Name Change for I-130

[Weishman 0]

Hi,

My wife and I have changed our last names upon marriage (double barrelled), but we have not yet changed our passports to reflect these changes due to financial restrictions. Which name should we use for the I-130? Our names on the passport or new names?

Thanks.

[pushbrk 13,406]

Hi,

My wife and I have changed our last names upon marriage (double barrelled), but we have not yet changed our passports to reflect these changes due to financial restrictions. Which name should we use for the I-130? Our names on the passport or new names?

Thanks.

Your current legal names. The foreign spouse should then change their passport name BEFORE the interview but not necessary before filing the petition. It doesn't really matter when the US Citizen changes their ID.

[easydoesit 6]

Your current legal names. The foreign spouse should then change their passport name BEFORE the interview but not necessary before filing the petition. It doesn't really matter when the US Citizen changes their ID.

I have a problem with the second part of that....the foreign spouse should change BEFORE the interview. My spouse is from Kenya and it could take two months to change the name in her passport. In order to change it, the requirement is to send in the current passport, in which case she will be without any passport during that time. I don't think we can afford to have her be without a passport for 8-12 weeks in the middle of this process. We need it for biometrics and it may not even return on time for the interview.

[Bryan and Isabel 29]

Your real names , legally, should be used,

[pushbrk 13,406]

I have a problem with the second part of that....the foreign spouse should change BEFORE the interview. My spouse is from Kenya and it could take two months to change the name in her passport. In order to change it, the requirement is to send in the current passport, in which case she will be without any passport during that time. I don't think we can afford to have her be without a passport for 8-12 weeks in the middle of this process. We need it for biometrics and it may not even return on time for the interview.

Please don't hijack another thread. I gave an answer in the context of filing an I-130 petition for a spouse living abroad. You're talking about an adjustment of status. For adjusting status, get the green card in the new name and THEN change the passport.