When does my Last name change? (K1)

[Cathi 5,624]

you have to change it yourself, it isn't auotomatic

[scienceworks 64]

I'm in a smiliar situation, can someone help?

We live in Virginia, when we got the marriage certificate, we put down my wife's maiden name. I thought it would be easier in the long run of things for her to carry my name as well. So we agreed that after marriage that we update her last name with my name.

However i heard that if we change her name at the Social Security Office, then she would be required to change her Mexican passport to show the name change. It appears that we should change the name until everything is done (Green Card, etc.)

Can anyone help give us the pro's & con's of changing the name and/or keeping it the maiden name.

I don't think if there is any pro.

While Con's yes. it's a hassle. Old documents (BC, school certificate) in one name, new documents will be in new name. As a husband, I think the wife shouldn't change her maiden name.

It's funny that in traditional societies (India for eg) woman don't really change the last name. My mom still retains her maiden name in official documents, but for convenience, (church address book at all) she uses the married name. While in the US, I have seen women start using their husband's last name even few months before marriage.

[JensJrny2Ray 367]

I'm in a smiliar situation, can someone help?

We live in Virginia, when we got the marriage certificate, we put down my wife's maiden name. I thought it would be easier in the long run of things for her to carry my name as well. So we agreed that after marriage that we update her last name with my name.

However i heard that if we change her name at the Social Security Office, then she would be required to change her Mexican passport to show the name change. It appears that we should change the name until everything is done (Green Card, etc.)

Can anyone help give us the pro's & con's of changing the name and/or keeping it the maiden name.

I didn't have my name changed on my Canadian passport, it's still in my maiden name and will probably remain so until I have to have it renewed. As long as you have your marriage certificate at the Social Security office you should be fine. I have all my US documents in my married name (social security, EAD, name changed with USCIS etc.) but still have my passport in my maiden name. Just be ready to show that marriage certificate.

[jhewell 1]

After we got married my wife applied for ssn, we tried to change her name to my last name but the employee inform us that a marriage certificate is not enough to change my wife's name, they need the green card or passport for them to do it....

[Rattlehead 69]

In some states, marriage certificates have a specific section where the woman can state the name she will use after marriage. Of course it's completely up to her whether to take her husband's name or keep her own maiden name.

And in other states, once a marriage licence has been completed by the officiant and is then returned to and endorsed by the county, it automagically becomes the marriage certificate (despite a big section at the top that says "Marriage License" - Texas is one of these states).

It's really cool how there are so many different requirements, standards, forms, and certificates from state to state. By cool I mean annoying.

That's very much how NY was - filled out the license with maiden name and there was a section for her married name so the license reflects both (and is explicit as to what her married name is). Upon execution the license becomes the certificate (which carries both names).

We immediately had our ceremony at city hall, and so hadn't filled out anything with her maiden name on it, so everything going forward had her married name. It was very easy to show a certified copy of marriage cert showing the changed name with signature on there - that solved the few problems that did arise.

One of the few things NYS does right...

[THUNDERLAND 2]

you have to change it yourself, it isn't auotomatic

but do you have to ? or you can just leave your names as they are ?

im confused about it

[Georgia16 2,858]

but do you have to ? or you can just leave your names as they are ?

im confused about it

You can do want you feel like. Keep the one you have, take your husbands or he can take yours.

All she is saying is that nothing will happen unless you go to get it change yourself

Edited November 10, 2015 by Georgia16

[THUNDERLAND 2]

You can do want you feel like. Keep the one you have, take your husbands or he can take yours.

All she is saying is that nothing will happen unless you go to get it change yourself

i see , thank you

when is the best time to change names ? before filing for AOS or after?

and what are the steps in arrange ? it's so confusing

[HGord 22]

So let me get this straight, if I start using my soon-to-be husband's name when filing for new documents (AOS, EAD, US ID card etc), I can keep my UK passport in my maiden name until I have to renew (in 2.5 years time) to save on extra costs? (because this has been such a tedious and expensive process already!). Or should I just stick with my maiden name on official documents for now? I do intend to change to my married name at some point...it's just knowing when I will meet the path of least resistance? We are both planning on double-barrelling our names so he would be changing his too!

[Flora Lau Mendez 5]

I have the same question too.

I intend to change my name in the U.S. but I have no idea where to begin with.

[colombianmainer 2]

Ok i am in the same situation. I got an SS card with my maiden name on it. I got married now my marriage certificate shows my maiden last names. I want to have a compound name i.e mine and my husband's last name together. What i wanna be sure about is when do i go for a new SS card? Before or after filing AOS?

[TBoneTX 43,508]

Recent posters need to read this thread for their answers, please.

[NikLR 13,220]

So let me get this straight, if I start using my soon-to-be husband's name when filing for new documents (AOS, EAD, US ID card etc), I can keep my UK passport in my maiden name until I have to renew (in 2.5 years time) to save on extra costs? (because this has been such a tedious and expensive process already!). Or should I just stick with my maiden name on official documents for now? I do intend to change to my married name at some point...it's just knowing when I will meet the path of least resistance? We are both planning on double-barrelling our names so he would be changing his too!

Change your name on all your AOS paperwork. When you travel internationally, you will use your passport with maiden name (book ticket in this name), your green card with married name, and bring your marriage certificate to prove why they're different.

It is more expensive to change your paperwork in the USA than it is to just change your passport when you renew.

With men it can be different to change their names. For instance they may need to go to the court house to do so and it's a legal name change that may cost money. With women, you don't have to do that. So it's an inequality thing but it can be a great deal more expensive for a man to change his name than for a woman just to start using a married name.

[HGord 22]

Change your name on all your AOS paperwork. When you travel internationally, you will use your passport with maiden name (book ticket in this name), your green card with married name, and bring your marriage certificate to prove why they're different.

It is more expensive to change your paperwork in the USA than it is to just change your passport when you renew.

With men it can be different to change their names. For instance they may need to go to the court house to do so and it's a legal name change that may cost money. With women, you don't have to do that. So it's an inequality thing but it can be a great deal more expensive for a man to change his name than for a woman just to start using a married name.

Thank you for the clarification! Very much appreciated.

[EP&PE 6]

Hello.please I have the same issue with names.

On my passport;visa and I 94 .this is the display of my name for example:

Surname:yota nya(yota is my father name)

Given name:nina ela

Please surname means last name ? And given name means first name?

If yes,in all the AOS forms canI put my two surnames as middle name,my two given name as first name and my futur husband name as last

name.

In all the document that I sent for the k-1 petition ,I used:

Yota:last name

Nya: middle name

Nina ela: first name.

So now I am a little bit confused.