Name Change

[my wife please 0]

Hello everyone,

So my wife is finally here for almost a month now. She received her SSN after only one week after her POE date & the Green Card after 20 days. He visa was a CR-1. We checked the box on the application to have them issued with my last name but when we got them both have her Chinese last name. I was wondering how hard it would be to change the name on these?

Any help would be great. Maybe it's not worth the extra paper work but in 3 years when she can become a citizen we want everything in my last name so it might be better to do it now.

Thanks.........Happy in Phoenix

[jkelly07 120]

if you filed the forms in your married name then you will get your permanent resident card in that name.if your green cards where sent in your madian name then it's a error on there part, you can call the customer service line 1-800-375-5283 explain to them you have the wrong name on your green card.the name change form 1-90 charge a fee but it's there error so you don't pay anything.you will have to send the card back and you will receive a new one in about one to two months.

[Arlington 5]

I'm not sure it's that easy. I can only speak from our case, but in my wife's home country, it is next-to-impossible to change one's name (that's your name for life). So her only legal identity document is her home country passport which has her maiden name in it. Because that is her legal name, the U.S. federal (or state) government doesn't, I don't believe, have the power to change her name because she isn't yet a citizen of this country. Only when the U.S. government gets power over her through citizenship will she be able to change her name vis-a-vis the U.S. government. (Again, just speaking from our experience.)

See link below:

http://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5.htm

[cupoftea 1]

Hello everyone,

So my wife is finally here for almost a month now. She received her SSN after only one week after her POE date & the Green Card after 20 days. He visa was a CR-1. We checked the box on the application to have them issued with my last name but when we got them both have her Chinese last name. I was wondering how hard it would be to change the name on these?

Any help would be great. Maybe it's not worth the extra paper work but in 3 years when she can become a citizen we want everything in my last name so it might be better to do it now.

Thanks.........Happy in Phoenix

I had a similar case as your wife. The green card showed up with the original name although we checked in a box with the new last name and the work authorization card was that name on it. Think that was an honest mistake with our IO( there's no way we can know his name because his name was said as guest). We immediately called the customer service they said we have to pay a fee with $280 back then even if it wasn't our fault and it was an error so we didnt change it. Hope you guys better resolve this issue.

[Ontarkie 14,270]

Moved to - Moving Here and Your New Life In America

[my wife please 0]

Okay, thanks for the advice. I will call on Monday & see what I can find out. I know she needs both of these to be added to my bank account to get her a debit card. I went into the bank & spoke with the rep about this. I thought the paper work was done for now.....lol