USING SURNAME OF THE HUSBAND

[Penny Pincher 11]

Hi everyone,

What surname should I (Alien) use about filing the i-130 form? I haven't changed my name yet and I am planning not to yet. Should I use my father's surname or my husband's surname?

Please enlighten me. Thanks

-Yalee

Edited July 28, 2012 by Jeize loves Yalee

[Nick1980 11]

Hi everyone,

What surname should I (Alien) use about filing the i-130 form? I haven't changed my name yet and I am planning not to yet. Should I use my father's surname or my husband's surname?

Please enlighten me. Thanks

-Yalee

I don't know how it works there, but usually when two people get married they ask you which surname you wanna take after the ceremony...In Serbia is either keeping your old maiden surname,taking the husbands surname or keeping your own and taking the husbands. So what ever is written in your marriage certificate that is your surname

[Holly2234 66]

It depends on whether you have chosen to use your married name or keep your maiden one. Like driving licence, passport, bank cards. Whatever they say, use that name because its the one you use. I use my married name so i just used that on the forms, except where it asks for my maiden name. My NOA2 said beneficiary Holly MARRIED NAME (AKA MAIDEN NAME) just like that. Both are recognised. Its just your personal preference.

[Louza 10]

But shouldn't the Alien fill out his/her name as it appears on their passport?

[Holly2234 66]

Yes unless she plans to get a new passport in her married name before its needed in the visa process. If she wont be changing her name at all then her fathers name. If she plans to change it at a later date, its probably best to do it now, otherwise things start getting difficult to change.

[Louza 10]

Yes unless she plans to get a new passport in her married name before its needed in the visa process. If she wont be changing her name at all then her fathers name. If she plans to change it at a later date, its probably best to do it now, otherwise things start getting difficult to change.

Yeah that makes a lot of sense. So OP I guess you have to choose which one you will go with. If your maiden name then you won't need a new passport, if you're going to use your husband's surname as your own then you should get a new passport.

[Holly2234 66]

The only other thing you might want to do if you keep your maiden name is change your title to Mrs on bank accounts etc. I cant remember if the passport shows a title.

[Nick1980 11]

correct me if im wrong but if the surname on the marriage certificate after concluding the marriage is changed (if she took her husbands and it is stated on the mc) then all the other doc on her maiden surname are invalid and she need to change them ?

[Nich-Nick 3,355]

My opinion is decide what name you intend to use in the USA and put that on the application. Keep your immigration forms consistant. Your greencard will be issued in that name. If you decide to change it later, the cost for a change on the greencard is $350ish. There is a place on many immigration forms for "other names used" where you can list your maiden name (father's surname) so they make the connection. Once in the US, what name do you want to put on your drivers license, Social security card, bank account? Apply for the visa in that name so your greencard will match your American life. If you never want to change your name to your husband's, you don't have to. I didn't and no problems.

[Holly2234 66]

correct me if im wrong but if the surname on the marriage certificate after concluding the marriage is changed (if she took her husbands and it is stated on the mc) then all the other doc on her maiden surname are invalid and she need to change them ?

A UK marriage certificate lists the husbands name and the wifes maiden name. It also lists the name and occupation of both of their fathers. It doesnt say anything about the wifes new name.

[Nick1980 11]

A UK marriage certificate lists the husbands name and the wifes maiden name. It also lists the name and occupation of both of their fathers. It doesnt say anything about the wifes new name.

Oh ok. In Serbia when you go to schedule a marriage you give your data and on the end they ask you which surname will be used after the ceremony, so thats why i thought that its the same there. They still show maiden surname and mother/father name but the last line states which surname was taken after the actual ceremony.Srry if I made some confusion

[GlobeHopperMama 95]

To make it simple, use the name that is on your passport or will be on your passport when you interview for the visa. The interview appointment letter will be made out in the name that you use for immigration right now (on the I-130) and most embassies/consulates check that the name on the appointment letter matches the name on your passport, which is the only ID they really care to see when entering for your appointments. I'm not sure how it works in the UK, but when I married in the US, no change was made in my name, and I kept my married name for all legal purposes for four more years. When I finally did legally change it, a lot went into getting it legally recognized at the government level, several weeks of paperwork culminating in a new passport at the very end. You can use other names in the corresponding names section of the petition, but make sure the name you put on the very top is the one that will be legally recognized by your government by the time you interview for the visa.

[pushbrk 13,876]

Hi everyone,

What surname should I (Alien) use about filing the i-130 form? I haven't changed my name yet and I am planning not to yet. Should I use my father's surname or my husband's surname?

Please enlighten me. Thanks

-Yalee

It's entirely up to you but you'll find it much easier to make any name change sooner rather than later. No name change is fine too, but it will become more and more cumbersome the longer you wait. When you say "not yet" what do you mean? When DO you plan to start using the new married name and why then? With that information, we can advise you in a more meaningful way.

[Holly2234 66]

Oh ok. In Serbia when you go to schedule a marriage you give your data and on the end they ask you which surname will be used after the ceremony, so thats why i thought that its the same there. They still show maiden surname and mother/father name but the last line states which surname was taken after the actual ceremony.Srry if I made some confusion

I figured it would probably be different in other countries. Its always interesting to learn how other countries do things though!

All we got asked when we made the appointment to schedule the marriage was whether we were related (no!) and a few details about each other asked separately. Probably just to make sure we really did know each other. The name change only comes if you feel like doing it afterwards and its a simple case of taking the marriage certificate to the places that have your name. Banks, doctors etc.