for the replies everyone!

My husband and I talked about it too and we'll deal with it if and when we need to - we'll file a petition for name change if needed but hopefully they'll let us follow the Filipino way.

[NVC FAN :( 18]

I dont know why anyone would want to delay there papers any longer than need be. we just did it the american way. was told by the bmv, that you can not just change your middle name because you feel like it. there is a legal process to do so here in the us.

some ppl had no problem, i have read other stories that ppl have gotten by until there aos interview. then they had a problem and cause delays.

judge for yourself.

gl

[edp333 9]

I dont know why anyone would want to delay there papers any longer than need be. we just did it the american way. was told by the bmv, that you can not just change your middle name because you feel like it. there is a legal process to do so here in the us.

some ppl had no problem, i have read other stories that ppl have gotten by until there aos interview. then they had a problem and cause delays.

judge for yourself.

gl

The problem is in the difference between US law and immigration law.