Change last name

[Erialc 0]

Hi all ,

For Canadian get married to American with k1, once you you get married in U.S., is it necessary to change your last name ? thanks everyone taking time to reply

[Shauneg 762]

Nope, your choice.... maiden name, husbands name, maiden-husband. Whatever you want.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Do you mean in general or on your Cdn id?

I personally took my husband's last name but the only piece of Cdn id I changed to my married name was my passport when it came up for renewal.

[tdotca 41]

As others said, changing your last name is up to you. Things would be easier especially if you have a surname like mine ( most systems don't like hyphenated names). I more than likely would have done it but my CDN passport is good for another 4 yrs . To get/renew your Cdn passport with your married name, you will have to apply as if this was your 1st passport application and not sure if I want to go through all that hassle ( need guarantors etc).

[Erialc 0]

Hi all thank you so much for relying . I'll be renewing my cdn passport one year early befire it gets expired . And I'll renew it before I make my POE with k 1 in January as it costs double to renew in foreign country later on . i don't know what's the pros and cons for taking his last name

[Udella&Wiz 325]

No pros or cons Its 2015 - your choice for personal reasons only

[kc247 22]

Completely up to you I changed mine when I applied for Permanent Residency, so my green card has my husband's last name. I changed nothing in Canada. Honestly, if I moved back I don't know if I would even bother! Legally you can go by either (from what I have heard). If i thought about it more beforehand, I probably wouldn't of changed it on anything. I was too stressed getting married and all the immigration stuff, I just automatically though I better change it. So my drivers license and green card has it as my husband's, as for official documents that is it.

One thing my Mom told me when I had mentioned to her whether to take his name or not, was that it would be a pain to have children and not have the same last name as them (don't know if this would apply to you or not). I like my maiden name better than his, maybe it is just because I have had it my whole life! I don't think my name sounds good with his last name. I have been married for a year and a half and still when I write a signature I have to think twice about what name I am signing. I still haven't changed it at the bank, so when I get my pay cheque I have to sign both names...my fault for not changing it though. I apparently have to get a SSN in my married name in order to change it, which is a day trip. Which is why I say it would of been easier to not to of bothered changing it, but that is just me.

[Erialc 0]

Thank you for sharing your experience I'll just stick to my maiden name .