Maiden or married name CR-1

[Sinbad101 0]

Hi,

I'm getting married in June to a US citizen and will be applying for the CR-1 visa shortly after to move over there. I'm wondering what the process is for changing your name and filling in the visa forms- do you have to use your new name or your maiden name? Surely you have to apply with the same name on all documents eg matching passport and statements?  But if you sent your passport off with your marriage certificate to change the name it would stop you being able to apply for CR-1 right away. Is it best to apply for everything in your maiden name and then change it after the green card is accepted?

 

Thanks for your help!

[slycordinator 6]

Maiden or married name doesn't matter. If you want to change your name to a married name, fill it out with that. If you don't, don't and you will keep your maiden name. 

 

Bear in mind that if you fill out with a maiden name, you will be granted everything in your maiden name and you cannot change your name until you become a citizen, so if later you decide to change it you will have to wait a few years, at least. 

[Sinbad101 0]

So if you fill out the forms with you new married name but your passport and whatever else has your maiden name on it that's fine?

Thanks! 

[slycordinator 6]

That's why the forms have a section for "other names used" for both the petitioner and beneficiary. 

[Wuozopo 4,294]

1 hour ago, Sinbad101 said:

So if you fill out the forms with you new married name but your passport and whatever else has your maiden name on it that's fine?

Thanks! 

Your marriage certificate is the document that proves your legal name change. It is part of the documentation you submit (photocopy) to immigration. You can even change your passport to a new one before your interview in London and take the new one to your interview. It doesn't matter if it's a different passport from the petition one. 

[Ryan H 3,862]

10 hours ago, slycordinator said:

Bear in mind that if you fill out with a maiden name, you will be granted everything in your maiden name and you cannot change your name until you become a citizen, so if later you decide to change it you will have to wait a few years, at least. 

 

The text I placed in bold and red is not quite correct.  It is possible to do a name change without going through the citizenship process, however, it would require going through the local court of jurisdiction and paying fees as well as paying a large fee to USCIS to have the green card reissued.

[lilsweetie 35]

If your passport has your maiden name, your visa will also, to match the passport. First hand experience on this. I applied for everything with married name but passport had maiden, so visa and greencard came with maiden.

[Sinbad101 0]

Thanks for your input guys.

I'd rather not get a new passport with my new name on it yet as it has two years left on it and I'm worried it won't come back in time for our honeymoon. So I'll just use my married name for forms and maiden in my passport and hope my card is issued in my married name! Even though lilsweetie's wasn't. . . Does it matter if the green card is issued in your maiden name?

[Sinbad101 0]

4 hours ago, lilsweetie said:

If your passport has your maiden name, your visa will also, to match the passport. First hand experience on this. I applied for everything with married name but passport had maiden, so visa and greencard came with maiden.

I read somewhere that if your green card has a different name to yours it's fraud, did you change it to your married name after it came through or does it not matter?

[Amshep 0]

I don't think a marriage certificate is a proof of name change by itself. In many countries you need to update your ID with your new last name before being able to update your passport.

Personally, I would apply with maiden if passport still show it like that.

I think it will save you from a lot of possible mistakes and confusions.

[Thesmiths2016 117]

Your greencard must match the name as it shows on your passport. I made this enquiry myself directly to immigration/the embassy.  Because I'd just had my passport issued before my wedding it still has a long time to go. Plus getting it changed would have delayed being able to send my application. So we're doing everything in my maiden name.  In the end it still gets me there with my hubby, and I can still apply for bank accounts etc in my married name with my marriage certificate accompanying my passport. 

You can submit a request to change the name later for a fee of around $500 (of course that fee may change).   

[Wuozopo 4,294]

£72 New UK passport. They give you extra 9 months if other is unexpired.

£103 New UK if ordered from the US.

$455 to change name on greencard. 

 

Have you considered this order?

1. Marriage
2. Honeymoon
3. Send I-130 petition in married name
4. Change name in passport (3 weeks)
5. Go to visa interview with new married name passport. Visa in married name.
6. Greencard issued in married name. Social Security card issued married name. Driver license in married name.  Everything matches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2017 by Wuozopo

[lilsweetie 35]

6 hours ago, Sinbad101 said:

I read somewhere that if your green card has a different name to yours it's fraud, did you change it to your married name after it came through or does it not matter?

I don't think it would be considered fraud, because you are entitled to use the married last name, it is just not what is printed on the green card necessarily. I had no problem changing my passport and driver's license and every other document at the bank / legal / etc (both in Canada and US) to married name with just the marriage certificate as "proof" of the new last name.