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Maiden name as middle name - recognized by Germany?

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Germany
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This post by msdynamite which has never been answered made me think:

Can someone maybe help me? Here's my situation: let's say my maiden name is Mary Miller. That's what's on my birth certificate and passport. I never had a middle name or second first name before. My husbands last name is Smith.So then I married an filled in the AOS application like this: Mary as my first name, Miller as my middle name and Smith as my last name.
I got my greencard and everything was printed like I applied for.
When I tried to update my SSN they said even though the card was printed correctly USCIS had me in their system as Mary Miller Miller. So I send a letter to USCIS and they changed it. I went to SSO and DMV and got the SSN and my drivers license like I wanted it. Mary Miller Smith.
Thought: good. Done.
But NOW I got another letter from USCIS that they checked my file and they saw I never had a middle name on my birth certificate so they changed my name in their system to Mary Smith without my maiden name as my middle name.
What I wonder now is: I thought I could just apply in the name I wanted if I never had a middle name before??? I heard lots of people did it this way.
How do I get USCIS to take my maiden name back in their system? Will it be a problem let's say for traveling abroad that I have my name on all my documents differently than USCIS has me in their system??!?
Help would be highly appreciated. THANK YOU [End Quote]

I never had a middle name and wanted to adopt my maiden name as middle name (in AZ). Has anyone else had problems?

And will Germany accept it? Here we are definitely not used to this concept! Ah yes, and Germany does not have a "middle name" as such. You can have as many given (first) names as you like, but there is never a space for a "middle initial" in a form.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
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You can't just suddenly choose to change or have a middle name and start using it on forms like you can going from maiden to married name, You have to go to the courthouse and request legal name change. That's the basics of it, check the local courthouse, usually isn't a big deal at all.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Germany
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As far as I read when you get married you can choose to keep maiden name as last name, take husbands name as last name or drop old middle name and use maiden name as middle name.

I was under the impression this is one of the 4 options (including hyphenated or double-barreled last name) you can pick when you get married.

And of course it's not "suddenly" like in "randomly", but in connection with a change in marital status.

Edited by D.Ba
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Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
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Moved from Adjustment of Status from Family Based Visas forum to Europe and Eurasia regional forum.

Our journey:

Spoiler

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March 26, 2009: We become a couple!
September 10, 2009: Arrived for first meeting in-person!
June 17, 2010: Arrived for second in-person meeting and start of travel together to other areas of China!
June 21, 2010: Engaged!!!
September 1, 2010: Switched course from K1 to CR-1
December 8, 2010: Wedding date set; it will be on February 18, 2011!
February 9, 2011: Depart for China
February 11, 2011: Registered for marriage in Wuhan, officially married!!!
February 18, 2011: Wedding ceremony in Shiyan!!!
April 22, 2011: Mailed I-130 to Chicago
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September 17, 2013: Mailed I-751 to CSC

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October 16, 2013: Biometrics Appointment

January 28, 2014: Production of new Green Card ordered

February 3, 2014: New Green Card received; done with USCIS until fall of 2023*

December 18, 2023:  Filed I-90 to renew Green Card

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Germany
Timeline

ya possible just maiden name ... maiden name and husbands name ..just husbands name

Our Story

I'm the benificary

First met: August 23rd 2013 (F)
Engaged: November 13th 2014 :wub:
I-129f sent: March 20th 2015
Received by USICS: March 25th 2015
Mail notification + Case accepted and routed to CSC:
March 27th 2015

NOA1 hard Copy received: April 4th 2015 :dancing:

Mail notification - Petition Approved NOA2: May 8th 2015

B-) NOA2 hard Copy received: May 15th 2015 :thumbs::dance:

Called NVC & Received Case NR: May 29th 2015 :thumbs:

At NVC: Since 21th May 2015

Stuck at AP :clock:

left NVC/ In Transit to Frankfurt: 3rd June 2015 :dancing:

Ready at Embassy Frankfurt: 5th June 2015 :wow:

