Name Change after Marriage K1

[Redheadguy03 505]

6 hours ago, Orangesapples said:

Does she want to change her name? It's 21st century, no need for men to claim ownership of women. If you insist on having the same name, changing yours will be less of a hassle. 

That's a ridiculous assumption. My wife wanted to change her name, it was something she was proud to do. I asked her once if she wanted to change it and she got upset and said of course I'm changing it! It has nothing to do with me "owning" her. 

[broppy 204]

12 hours ago, Orangesapples said:

Name change is optional. It will be much easier if she keeps her name. Then you will have no worries about different names on documents. 

It may be easier for official purposes, but you'll both have to get used to being called Mr Hername or Mrs Hisname occasionally - so many people just assume that married couples have the same name.

[Orangesapples 1,954]

2 minutes ago, broppy said:

It may be easier for official purposes, but you'll both have to get used to being called Mr Hername or Mrs Hisname occasionally - so many people just assume that married couples have the same name.

Unfortunately, yes, it happens but people learn quickly once you tell them. 

[broppy 204]

5 minutes ago, Orangesapples said:

Unfortunately, yes, it happens but people learn quickly once you tell them. 

Real people often learn quickly (though for some reason, her family insists on sending mail to Mr & Mrs Myname), but I've found that hotels (and utility companies) are particularly bad at recognising couples with different names - we've both just given up and go with the flow - it's often easier to pretend to be Mr or Mrs Wrongname.

[Lemonslice 4,555]

23 hours ago, broppy said:

Real people often learn quickly (though for some reason, her family insists on sending mail to Mr & Mrs Myname), but I've found that hotels (and utility companies) are particularly bad at recognising couples with different names - we've both just given up and go with the flow - it's often easier to pretend to be Mr or Mrs Wrongname.

Best thing about getting a call or mail for Ms HisName is that I can put it in the recycle bin right away - always spam/unwanted marketing material.

 

Not legal to change my name where I'm from, and had no interest to, so it was an easy choice for me. 

[Portlandia 15]

We double-barrelled our last names and that was documented on our marriage certificate.  We had zero issues with adjustment of status even though all documentation prior to our marriage was in our original last names (including my original green card and all my husband's documentation) but everything afterwards used our married surname. The marriage certificate was all we needed as proof of the link between our previous and new last names.  (Oregon). 

 

To respond to the original question - no, it should not be a problem as long as you have the change of name documented on your marriage certificate (or elsewhere if your state's marriage certificate doesn't also give you the opportunity to legally change your name at the same time - most do).

[SteveCinHou 10]

Getting back to the original question....  We had exactly the same problem.  K1 visa, married, my wife got SSN on maiden name, OAS and EAD filed with married name.  We've gone to the SS office (Houston, TX) and they claim she has to have her green card or EAD in her married name to get her name changed on the SS card.  Don't know if this is really the law, or employees who don't understand.  These are government employees after all... their ability to use common sense or think on their own is not a valued ability.  But I couldn't point to anything saying anything different.  If anyone has anything official that states how this should work I would appreciate it.  In the meantime we're coming up on 5 months still waiting on EAD.

[DelilahBrz 48]

On 11/17/2017 at 12:36 PM, Jmoses said:

I am getting confused again.

 

Here is what I have done so far:

Married my K1 Fiance

Obtained a SSN with her maiden name because the SS Office told me the name has to match her visa.

 

What I want is to change her last name to my last name, so what should I do going forward? I still need to get the work permit as well as do the AOS for the green card/permanent residence. 

1) Since she has a SSN now, can we go back to the SS Office and request a name change solely with just the marriage certificate? This should allow me to fill out all other applications with her marriage name. or

2) Apply for the other applications with the name I want her to have (marriage name), and change the SS Card later.  or

3) Apply for the other applications with the same name on the SS Card and do a name change after everything has been approved? 

 

Thanks, 

I am the USC that married my K1 Fiance.

To change my name, the first thing I had to do was change my name with the social security office (Showed them the marriage certificate). Then immediately notified the IRS.

 

It has already caused some problems (as a USC) with the IRS.  Nothing terrible.  But the government is easily confused.  The transition with my car title/plates was also a headache. 

I couldn't imagine the nightmare this could cause if you had already sent in your AOS.  

 

If you have not sent in any paperwork for AOS yet, you could change the last name with social security and wait until your new social security card comes.  Once your SS card comes, change all paperwork you submit (including utility bills, bank statements etc) with the new last name.  (try to keep the new last name as consistent as practical and possible...remember that the government is easily confused)

 

If you have already sent in your AOS, I would just keep the maiden name until after you remove restrictions on the green card.  At that time you can consider changing the last name.

 

If you want the least amount of problems and hassle? Just keep the maiden name.  

