Is NOT changing your last name a "red flag"??

[SaharaSunset 165]

So, we're getting close to filing for ROC for my husband and I have not yet changed my last name. I didn't do it at first because I was afraid (as my husband's sponsor) I'd have to file some more paperwork or something. But I think I've gathered from reading other posts that since I am USC, I wouldn't have to do anything. But, even knowing that, I still have not changed my last name.

Now we are a few months away from ROC, and frankly, part of why I don't want to change my name at this point is because its such a hassle to change all my cards and passport and certifications etc etc. But I'm also a tad nervous that somehow, in some unforeseen way, changing my name at this point will cause some obscure issue when we do file.

So, all of that being said, I have determined for now to leave my name as is. But, that makes me wonder if NOT changing my last name will be some sort of red flag? I think we have plenty of strong "financial" evidence and all that. So my question is, does any one have experience with having different last names when they file for ROC, and that alone being a cause for a refusal or delay or something negative?

Cheers!

Edited January 5, 2014 by SaharaSunset

[Cheezees 1,514]

Why are you even considering changing your name?

I know I will get hammered for this, but don't you find it a bit sexist? A red flag because you don't assign your husband's name to you? Did he change his?

This is a non-issue.

[lost_at_sea 995]

I bloody well hope it's not a red flag, because I will not be changing my name.

In short: it's not a red flag - it's the 21st century and women can keep their names or change them to whatever they please.

I also choose to go by "Ms" not "Mrs" on all forms and paperwork that request a salutation.

Edited January 5, 2014 by lost_at_sea

[christeen 966]

Absolutely, positively NOT! In fact, in many cultures women always keep their family name! It is YOUR decision and has NO effect on the process!

[Cathi 5,770]

If your husband is Muslim I'm sure you must know in their culture women do not take their husband's name, they keep the last name of their father. It isn't an issue. Good luck with ROC, we will be starting ours soon.

[victorian221b 12]

Nope and interestingly I found an old blog entry from USCIS that says so. I didn't change my name and was approved. Good luck!

So, we're getting close to filing for ROC for my husband and I have not yet changed my last name. I didn't do it at first because I was afraid (as my husband's sponsor) I'd have to file some more paperwork or something. But I think I've gathered from reading other posts that since I am USC, I wouldn't have to do anything. But, even knowing that, I still have not changed my last name.

Now we are a few months away from ROC, and frankly, part of why I don't want to change my name at this point is because its such a hassle to change all my cards and passport and certifications etc etc. But I'm also a tad nervous that somehow, in some unforeseen way, changing my name at this point will cause some obscure issue when we do file.

So, all of that being said, I have determined for now to leave my name as is. But, that makes me wonder if NOT changing my last name will be some sort of red flag? I think we have plenty of strong "financial" evidence and all that. So my question is, does any one have experience with having different last names when they file for ROC, and that alone being a cause for a refusal or delay or something negative?

Cheers!

[Rachel Chen 1]

Me neither. In our tradition, it is not necessary to take Husband's last name.

[Navyk 78]

So, we're getting close to filing for ROC for my husband and I have not yet changed my last name. I didn't do it at first because I was afraid (as my husband's sponsor) I'd have to file some more paperwork or something. But I think I've gathered from reading other posts that since I am USC, I wouldn't have to do anything. But, even knowing that, I still have not changed my last name.

Now we are a few months away from ROC, and frankly, part of why I don't want to change my name at this point is because its such a hassle to change all my cards and passport and certifications etc etc. But I'm also a tad nervous that somehow, in some unforeseen way, changing my name at this point will cause some obscure issue when we do file.

So, all of that being said, I have determined for now to leave my name as is. But, that makes me wonder if NOT changing my last name will be some sort of red flag? I think we have plenty of strong "financial" evidence and all that. So my question is, does any one have experience with having different last names when they file for ROC, and that alone being a cause for a refusal or delay or something negative?

Cheers!

To make the long story short, it is up to you if you want to change the last name or not and it has no bearing on the ROC application. You can get the last name changed during ROC or during Citizenship without having to pay additional fee and at any time by paying additional fee.

[BMW4me 12]

no this is not a red flag, they actually don't care about the last names!

I bloody well hope it's not a red flag, because I will not be changing my name.

In short: it's not a red flag - it's the 21st century and women can keep their names or change them to whatever they please.

I also choose to go by "Ms" not "Mrs" on all forms and paperwork that request a salutation.

I agree with your first point but your second point hmm no-no. So you don't tick Mrs. why i wonder? why you get married then. if you so much hate the technicalities.

[Cheezees 1,514]

My name is ABC and my husband is XYZ. If I change my name to ABZ ( which will never happen) I will be known as Mrs. Z. Instead I would like o be known as Ms. C, my legal and only name. Marriage has nothing to do with being called Mrs. (The man's last name).