Packet 3 received: 11th June 2015

DS-160 Submitted: 16th June 2015

Fee paid: 18th June 2015

Package 3 sent: 13th July 2015

Ready to schedule Interview: 16th July 2015
Medical passed: 21st July 2015

Interview: 5th August 2015 :star: -> Approved

POE: 27th August 2015

Date of Marriage: 3rd September 2015 (L):luv:

:energy::energy::energy: :energy: :energy::energy:

AOS

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ya possible just maiden name ... maiden name and husbands name ..just husbands name

I'm german and don't have a middle name. I filed all my forms with my last name as middle name and husbands last name and had no issue (as of yet lol)

From what I understand, for germany to recognize the name change, you have to file an actual name change declaration, as it is not something they automatically do.

http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/05__Legal/02__Directory__Services/04__Family__Matters/__Name.html

http://www.germany.info/contentblob/3079380/Daten/5528470/Name_Family.pdf

In that form, you can choose whether you adopt the new name change based on German law or the country's law in which you got married. I don't really understand the german options (the second one in particular), so I am just going to go with the American law, lol. Under that, you are limited only by what your state lets you do without a court order. In my state, choosing the maiden as middle name is an option, but I hadn't considered whether that lets you do so without having had a middle name in the first place.

I guess worst case you would have to get an actual court ordered name change, but I don't think that is necessary. I guess I'll find out when I try to update my name with the SSA.

Edited by piano

ROC Timeline:

May 31: Package mailed    

June 8: NOA1 received, dated June 2

June 27: Biometrics done

Sept 25: Case Status Update Card in Production

 

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Germany
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Yes, I saw that website too. I find it strange that in the text it lets you believe if you're German, the German naming law always, always applies if you're a citizen, and then in the form you can choose whether you want to use German or foreign naming law.

I agree that the second option is confusing. What does it mean "part of my former name" - if I was McGill can I just use the "Mc"? Well, I am not planning to fuse our names, so I'll just ignore that.

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Yes, I saw that website too. I find it strange that in the text it lets you believe if you're German, the German naming law always, always applies if you're a citizen, and then in the form you can choose whether you want to use German or foreign naming law.

I agree that the second option is confusing. What does it mean "part of my former name" - if I was McGill can I just use the "Mc"? Well, I am not planning to fuse our names, so I'll just ignore that.

So after doing some more reading, I really don't know how this is going to work. Technically all you can decide on is the last name, which is going to be my husbands last name. As of 2013, D won't let you put double last name without hyphen, so that won't work. According to the policies governing a Vornamen you can't choose a last name for that either, so that won't work as well. So I suppose best I can get in a German passport is my first name and husbands last name? I guess I'm going to have to wait til my name change is official here and then contact the embassy to see what they say. Now I wish I would have just dropped the darn thing lol.

ROC Timeline:

May 31: Package mailed    

June 8: NOA1 received, dated June 2

June 27: Biometrics done

Sept 25: Case Status Update Card in Production

 

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Germany
Timeline

The last thing I'd want is a double last name, with each of our last names 3 syllables and 9 letters long already.

I guess I can do without my maiden middle name in my German passport. Traveling shouldn't be a problem since the middle name certainly is optional?

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The last thing I'd want is a double last name, with each of our last names 3 syllables and 9 letters long already.

I guess I can do without my maiden middle name in my German passport. Traveling shouldn't be a problem since the middle name certainly is optional?

Just buy your tickets in your passport name(s).

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As far as I read when you get married you can choose to keep maiden name as last name, take husbands name as last name or drop old middle name and use maiden name as middle name.

I was under the impression this is one of the 4 options (including hyphenated or double-barreled last name) you can pick when you get married.

And of course it's not "suddenly" like in "randomly", but in connection with a change in marital status.

Wife applied her passport and all her other id's dropping her middle name and taking her maiden name as her middle name. She had to go thru Commission of Filipino Overseas office to do that.