[Jmoses 1]

It is my understanding the best course of action is:

 

-File SSN (SS-5) with Maiden Name

-File AOS (i-485) with Marriage Name

-File Work Permit (i-765) with Marriage Name and request for new Social Security Card on the application. (This should give me a new Social Security Card with the marriage name).

 

Note: My wife already has her SSN with her maiden name since the SS Office would only give the SSN in the name that matched her K1 Visa. 

I am also reading after obtaining the SSN in the maiden name they went in to the SS Office for a name change with the marriage certificate before filing for AOS or the Work Permit. Is this advisable? 

 

Please confirm if this is the best course of action. 

[DebbieRaney 126]

On 11/30/2017 at 7:27 AM, Jmoses said:

It is my understanding the best course of action is:

 

-File SSN (SS-5) with Maiden Name

-File AOS (i-485) with Marriage Name

-File Work Permit (i-765) with Marriage Name and request for new Social Security Card on the application. (This should give me a new Social Security Card with the marriage name).

 

Note: My wife already has her SSN with her maiden name since the SS Office would only give the SSN in the name that matched her K1 Visa. 

I am also reading after obtaining the SSN in the maiden name they went in to the SS Office for a name change with the marriage certificate before filing for AOS or the Work Permit. Is this advisable? 

 

Please confirm if this is the best course of action. 

Hello! I found this thread and decided to share my thoughts and what I've heard from the social security office in Phoenix. 

I have already a SSN with my maiden name, we got married and here in AZ you don't write your married name in the marriage certificate. 

I went to the social security office yesterday to change my name in my card even though I haven't filled for AOS yet. 

The employee told me I could change my name to my married one but he had cases of couples who the lady changed her last name but then when filling for AOS received a RFE because of the name changed in the social security card. Then these couples went back to the SSO to try to change their names back to the maiden ones, but they weren't allowed to. He told me to contact USCIS to see if I could have problems if I changed my name in my card before filling for AOS. But he advised me get my EAD card first and then go back to the office and change my name in my social security card.

 

So, answering your question @Jmoses, based on what the employee told me, I'd wait till she gets her EAD card to apply for a change in her ss card. At least that's what I'm going to do.

 

[demortae 41]

My husband and I just got married on sept 7th. I applied for my SS card and was told it had to be in my maiden name because thats what USCIS has. No, issue there. BUT, my marriage certificate shows my maiden name, not my married name. Will it still be ok to file AOS and EAD with my married name? 

[Scandi 3,970]

1 hour ago, demortae said:

My husband and I just got married on sept 7th. I applied for my SS card and was told it had to be in my maiden name because thats what USCIS has. No, issue there. BUT, my marriage certificate shows my maiden name, not my married name. Will it still be ok to file AOS and EAD with my married name? 

Yes, of course. File in the name you wish to haveon your greencard, and just write your maiden name under "other names used" or whatever it says these days.

 

Don't forget to file for AP too, it's for free and you never know when you might need it.

[DanielPlainview 368]

After reading through all the comments it appears that the consensus is, strictly from a practicality point of view, for a female beneficiary to keep her maiden name for the purposes of working through the wonderful bureaucracy which is our government.   I'm good with whatever my fiancee would like to do, but even at this early stage in the process, (NOA2) my preference is definitely skewed toward practicality.  

[Scandi 3,970]

3 minutes ago, DanielPlainview said:

After reading through all the comments it appears that the consensus is, strictly from a practicality point of view, for a female beneficiary to keep her maiden name for the purposes of working through the wonderful bureaucracy which is our government.   I'm good with whatever my fiancee would like to do, but even at this early stage in the process, (NOA2) my preference is definitely skewed toward practicality.  

It's actually not only about a name change, but about some SSA employees thinking that the conditions of the K-1 Visa somehow changed after you got married, that you're no longer eligible to get a SSN. So that goes for both women and men, name change or not.

 

If you're  lucky you end up with an SSA employee who knows what they're  doing, but why take the chance and wait until after marriage when getting it before marriage is the safest bet?

[DanielPlainview 368]

21 minutes ago, Scandi said:

It's actually not only about a name change, but about some SSA employees thinking that the conditions of the K-1 Visa somehow changed after you got married, that you're no longer eligible to get a SSN. So that goes for both women and men, name change or not.

 

If you're  lucky you end up with an SSA employee who knows what they're  doing, but why take the chance and wait until after marriage when getting it before marriage is the safest bet?

Even though the plan is to get the SSN prior to marriage, guess it really doesn't matter if she doesn't change her name.   Additionally, seems you avoid the hassles with AOS and other processes.  I've seen no posts where it indicates things are easier with the name change.  Fully understand some people want that name change, but for me, having her here is my primary objective.