Name change during AOS process

[Cub 0]

I hope I am posting in the right area. My husband and I were married just yesterday and the time has come to fill out all of our AOS forms. The problem is I want to use my new married name, but we cannot figure out how to change my name legally. All anyone can tell us is "you must change your social security card and driver's license". Obviously, none of those apply to me, but we have been told that a name change is not an automatic thing. We can find no alternate process for a legal name change and we need to get on our forms right away. Any help? Thanks in advance.

[You&Me 8]

I hope I am posting in the right area. My husband and I were married just yesterday and the time has come to fill out all of our AOS forms. The problem is I want to use my new married name, but we cannot figure out how to change my name legally. All anyone can tell us is "you must change your social security card and driver's license". Obviously, none of those apply to me, but we have been told that a name change is not an automatic thing. We can find no alternate process for a legal name change and we need to get on our forms right away. Any help? Thanks in advance.

I'm assuming you had to sign a marriage certificate when you got married, and if you signed with your husband's last name then there's your name change. You can fill out your forms with your new married name now.

[agnesb 47]

I hope I am posting in the right area. My husband and I were married just yesterday and the time has come to fill out all of our AOS forms. The problem is I want to use my new married name, but we cannot figure out how to change my name legally. All anyone can tell us is "you must change your social security card and driver's license". Obviously, none of those apply to me, but we have been told that a name change is not an automatic thing. We can find no alternate process for a legal name change and we need to get on our forms right away. Any help? Thanks in advance.

I believe that marriage certificate will serve as your primary legal document for changing your name. File your AOS in your new married name and by attaching copy of your marriage cert. you not only proving you got married but that you changed your name.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Just file for AOS in your married name. They will accept the marriage cert as proof of name change (if you indicate your new name by calling yourself that on the forms). You can start calling yourself by your married name right now. Once you get your GC in married name it will be easy to get documents in that name from various agencies.

[Cub 0]

Thanks for the replies! We sort of figured as such, but when we did the license, I was instructed to use my maiden name. And we were told the certificate would come with my maiden name on it (it's the only way they will do it in Texas), so we didn't know if it would work the way you guys say.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Thanks for the replies! We sort of figured as such, but when we did the license, I was instructed to use my maiden name. And we were told the certificate would come with my maiden name on it (it's the only way they will do it in Texas), so we didn't know if it would work the way you guys say.

Not all states put the married name on the marriage certificate The marriage certificate is still used as proof of name change though. Fill out all your AOS forms in your married name.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Thanks for the replies! We sort of figured as such, but when we did the license, I was instructed to use my maiden name. And we were told the certificate would come with my maiden name on it (it's the only way they will do it in Texas), so we didn't know if it would work the way you guys say.

It works for Texas too. If your county is like mine, your certificate is going to be your the marriage license document with additional notation added to the bottom that says it was recorded in the records of _____County and then signed/dated by the County Clerk with an embossing of the county seal to show it is official. So no, you never sign in your married name because your signature is the same one you signed on the license. The license becomes the certificate in many cases once the county certifies the bottom.. I think Harris County has designed some fancy certificate alternatives that can be used so there is a slight difference by county.

Edited August 10, 2013 by Nich-Nick

[bigdog 376]

As stated put the name on the application the way you want it on the card. We asked the IO to change the name at our interview and she did, nice lady. After the green card arrives go change the social and DMV.

[Arinlars 19]

Hello. We also got married yesterday and by the state of Washington you cannot change your name in th marriage certificate I signed it with my maiden name.

So in the forms like I-864 what do I put in my name? My maiden or my new (desired ) name that I will put in the AoS form?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Hello. We also got married yesterday and by the state of Washington you cannot change your name in th marriage certificate I signed it with my maiden name.

So in the forms like I-864 what do I put in my name? My maiden or my new (desired ) name that I will put in the AoS form?

Put your married name on the forms. All of them. Your signature doesn't matter... it can say Mickey Mouse and still be legal... seriously. Your signature isn't about what it says, but the fact that you "made your mark."

Put your new name on the immigration forms.

[smile4rill 0]

I did change of name on my marriage certificate and all the forms was filled whit my husband name but when I went for biometric I was ask to show anything with my new last name so I just gave him a copy of my marriage certificate. That's new jersey

[NomadTravels 5]

I live in Illinois and it seems like the same situation as Texas, they did not give us the option for a name change license. I've already filed the AOS and I-765. What can I do now? Is there some form I can send in for adjustment?

- Nomad

[Lainie B 465]

I live in Illinois and it seems like the same situation as Texas, they did not give us the option for a name change license. I've already filed the AOS and I-765. What can I do now? Is there some form I can send in for adjustment?

- Nomad

As stated above, it doesn't matter whether there is an option for you new name or not. The day you get married is the day you get to use your new name, and the marriage certificate is the legal proof of your name change, even if your new name doesn't actually appear on the certificate.

Did you file for AOS in your married name or your maiden name? If you file in your married name, you don't have to do anything. If you used your maiden name on the forms, then you may be able to request a change if you have an interview.

[EricandMartina 0]

Hi everybody,

please I am new here and neep help.

I got married on a K1 visa a month ago and now filling for AOS and I dont know what name I should file with:

my maiden or married name?

I already have a social security card albeit under my maiden name.

Can I file with my new married name based on the marriage certificate or do I need to officially change my name

with Social Security office before? Unfortunately right now I am out of status because my I 94 expired

a few days after I got married. And thats a problem too because right now I dont have a valid immigration document

besides the entry stamp in my passport, so I dont know if SS would accept this.

I would really like to file with my married name so I wouldnt need to change the GC name after the AOS process.

I was trying to find answers but the information do differ and I really dont want to create a problem with my AOS process.

Thank you very much for all your suggestions .

[subwayguy 100]

Hi everybody,

please I am new here and neep help.

I got married on a K1 visa a month ago and now filling for AOS and I dont know what name I should file with:

my maiden or married name?

I already have a social security card albeit under my maiden name.

Can I file with my new married name based on the marriage certificate or do I need to officially change my name

with Social Security office before? Unfortunately right now I am out of status because my I 94 expired

a few days after I got married. And thats a problem too because right now I dont have a valid immigration document

besides the entry stamp in my passport, so I dont know if SS would accept this.

I would really like to file with my married name so I wouldnt need to change the GC name after the AOS process.

I was trying to find answers but the information do differ and I really dont want to create a problem with my AOS process.

Thank you very much for all your suggestions .

I hope I am posting in the right area. My husband and I were married just yesterday and the time has come to fill out all of our AOS forms. The problem is I want to use my new married name, but we cannot figure out how to change my name legally. All anyone can tell us is "you must change your social security card and driver's license". Obviously, none of those apply to me, but we have been told that a name change is not an automatic thing. We can find no alternate process for a legal name change and we need to get on our forms right away. Any help? Thanks in advance.

I would recommend you using your maidens name. I changed my name and it shows name change on my marriage certificate. ( the marriage certificate explicitly says new name ***). I have 0 problem changing my last name on SSN , driving licence , bank account, credit accounts etc , however , changing name on my HK and UK passport has been a hell of a battle for me. Some countries would allow you to change names on passports easy and some do not. If you travel often out of the country often , it is easier to use your maidens name just to avoid any problem at the airport . You could change your last name when you become a citizen.