Below is a link to procedures for the US and other countries.

http://m.wikihow.com/Change-Your-Name-After-Marriage

2013/05/03 Married

2013 CFO seminar to change name

2013 Passport issued in married name

USCIS

2015/06/27 Sent I-130

2015/06/29 Priority Date

2015/0701 NOA1

2015/08/05 NOA2

NVC

2015/08/17 Package received at NVC

2015/08/26 Received DS-261/AOS bill

2015/08/29 Sent AOS/IV

2015/08/31 AOS/IV scan date

2015/09/01 DS-260 submitted

2015/09/21 3 n/a (CC)

2015/09/28 Receive confirmation email of CC waiting interview date

2015/10/01 Interview date scheduled (P4)

Manila Embassy

2015/10/12 SLEC Medical, required to get doctor certificate and return the 30th.

2015/10/19 Went to hospital to get the doctors certificate for SLEC

2015/10/30 Appointment with doctor at SLEC for evaluation

2015/11/03 Completed medical

2015/11/05 Interview scheduled - APPROVED

2015/11/06 CEAC changed to issued

2015/11/11 Passport and visa delivered

2015/11/12 Passport stamped at CFO

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This is the most sort-of affirmative response i have found, also in response to mysdynamite. It still does not answer her original problem though, so the hope is that USCIS doesn't mess up lol.

http://www.amerika-forum.de/threads/224465-frage-zu-family-middle-u-first-name-umlaute-und-gestaltung/page4?highlight=msdynamite

Edited by piano

ROC Timeline:

May 31: Package mailed    

June 8: NOA1 received, dated June 2

June 27: Biometrics done

Sept 25: Case Status Update Card in Production

 

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Germany
Timeline

I'm german and don't have a middle name. I filed all my forms with my last name as middle name and husbands last name and had no issue (as of yet lol)

From what I understand, for germany to recognize the name change, you have to file an actual name change declaration, as it is not something they automatically do.

http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/05__Legal/02__Directory__Services/04__Family__Matters/__Name.html

http://www.germany.info/contentblob/3079380/Daten/5528470/Name_Family.pdf

In that form, you can choose whether you adopt the new name change based on German law or the country's law in which you got married. I don't really understand the german options (the second one in particular), so I am just going to go with the American law, lol. Under that, you are limited only by what your state lets you do without a court order. In my state, choosing the maiden as middle name is an option, but I hadn't considered whether that lets you do so without having had a middle name in the first place.

I guess worst case you would have to get an actual court ordered name change, but I don't think that is necessary. I guess I'll find out when I try to update my name with the SSA.

I have 3 names..one name to be called. .and 2 middle names.. and the last name so actually 4

Our Story

I'm the benificary

First met: August 23rd 2013 (F)
Engaged: November 13th 2014 :wub:
I-129f sent: March 20th 2015
Received by USICS: March 25th 2015
Mail notification + Case accepted and routed to CSC:
March 27th 2015

NOA1 hard Copy received: April 4th 2015 :dancing:

Mail notification - Petition Approved NOA2: May 8th 2015

B-) NOA2 hard Copy received: May 15th 2015 :thumbs::dance:

Called NVC & Received Case NR: May 29th 2015 :thumbs:

At NVC: Since 21th May 2015

Stuck at AP :clock:

left NVC/ In Transit to Frankfurt: 3rd June 2015 :dancing:

Ready at Embassy Frankfurt: 5th June 2015 :wow:

Packet 3 received: 11th June 2015

DS-160 Submitted: 16th June 2015

Fee paid: 18th June 2015

Package 3 sent: 13th July 2015

Ready to schedule Interview: 16th July 2015
Medical passed: 21st July 2015

Interview: 5th August 2015 :star: -> Approved

POE: 27th August 2015

Date of Marriage: 3rd September 2015 (L):luv:

:energy::energy::energy: :energy: :energy::energy:

AOS

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  • 5 months later...
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Germany
Timeline

The last thing I'd want is a double last name, with each of our last names 3 syllables and 9 letters long already.

I guess I can do without my maiden middle name in my German passport. Traveling shouldn't be a problem since the middle name certainly is optional?

Hi everyone- I've just found this thread. I'm still busy with the name change problem. So apparently that letter I got could've been diregarded since at least in America my name wishes have been accepted. First name, maiden name middle name, husband last name.

