New Member - Need Advice - What's required for wife's name change on passport

[Traveler23 4]

Hi,

This is my first time posting on this site and I'm hoping someone can help guide me with my question. Basically, I filled an I-130 form for my wife who is living in India currently. The priority date is Feb. 27th, 2015, our NOA1 date. We were married in India Dec. 29th, 2014. Im a US citizen living in USA.

It seems the wait time from NOA1 to NOA2 is roughly 5 months for NSC. Will see, I hope its sooner since the wait has been very hard on us both, but more for my wife. I know many of you are in the same boat, so its nice to have a community as this site with VJ to relate and support each other with. I know many are having to wait longer which is not ideal to say the least!

Due to the long wait, my wife and I were told by some friends to have her Indian passport changed to her married name while we wait for NOA2 approval. Which she recently did, she got her new Indian passport changed to her married name. My question is do we need to inform USCIS of this name change since her name is different on the I-130 form then her current new married passport. Basically, only change was her middle name, her surname is still the same since our surname were same.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated and also any forms or steps I should take to have things in order while we wait for the NOA2 to get approved? I want to be ready so time is not wasted.

Thanks and wish you all the best in your process!

Jay

[Ryan H 3,790]

She should not have changed anything at this stage of the game. Now, don't do ANYTHING...meaning do not contact, USCIS or/NVC...Just wait until the interview at the consulate and then inform the consular that she has changed her middle name on her passport AFTER filing all the paperworks. Officer would make the changes right away in the system. They do all the time. Because officer would have an access to all system right in front of him at the time of interviewing. Good luck...

OP, the sections of the above post in bold and red are incorrect. First of all, your wife changing her name and updating her passport to reflect said change between petition submission and decision is a non-issue. You do not need to inform USCIS. When the time comes to complete the DS-260, it should be completing to reflect what her name is at the actual time it is being completed. There is no need to wait until the interview to do that. Furthermore, the visa will be issued using the name verbatim in the passport and the green card will be issued using the name on the visa. While changing one's name is a personal choice and not a requirement, if one does want to change their name and have their green card issued in the new name, then the time to update the passport was before the interview.

[Traveler23 4]

Thank you both, I appreciate the help very much! I will keep VJ posted...

Take care and have a good weekend!

Jay