Maiden Name on 2-Year Green Card

[Baby Cookie 6]

Hello everyone! I have a question and would very much appreciate your response. This actually concerns a friend of mine. She just got her 2-year green card and she wanted to change the name on it to her married name. Obviously, when they filled out the paperwork they used her maiden name. Now the question is, can they still change it? If yes, how and what do they need to do? Her social security and green card both have her maiden name.

[Caryh 5,206]

Its best to change the green card name in two years when removing conditions. The fee is very high to change the name, and you have to send the card to them while they spend numerous to finally get around to it. She should start changing or getting her other IDs in her married name from this point on.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Its best to change the green card name in two years when removing conditions. The fee is very high to change the name, and you have to send the card to them while they spend numerous to finally get around to it. She should start changing or getting her other IDs in her married name from this point on.

Yes and no. Correct on the name change for GC, incorrect for her other ID's. She is an immigrant so her GC controls her name. She she maintain all her documents in her maiden name until she changes her GC. This will save a LOT of heartache later. Some people have no issues with mixed name documents, some people do. When someone has a mixed name ID issue it can take months to sort out.

Hello everyone! I have a question and would very much appreciate your response. This actually concerns a friend of mine. She just got her 2-year green card and she wanted to change the name on it to her married name. Obviously, when they filled out the paperwork they used her maiden name. Now the question is, can they still change it? If yes, how and what do they need to do? Her social security and green card both have her maiden name.

She either waits for her 2 year card, or files and I-90 and pays the $450 fee.

[Baby Cookie 6]

Its best to change the green card name in two years when removing conditions. The fee is very high to change the name, and you have to send the card to them while they spend numerous to finally get around to it. She should start changing or getting her other IDs in her married name from this point on.

Thank you very much for your quick reply. How much is the fee? What is the name or number of the form for it?

[Baby Cookie 6]

Yes and no. Correct on the name change for GC, incorrect for her other ID's. She is an immigrant so her GC controls her name. She she maintain all her documents in her maiden name until she changes her GC. This will save a LOT of heartache later. Some people have no issues with mixed name documents, some people do. When someone has a mixed name ID issue it can take months to sort out.

She either waits for her 2 year card, or files and I-90 and pays the $450 fee.

$450 wow! Thank you very much for your reply.

[Caryh 5,206]

Yes and no. Correct on the name change for GC, incorrect for her other ID's. She is an immigrant so her GC controls her name. She she maintain all her documents in her maiden name until she changes her GC. This will save a LOT of heartache later. Some people have no issues with mixed name documents, some people do. When someone has a mixed name ID issue it can take months to sort out.

Her name is controlled by the courts, not USCIS or the green card. What she should have done is used her married name when she adjusted status. It would have saved a lot of headache now. It doesn't help that some states have a strange way of switching to your married name. Where its just assumed you'll change it on IDs and documents later, without documenting the name change on the marriage certificate. Then you end up with petty bureaucrats inputting their personal opinion as to what your name can be. I've heard of many Filipinas being told they could not use their paternal name as their middle name after marriage, requiring them to keep their maternal name as their middle name and take their husbands last name as their last name. That is not a legal option in naming structure in the Philippines and they are not allowed to update their passports to it.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Her name is controlled by the courts, not USCIS or the green card. What she should have done is used her married name when she adjusted status. It would have saved a lot of headache now.

Yes she SHOULD have but she didn't, so now it's about fixing it and I'm sorry but I disagree on the above. Being an immigrant her name IS controlled by USCIS, or rather what USCIS says her name is. Even the SSA have to "verify" your identity with them. She could in theory go get an SSN in her married name to get her DL in her married name but she will have to carry her marriage certificate everywhere with her. She can only get a DL in her SSN name (well most states) and most states want proof of status which is her GC (maiden name). When filling in job apps her proof of status is her GC (maiden name) so they'll need to do the I-9 in her maiden name which wouldn't match her SSN. Basically it's a huge pain in the butt and she'll have to carry her important documents with her too often... if she wants to live with mismatched documents that's totally up to her because as I said before, some people have been fine, but knowing the headaches it's causes, and trying to remember what name you're known by on which document and which signature to use etc, is a reason why I would wait till the GC is in the married name before I switched anything else so I could do it all at once.

She should keep all documents in her maiden name until the GC is changed but if she wants to be known by her married name there's nothing wrong with that.

Edited May 17, 2012 by Vanessa&Tony