do i really need to change my last name??

[lizzye 0]

ok guys, i have been married for 2 yrs and we are both from nigeria, i am a USC and just filed for my husband in march, everyone keeps telling me that i have to change my last name to my husband's inother to prove that we have a bonafide relationship? i recently lost my father and it has been really hard to deal with it and now they want me to change my last name? i love my husband very much, he is my soulmate it is ok with him if i don't, the truth is that i will rather keep it until i am really ready to change the name..... has anyone with CR1/IR1 ever been denied a visa because of this? has anyone been approved for visa without changing their last name? thanks

[Used to be broken 143]

ok guys, i have been married for 2 yrs and we are both from nigeria, i am a USC and just filed for my husband in march, everyone keeps telling me that i have to change my last name to my husband's inother to prove that we have a bonafide relationship? i recently lost my father and it has been really hard to deal with it and now they want me to change my last name? i love my husband very much, he is my soulmate it is ok with him if i don't, the truth is that i will rather keep it until i am really ready to change the name..... has anyone with CR1/IR1 ever been denied a visa because of this? has anyone been approved for visa without changing their last name? thanks

No you don't have to change your last name.

Proof of bonafides can be established without this.

You can use other stuff, lease, joint bank accounts, mortgage statements, etc. Don't sweat this.

Edited October 21, 2010 by brokenfamily

[Nijabound 2]

Hi,

Changing your last to your Husband name is a gradual process, despite that both of you are married, You are living in the US and your Husband is living in Nigeria,based on the fact that he is preparing to join you as your Husband, It will be very difficult for you to change your name right now since he is not physical with you in the US, I strong believe that it will not affect your Husband Visa if the issues comes up , It is a matter of explanation and it is well reasoned when taken it into consideration.

So do not worry about that, Try as much as possible to get your Husband to join you in the US , then you can start doing that immediately since both of you are in the same place.

I wish you the best of luck and Congratulation for happy married life.

Take care

BG

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Long story short - no. Not changing your name has no affect on the process whatsoever. You don't need to change it now, or ever.

**Edit - if you were the immigrant your decision would be more important. You would need to pay $300+ to change your name on your greencard, or wait for ROC or naturalisation. As the USC this doesn't matter to you.

Edited October 21, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

The normal answer would be NO but you are dealing with Lagos the worse consulte in the whole system. The answer will lie in the mood of the person interviewing you. A key thing would be , what is the custom in your tribe(s) . If it is the custom there to take your spouses name then you are looking at trouble if you don't.

[patient2010 93]

well said nigeriaorbust I was thinking the same thing...It is probably best to change it to be on the safe side dont give the Naija consulate any reason.....Good luck

[Aya820 33]

Hi,

Changing your last to your Husband name is a gradual process, despite that both of you are married, You are living in the US and your Husband is living in Nigeria,based on the fact that he is preparing to join you as your Husband, It will be very difficult for you to change your name right now since he is not physical with you in the US, I strong believe that it will not affect your Husband Visa if the issues comes up , It is a matter of explanation and it is well reasoned when taken it into consideration.

So do not worry about that, Try as much as possible to get your Husband to join you in the US , then you can start doing that immediately since both of you are in the same place.

I wish you the best of luck and Congratulation for happy married life.

Take care

BG

Being that she is the US Citizen, her husband living in Nigeria has nothing to do with the process of her changing her name as long as she has a marriage certificate. She would just need to start with changing her name with SSA, then driver's license, and so on.

The normal answer would be NO but you are dealing with Lagos the worse consulte in the whole system. The answer will lie in the mood of the person interviewing you. A key thing would be, what is the custom in your tribe(s) . If it is the custom there to take your spouses name then you are looking at trouble if you don't.

If she hyphenated her name do you think that would still cause a problem?

[SuperDuper! 230]

If the wife isn't willing to take her hubby's name, then I see that something less than a total commitment. Just sayin'!

[DebbyNSeyi 15]

MANY women - especially in the States - do NOT change their name for a variety of reasons.

Ranging from professional reasons (like myself - I still have my maiden name depite a prior 12 year marriage and 3 kids) to women who want to keep the same last name as their children.

I will never change my name and know other woman that feel the same and their hubbys (from Nigeria!) still got their visas. IMO, changing your name is just another piece of "bona fide marriage" evidence. If you have other strong evidence to support the validity of your marriage, it should not what your name is.

[SuperDuper! 230]

MANY women - especially in the States - do NOT change their name for a variety of reasons.

Ranging from professional reasons (like myself - I still have my maiden name depite a prior 12 year marriage and 3 kids) to women who want to keep the same last name as their children.

I will never change my name and know other woman that feel the same and their hubbys (from Nigeria!) still got their visas. IMO, changing your name is just another piece of "bona fide marriage" evidence. If you have other strong evidence to support the validity of your marriage, it should not what your name is.

Yes, I know the type, and I would NEVER marry them.

[DebbyNSeyi 15]

Yes, I know the type, and I would NEVER marry them.

Thanks for sharing

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Yes, I know the type, and I would NEVER marry them.

And they probably won't want you to.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

Before we got married, my wife asked me if I would like her to take my name, and I told her to wait until Demi Moore changes hers to Demi Willis. Woman who have confidence, personality and self-esteem, don't feel the need to change their name just because "the man" wants it. They may decide to do it for personal reasons, but surely not because some consular employee in Nigeria would like it.

#### that!

[ajigglin 0]

ok guys, i have been married for 2 yrs and we are both from nigeria, i am a USC and just filed for my husband in march, everyone keeps telling me that i have to change my last name to my husband's inother to prove that we have a bonafide relationship? i recently lost my father and it has been really hard to deal with it and now they want me to change my last name? i love my husband very much, he is my soulmate it is ok with him if i don't, the truth is that i will rather keep it until i am really ready to change the name..... has anyone with CR1/IR1 ever been denied a visa because of this? has anyone been approved for visa without changing their last name? thanks

SMDH. who told you that?

girl, keep your name if that's what you want to do. there are plenty of ways of proving that you have a bona fide relationship that doesn't involve a name change.

i waited until we were done with the visa process before i changed my name to make sure there was no wahala from any agency we dealt with during the process, so i am living proof you can get your cr1/ir1 without a name change.

[Dave&Roza 748]

My fiancee and I were just talking about this very issue today--should she change her last name or not. Since her passport will be used for travelling and it is in her madian name, all tickets will need to be in her madain name. If her GC is in her married name then she would have to show proof of marriage--i.e. carry her marriage certificate--in order to gain re-entry to the USA. What a PITA. So I am thinking she should wait until after she becomes a US citizen (if she decides to do that) then it will be much easier to change her last name. I do not care one way or the other as it will not affect how much I love her--a name is just a name--and wish we were together.

Why does changing the last name of the woman in the marriage show that a relationship is more bona fide then not changing the name? I've always wondering if the person looking over our cases, if married, could justify their marriage. I know, the advantages of not having to verses having to in order to gain a benefit.

My $0.02 worth.

Dave