Name change before removing conditions?

[DrewG84 0]

Hi everyone,

My wife entered the US 2 years ago on a K1. When we got married, we hyphenated her last name to be her maiden name-my last name. Now that she has been living here for 2 years, we have realized that to change her name in her native country Brazil will be too complicated, and for simplicity she wants her old last name back!

So, with a hyphenated last name on her Green Card and Removal of Conditions coming up in a few months, what do you think about legally changing her name BACK to her original name? Does this look shady? Should we wait until after conditions are removed?

Thanks!

Drew

[Inky 1,111]

Hi everyone,

My wife entered the US 2 years ago on a K1. When we got married, we hyphenated her last name to be her maiden name-my last name. Now that she has been living here for 2 years, we have realized that to change her name in her native country Brazil will be too complicated, and for simplicity she wants her old last name back!

So, with a hyphenated last name on her Green Card and Removal of Conditions coming up in a few months, what do you think about legally changing her name BACK to her original name? Does this look shady? Should we wait until after conditions are removed?

Thanks!

Drew

Keep in mind.

If you want to change after you file ROC it will cost an extra $450 and take near 6 months to get the new green card.

Why not just put the name on the ROC forms and get the card in the name she wants.

[DrewG84 0]

Thank you for the response Inky, great advice!

[DaniG 3]

If she is planning to become a US citizen, she could wait and change her name then with less hassle, since name-change is an option at that time. Btw, I don't see a problem with her having different names in the two countries - many people from my country are forced to do that because the only options for name change we have there are 1) marriage & 2) lengthy court process, only if the name is derisive or offensive.

[belinda63 3,039]

Hubby did his name change prior to removing conditions. He obtained a court order (simple process) filed ROC with the new name (copy of court order enclosed with application) Now that he has the new green card he just changed his social security card, driver's license, and is working on his credit card name changes. Not a difficult process, just a lot of paperwork contacting everyone.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I suggest you look into your state laws on name change. Your marriage cert is her name change TO your name, now you need a document stating she is changing her name BACK... in most states. She can't just choose to start using her maiden name again and typically this requires a court order, or a divorce decree.

Aside from that, immigration wise, you can explain to them about how hard it is to change her name in her home country, OR she can choose not the change her name in her home country and keep the two names different.