Form I-485 confusion

[giandrapa 0]

Hello. I am filling up the forms to become a permanent resident through marriage. First question. Can I use my husband's last name when filling up the form, even though I haven't changed it in my driver's license or social security card? second question. I entered the United States with a J1 visa and I changed my status to a student F1 visa. In part 3, question 11 (have you ever been a J nonimmigrant exchange visitor who was subject to the 2-year foreign residence requirement and have not yet complied with that requirement or obtained a waiver?) should I put no? I have my F1 visa since 2009 and expires in august, but I got confused because I did have a J visa before.

And the last question. in the form I-485 they asked for 2 pictures, in the I-130 they ask for 1 picture of my husband and one for me, and in the form I-765 they ask for 2 more. Do I have to give 5 pictures in total or this is only if I am applying separately. How many pictures in total do I need.

Thank you so much for your time

[Tinchen_ 21]

hello i can just answer your first question. yeah if you going to take your husbands last name fill out all paperwork in that name. even if u dont have a driver license yet in the new last name.

with the other question i hope some other ppl here can help you with that.

good luck on your journey

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Hello. I am filling up the forms to become a permanent resident through marriage. First question. Can I use my husband's last name when filling up the form, even though I haven't changed it in my driver's license or social security card? second question. I entered the United States with a J1 visa and I changed my status to a student F1 visa. In part 3, question 11 (have you ever been a J nonimmigrant exchange visitor who was subject to the 2-year foreign residence requirement and have not yet complied with that requirement or obtained a waiver?) should I put no? I have my F1 visa since 2009 and expires in august, but I got confused because I did have a J visa before.

And the last question. in the form I-485 they asked for 2 pictures, in the I-130 they ask for 1 picture of my husband and one for me, and in the form I-765 they ask for 2 more. Do I have to give 5 pictures in total or this is only if I am applying separately. How many pictures in total do I need.

Thank you so much for your time

Always use your LEGAL last name. If you changed your last name to your husband's when you married then put his last name on the forms.

Did your J1 visa have a two-year foreign residence requirement? It would usually be printed right on the visa if so. Have a look at it. If it does then you must either return to your home country for two years or you must obtain a waiver of that two year home residency requirement before you'll be able to adjust status. Your F1 visa wouldn't cancel that requirement, and it will be hanging over your head virtually forever until you either satisfy it by going home for two years, or get the waiver.

The conventional wisdom here on VJ is to send separate photos with each petition or application, just as the form instructions request.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Always use your LEGAL last name. If you changed your last name to your husband's when you married then put his last name on the forms.

This is true, however, some states have you change your name with just the marriage certificate. I know that others have a more formal designation, such as a "name before" and "name after" box, but many do nothing of the sort. Instead, they just except you to go around and change your IDs based on the marriage cert, if you choose to do so. The marriage cert itself can be used for proof of a name change for federal bodies, such as USCIS and SSA. This can be confusing for people who want to "change their name" in some formal way, or those who don't know if their name changed (it is not required, obviously, and ones name would never be changed if you didn't want it).

In fact, I suspect the states with names "before and after" sections actually just do that to convince people that they are permitted to change their IDs. I doubt any office checks with the state to see what is in their "before and after" box, rather, they just use the marriage cert itself as a valid name change document.

Edited June 14, 2012 by Harpa Timsah

[Ontarkie 14,280]

Moved to Adjustment of Status from Work, Student, & Tourist Visas

[engineer21 51]

Hello. I am filling up the forms to become a permanent resident through marriage. First question. Can I use my husband's last name when filling up the form, even though I haven't changed it in my driver's license or social security card? second question. I entered the United States with a J1 visa and I changed my status to a student F1 visa. In part 3, question 11 (have you ever been a J nonimmigrant exchange visitor who was subject to the 2-year foreign residence requirement and have not yet complied with that requirement or obtained a waiver?) should I put no? I have my F1 visa since 2009 and expires in august, but I got confused because I did have a J visa before.

And the last question. in the form I-485 they asked for 2 pictures, in the I-130 they ask for 1 picture of my husband and one for me, and in the form I-765 they ask for 2 more. Do I have to give 5 pictures in total or this is only if I am applying separately. How many pictures in total do I need.

Thank you so much for your time

For your last question, yes, you need to provide all the pictures that each form ask for. 4 for you, one for USC.