Marriage during application

[Holly2234 66]

I have been a LPR since 2012 and I did ROC with a waiver in 2014 after I got divorced. 

 

My current partner and I are wanting to get married this year and I am unsure how my citizenship application will be affected.

 

I am eligible to apply at the end of this month (July 2017) but the application may take some time to be approved so we are weighing up our options.

 

If I apply now and get married during the process, what are the consequences?

 

If we marry before applying, can I change my name on the application and request to be known by my married name or do I have to request to change it on my GC first?

 

Any insight would be appreciated!

 

Thank you 

[IcezMan_IcezLady 582]

I suppose your new partner is not American and will derive immigration benefits through you?

If these are true, then you can go ahead and file the petition. When you naturalize and get your certificate, you notify USCIS so that your petition will be "upgraded" to a USC status which is faster than LPR.

[Hypnos 6,576]

Marrying during naturalisation will have no material effect on the process. 

[f f 725]

wait to file for your future spouse till you have been a lpr for at least 5 years so you don't have to prove to uscis your first marriage was legitimate again.

 

it is under who may not file number 5 part c.

Edited July 11, 2017 by f f

[Holly2234 66]

Hi everyone, thank you for the responses.

 

My new spouse is already a USC so nothing complicated there. It's mostly an issue with answers on the paperwork will be correct when I file it but may not be by the time I go for the interview etc. And the question of being able to change my name. 

 

Thanks 

[Wuozopo 4,285]

Holly,

 

If you apply before marriage, then just use your current name. When you go interview, they go over your application line by line to make sure all the info is correct. I would think that would be the time to say you just married and have a new name so they can amend your application to put the new name on the certificate.   But you would have to be married before you go interview.  

 

Or if you marry first, the application says current name, then name on greencard, then all aliases ever used. The instructions say:

 

Part 2. Information About You (Person applying for naturalization)
Item Number 1. Your Current Legal Name. Your current legal name is the name on your birth certi cate unless it changed after birth by a legal action such as a marriage or court order. Do not provide a nickname.

Item Number 2. Your Name Exactly As It Appears on Your Permanent Resident Card (if applicable). Type or print your name exactly as it appears on your Permanent Resident Card even if it is misspelled or has changed through marriage, divorce, or other court order since you received your card. Type or print “N/A” if you do not have a Permanent Resident Card. 

 

Doesn't seem to matter if they are different.

 

 

[Holly2234 66]

Awesome response thank you Wuozopo!

[Joao aguiar nato 4]

18 hours ago, Holly2234 said:

I have been a LPR since 2012 and I did ROC with a waiver in 2014 after I got divorced. 

 

My current partner and I are wanting to get married this year and I am unsure how my citizenship application will be affected.

 

I am eligible to apply at the end of this month (July 2017) but the application may take some time to be approved so we are weighing up our options.

 

If I apply now and get married during the process, what are the consequences?

 

If we marry before applying, can I change my name on the application and request to be known by my married name or do I have to request to change it on my GC first?

 

Any insight would be appreciated!

 

Thank you 

I would wait until your n400 is done. That way there is no question on either you have a fake marriage to obtain Green Card. My n400 Process took 7 months.. It is worth wait a little be.

 Dont get married after you submit you n400..you are look for a long road os sending more paperwork and more stress. 

Good luck

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by Rodrigo Macedo

[Holly2234 66]

Just now, Rodrigo Macedo said:

I would wait until your n400 is done. That way there is no question on either you have a fake marriage to obtain Green Card. My n400 Process took 7 months.. It is worth wait a little be

 

Hi Rodrigo,

 

There are no green cards being obtained from this marriage. I already have my 10 year GC and my partner is a USC and has lived here his whole life. There should be no questions of fake marriage. 

 

[Joao aguiar nato 4]

3 minutes ago, Holly2234 said:

Hi Rodrigo,

 

There are no green cards being obtained from this marriage. I already have my 10 year GC and my partner is a USC and has lived here his whole life. There should be no questions of fake marriage. 

 

Good.

uscis now a days are very picky....

I suggest to get married Before or after you submit you n400. that way you avoid delays in your process....

Good luck!

[Bugs 455]

1 hour ago, Rodrigo Macedo said:

I would wait until your n400 is done. That way there is no question on either you have a fake marriage to obtain Green Card. My n400 Process took 7 months.. It is worth wait a little be.

 Dont get married after you submit you n400..you are look for a long road os sending more paperwork and more stress. 

Good luck

 

No.

 

She has no incentive to marry for immigration benefits, as she already has legal permanent status.

 

And no additional paperwork needs to be sent. She just needs to add the relevant info at the interview, along with the marriage certificate and husband birth certificate if asked and she will be fine.

[Wuozopo 4,285]

I found the interview to be very straight forward, friendly, and easy. I had documents that were listed on the letter to bring the originals to the interview. I offered my folder saying it contained the the requested documents and the lady said, "Nah, I don't need to see those".  Then she went through the application line by line...your name is....you live at...etc, etc.  At one point I said "I wasn't sure if I answered that question correctly" and explained. She made some notes and moved on. That's how I know you can amend anything at the interview. It was about a traffic ticket I had received and hadn't listed, but wanted to make sure that was correct. 

[JoannaV 173]

Even if you married in between the interview and the oath ceremony, you would check the box on the back of your oath ceremony letter that asks if you'd gotten married since the interview and bring your marriage certificate to the ceremony. So I think the simplest answer is just to marry when you want and file for citizenship when you want.

But I do see that you are supposed to get a new green card if you change your name. I'm going to hold off on searching to find out how many people actually do that and how many people just wait till they have to renew after 10 years. But, one option would be to NOT change your name when you get married and at your citizenship interview tell them you need your oath ceremony to be a judicial one, then you can change your name at the oath ceremony.