The technicalities are sexist. If a woman wants to change her name, I don't care. But it doesn't make the "tradition" any less unfair to women. Note there is no reference to a man's marital status. Something is very much off with that.

[lost_at_sea 995]

no this is not a red flag, they actually don't care about the last names!

I agree with your first point but your second point hmm no-no. So you don't tick Mrs. why i wonder? why you get married then. if you so much hate the technicalities.

Mrs lost_at_sea is my mother. Also, "Mrs" (and often "Miss" to show an un-married woman) indicates marital status, whereas "Mr" and "Ms" do not. It's just another sexist thing that bothers me - why should only a woman have a salutation that indicates marital status? My husband doesn't have to change his salutation. Why should I?

I enjoy being married to my husband. It's a commitment we made to one another. My salutation has nothing to do with my commitment.

I don't dislike the technicalities of marriage - I have taken part in every single legal one! Changing one's name, however, has nothing to do with the technicalities of marriage. Both name and salutation changes of the type discussed here are both non-required and simply cultural (sexist) traditions. Nothing more.

Edited January 9, 2014 by lost_at_sea

[Cheezees 1,514]

Mrs lost_at_sea is my mother. Also, "Mrs" (and often "Miss" to show an un-married woman) indicates marital status, whereas "Mr" and "Ms" do not. It's just another sexist thing that bothers me - why should only a woman have a salutation that indicates marital status? My husband doesn't have to change his salutation. Why should I?

I enjoy being married to my husband. It's a commitment we made to one another. My salutation has nothing to do with my commitment.

I don't dislike the technicalities of marriage - I have taken part in every single legal one! Changing one's name, however, has nothing to do with the technicalities of marriage. Both name and salutation changes of the type discussed here are both non-required and simply cultural (sexist) traditions. Nothing more.

Aaaaaah! Can we be friends?

[lost_at_sea 995]

Aaaaaah! Can we be friends?

Of course!

[monyfer 27]

I am also the USC female and I did change my name, but not for about 6 months after we got married. Also, my passport is still in my maiden name! I had renewed it about a year before we got married and was loathe to shell out $150 to renew it in my married name. I was a little worried about "red flags" with the ROC packet we just sent - oh, will they think it's funny I didn't change my name right away? Will they care that some of our evidence is in my married name and some in my maiden name? I don't have the answers yet since we just sent everything in but from my research most people say it won't matter so...fingers crossed! Just do what you want for you!

[victorian221b 12]

Ditto to this.

And regarding the question that someone pointed out as to why someone may have an issue with checking "Mrs" on forms etc, it's simple. In my situation it does not make sense to use "Mrs My-Last-Name" because that isn't my husband's last name. If I use "Mrs My-husband's-Last-Name" then it wouldn't be official because my name does not reflect that. I get called "Mrs My-Last-Name" sometimes because people think now that I am married I must have already taken my husband's name (like what?!). It gets further annoying when I have to apply for something and enter my official name and then get the confused look when I claimed married but it's not my husband's name (OMG!). It's worse when the difference between my last name and my husband's is only a letter difference (no kidding!). LOL

It's absolutely frustrating sometimes when people expect the women to take the husband's last name here in the US. Me and my husband have seriously considered at some point in the future I may have to change my last name (as much as I don't want to and don't care for it and want to leave it alone!) so that it will make things less complicated and we don't have to carry our marriage certificate with us everywhere we go to prove that we are married because we don't have the same last name (don't even get me started with the nightmare it comes with having to explain)! Even to this day, many married women I know in my generation have already switched their last names to their husbands..it's like how are you helping anything! lol

My mom never changed her last name to my dad's (as didn't many women her age). Isn't Asian society is supposed to be stereotypically more traditional than Western ?

Mrs lost_at_sea is my mother. Also, "Mrs" (and often "Miss" to show an un-married woman) indicates marital status, whereas "Mr" and "Ms" do not. It's just another sexist thing that bothers me - why should only a woman have a salutation that indicates marital status? My husband doesn't have to change his salutation. Why should I?

I enjoy being married to my husband. It's a commitment we made to one another. My salutation has nothing to do with my commitment.

I don't dislike the technicalities of marriage - I have taken part in every single legal one! Changing one's name, however, has nothing to do with the technicalities of marriage. Both name and salutation changes of the type discussed here are both non-required and simply cultural (sexist) traditions. Nothing more.

For anyone else with this question, the important thing is to report the different names you used on the i-751 form. They have a field that allows you to enter that.

I am also the USC female and I did change my name, but not for about 6 months after we got married. Also, my passport is still in my maiden name! I had renewed it about a year before we got married and was loathe to shell out $150 to renew it in my married name. I was a little worried about "red flags" with the ROC packet we just sent - oh, will they think it's funny I didn't change my name right away? Will they care that some of our evidence is in my married name and some in my maiden name? I don't have the answers yet since we just sent everything in but from my research most people say it won't matter so...fingers crossed! Just do what you want for you!