Just Married and Adjusting status from OPT

[JoeBlinder 0]

Hello! 

I am an American citizen and I am working on my wife's paperwork. We just got married, and now that we are filing, we are unsure of how to file things--regarding her name change. We have not legally changed her name with the state of Tennessee, therefore, we are wondering if we should put my last name on her paperwork, or stick with hers. 

 

Thanks

 

[Coco8 1,039]

Why do you want to change her name? It is not required for her to change her last name. 

 

She already has a social security, OPT card, visas, passport, etc. with her name. I'd leave it as her name. Unless she really wants to change her last name, which is possible. But then she'd have some IDs in one name and some in another name, it can be a mess. 

[GabiMatch 161]

24 minutes ago, JoeBlinder said:

Hello! 

I am an American citizen and I am working on my wife's paperwork. We just got married, and now that we are filing, we are unsure of how to file things--regarding her name change. We have not legally changed her name with the state of Tennessee, therefore, we are wondering if we should put my last name on her paperwork, or stick with hers. 

 

Thanks

 

In the state of Florida, the marriage certificate only have the maiden name but even though all my documents have my maiden name, I filled the petition with my husband's last name as this is the name that I'll use and my maiden name in all of spaces provided for it, this way I'll have my Green Card with my married name (which is the one I want to use for ever 😊) and this is going to make easier for me to register my marriage and change my name in my home country. Beside, why would you filled with maiden name to have it changed afterword? It could take more time than expected.

Good luck!

[geowrian 22,336]

Changing her last name after marriage is really as simple as using the new last name. The marriage certificate itself is a legal name change document. She can use her new last name on the immigration paperwork if she wants her green card in the new name. Once the EAD/AP arrives, she can use that to get a social security card in the new name as well. Once that's updated, changing the name on other things (i.e. bank account, driver's license, etc.) should be possible.

 

But no, it's not required for somebody to change their last name.

[Scandi 3,982]

If she wants to change her name to yours then that's the name she puts on the greencard application, and her maiden name goes under "other names used". 

 

It won't be a whole lot of fun if she wants to change her name to yours and you apply in her maiden name, changing the name on the greencard later on will cost around $500.