MARRIED NAME CHANGE WARNING

[jakartausa 28]

44 minutes ago, Cruise77 said:

This doesn't mean anything, except it acts as a reminder that you need to file the name change at the SS office. As already been repeated, the Marriage Certificate is proof enough for a legal name change.  Utah isn't special in this regard.  Cheers!

I just did some research. Honestly I was under the impression that the name change occurred on the marriage cert like it is for almost every other state. And with the marriage cert being certified then you are done. Thats the document and thats the accepted proof for the USCIS. I do agree with another poster that something has been omitted from the OPs initial post. 

[cyanmavi 101]

2 hours ago, JGUnion said:

I am just starting to prepare for the AOS petition and this was my first question, especially since on our marriage certificate there is no indicator of name change. When we went to SS office, the agent was willing to take the marriage certificate of  proof of name change, but the computer wouldn't  let him give us a SS number until we provide AOS documentation first. Anyway, I should use wife's maiden name on I-485 and everything else?

 

The same thing happened to me, where I tried to change the name on my SS card to my married name after having applied for AOS but before receiving either EAD or GC and they could not do it, saying that I had no official status they could put in the system.

I used my married name on all AOS documents, and I am scheduled for a GC interview in September. I believe you should use the married name if your wife wants to change her name.

As for the OP, if you look at the requirements for each form, you can see that they require the marriage certificate and that is the official name change document. If the name change is due to the marriage, there is no other document or affidavit needed.

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

3 hours ago, JGUnion said:

I am just starting to prepare for the AOS petition and this was my first question, especially since on our marriage certificate there is no indicator of name change. When we went to SS office, the agent was willing to take the marriage certificate of  proof of name change, but the computer wouldn't  let him give us a SS number until we provide AOS documentation first. Anyway, I should use wife's maiden name on I-485 and everything else?

 

No - if she's changing name then apply in that name. You do have a choice of course.. she can change it at a later time if that suits you better but if she wants the name change now and to have her documentation with the new name - the correct way is to do it as mentioned, put the new name and provide marriage certificate  (which you need to provide anyways).

Edited August 17, 2017 by Suss&Camm

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

2 hours ago, jakartausa said:

I just did some research. Honestly I was under the impression that the name change occurred on the marriage cert like it is for almost every other state. And with the marriage cert being certified then you are done. Thats the document and thats the accepted proof for the USCIS. I do agree with another poster that something has been omitted from the OPs initial post. 

It doesn't always "occur" on the marriage certificate. Many states just have you put your maiden name. The point is it doesn't matter. The fact that the other spouse's lastname is on there gives you the right to the name. 

[papasmf 90]

Could it be that it was because they used a photocopy of the marriage certificate instead of sending a certified one (which is already notarized by the way, the stamp and signatures).  Ours didn't have a place for name change on our marriage certificate, it's been over 100 days since we submitted and no RFE

Edited August 17, 2017 by papasmf

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

6 minutes ago, papasmf said:

Could it be that it was because they used a photocopy of the marriage certificate instead of sending a certified one (which is already notarized by the way, the stamp and signatures).  Ours didn't have a place for name change on our marriage certificate, it's been over 100 days since we submitted and no RFE

You are allowed to send a copy of a certified copy. You might be asked to supply the original (the certified copy) at the interview. We sent a copy of a certified original.

[pattyandvern 282]

Hello everybody, I found this thread because I have similar problem and just didnt want to create new one.

Just to make sure, I need to ask that question:

Me and my husband just picked our marriage cerfiticate (certified copies) from the town office. When I read them, there is a line on the top which say: Party A Current Name: (my first, middle and last name-Maiden) and than the line below there is one saying: Name Prior to First Marriage: (my first, middle and last name- Maiden). Same for my husband below. When we were filing for the marriage licence, on the paper they asked us the same questions, which I answered truthfully, as my current name was my Maiden name. They never asked us again if I wanna change my name after we get married. Now, I filled almost all my AOS papers and soon we will be ready to send them, but I am worried that it may be a problem, because on the certificate it doesnt say that I changed my name. I filled all AOS paperwork on my husband name. Do we have to change my name on certificate? They already fixed it one time as my father's middle name was wrong. I would rather not doing it again to not make them mad  would that cause a RFE if I send the certified copy as it is? And how many should I send when I am also applying for AP and EAD? 

[papasmf 90]

1 hour ago, pattyandvern said:

Hello everybody, I found this thread because I have similar problem and just didnt want to create new one.

Just to make sure, I need to ask that question:

Me and my husband just picked our marriage cerfiticate (certified copies) from the town office. When I read them, there is a line on the top which say: Party A Current Name: (my first, middle and last name-Maiden) and than the line below there is one saying: Name Prior to First Marriage: (my first, middle and last name- Maiden). Same for my husband below. When we were filing for the marriage licence, on the paper they asked us the same questions, which I answered truthfully, as my current name was my Maiden name. They never asked us again if I wanna change my name after we get married. Now, I filled almost all my AOS papers and soon we will be ready to send them, but I am worried that it may be a problem, because on the certificate it doesnt say that I changed my name. I filled all AOS paperwork on my husband name. Do we have to change my name on certificate? They already fixed it one time as my father's middle name was wrong. I would rather not doing it again to not make them mad  would that cause a RFE if I send the certified copy as it is? And how many should I send when I am also applying for AP and EAD? 

We got married in Mississippi, and live in New York.  When we got married, the marriage certificate doesn't list the new married name.  They told us to goto SS office and DMV to change it.  We couldn't do social security update because she already had a card from a previous visit to the US, and she had already been here for 75 of the 90 days, so they told us to wait until we get EAD.  We couldn't do DMV without EAD also.  

 

So, we filled out all of our applicationsunder the new married name, AOS, EAD, and AP.  On our cover letter we listed our maiden and married names and pertinent numbers (I'll provide a link below for the cover letter we used as an example).  On those same forms, there should be a spot saying "list other names" or "maiden name" and that's where you put your maiden name.

 

Since then, May 3 2017 is when they received our applications -- we received our EAD/AP card with the new married name, and we are still on the long wait for a response about our AOS, which has had no RFE, but is still sitting at Fingerprint Fee Received at National benefits center since May 9.

 

Here is the link to the cover letter example we used, please let me know if you have any questions:

 

http://www.mrspresson.com/immigration/adjustment-of-status-aos-k1-visa/prepare-aos-package-forms-requirements-checklist/

 

This is a bit older so make sure everything is up to date if you follow the guide, but Mrs Presson was very thorough and I found it helped us in preparing ours.  There is a link about halfway down the webpage to download the cover letter example.

[papasmf 90]

Oh -also, we sent certified copies of our marriage certificate with each application - one certified copy for each AOS EAD and AP 

[pattyandvern 282]

Thank You!!!

[Matiola 8]

I had the same fears about submitting my papers with my new name (my husband's family name) since my marriage certificate doesn't show this change. However, I heard many times that it was ok!

 

I have another question: should I change my signature if I change my family name?

I used to sign with the signature that copies my maiden name  (Cyrillic letters) and this signature is present in my passport (in which I have my K1 visa).

Is it ok if I change my signature to my new name in Latin letters????? 

 

Please, help... Every day I have new questions about all these forms((((

[Laura & Chris 104]

On 2017-08-16 at 6:15 PM, jakartausa said:

This is NOT true! You just need the certified marriage certificate which shows the name change at the bottom. Well that's at least where it is in California marriage certificates. I had an immigration consultant look over my AOS package and I was told this was acceptable and normal. No other proof was necessary or required. 

IN Washington state I wanna as i was I have to write my maiden name on the marriage certifuca