I've been traveling with my non updated passport and marriage certificate without any problems. My passport is good another 5 years BUT my two year greencard is going to expire and the question of citizenship (I'm gonna go double) came up. In this case I will have to update my passport.

I've been in contact with the German embassy and the bottom line simply is: YOU CANNOT HAVE YOUR MAIDEN LAST NAME AS A MIDDLE NAME IN GERMANY!

That's a huge bummer. BUT at least the embassy stated, that I can have this name-constellation in the states without having it matched in my German passport. Means they will drop the middle name on it.They will maybe ask why that is at customs but they said it shouldn't be a problem.

I don't know how that's gonna go with the citizenship paperwork etc. what an ordeal :/

If anyone did this with success PLEASE let me know!

Good luck to anyone. I can only recommend: if you love your maiden name: keep it. I will probably have to drop my maiden middle name and that is really sad.

Edited by msdynamite
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I never understood this name change hullaballoo anyway. Just keep your name... Neither me nor my husband changed anything. Don't see the point and don't need the added running around to change documents.

Anyway, under US naming law you can have the constellation you want - so why not go for it? The German passport will be different - but does that matter?

K1 time line

 


I-129F sent: 12/23/2014
NOA-1: 12/29/2014
NOA-2: 06/05/2015 (158 days)
NOA-2 hardcopy: 06/11/2015 (6 days post NOA-2, 164 days total)
Sent to NVC: 06/16/2015 (11 days post NOA-2, 169 days total)
NVC receive: 06/25/2015 (20 days post NOA-2, 178 days total)
NVC case no: 06/30/2015 (25 days post NOA-2, 183 days total)
NVC left: 07/02/2015 (27 days post NOA-2, 185 days total)
Case Ready: 07/07/2015 (32 days post NOA-2, 190 days total)
submitted DS-160, paid visa fee.: 07/21/2015 (46 days post NOA-2, 204 days total)
Packet 3 sent: 07/25/2015 (50 days post NOA-2, 209 days total)
Pack 4 received: 07/30/2015 (55 days post NOA-2, 214 days total)
Medical: 09/17/2015 Interview: 09/23/2015 (108 days post NOA-2, 268 days total)
Interview Result: Approved Administrative Processing: 09/23/2015
CEAC Status Issued: 09/24/2015
Visa in hand: 09/28/2015
POE: 12/29/2015 Wedding: 01/11/2016


AOS Time Line

 

AOS package mailed: 01/13/2016
AOS package received: 01/20/2016 (day 1)
AOS NOA-1 text/email: 01/23/2016 (day 3), actual NOA-1 date 01/22/2016 (day 2)
AOS Fingerprint fee received: 01/22/2016 (day 2)
AOS check cashed: 01-25-2016 (day 5) Got 6 month NJ driver's license: 01-25-2016
3x NOA-1 hardcopies: 02/03/2016 (day 14)

Biometrics letter: 02/05/2016 (day 16) Biometrics appt (Elizabeth, NJ): 02/17/2016 (day 28)

EAD and AP approved email/txt: 03/29/2016 (day 67)

GC approval email/text: 04/04/2016 (day 74)

I-797 for I-765/I-131 in mail: 04/04/2016 (day 74)

EAD/AP delivered: 04/05/216 (day 75)

GC card being mailed status update: 04/07/16 (day 77)

GC received: 04/11/16 (day 84 post AOS NOA-1)

DONE WITH USCIS FOR 21 MONTHS!

ROC Window opens: 01/04/2018

 

ROC Time Line
ROC package mailed to Vermont 01/04/2018
ROC package received at Vermont 01/08/2018 (day 0)
Check cashed: 01/16/2018 (day 8 )
NOA-1 date: 01/09/2018 (day 1)
NOA-1 received: 01/16/2018 (day 8 )
Biometrics notice received: 02/09/2018 (day 32)
Biometrics appointment: 02/23/2018 (day 46)
Received 18-month extension letter: 08/13/2018 (day 209)
ROC Approved: 03/09/2019 (day 425)
Card Received: 03/16/2019  (day 432)
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