Name Change

[S Brennan 20]

Hello! 

 

Another silly question. 

 

I am from Quebec - I married a US citizen and we got married in the states where I changed my name. 

 

In Quebec, its quite complicated to take on your husband’s name (not to mention with work, I have security clearance and it would take months to change IDs, if even possible from Quebec, which, from my understanding, its not) so we are submitting the paperwork first and I want to get my american IDs with my new married name. 

 

Is it gonna be an issue that all my submitted paperwork still bear my maiden name? Birth certificate + passport? Are they going to understand that it’s me? 

 

 

Thank you!!!

[Free Man 119]

All you need is evidence to support your name change was done legally.

My wife had similar story. We provided court documents for her initial name change, then marriage certificate for her second name change and finally, her divorce decree changing her last name.

 

[Crazy Cat 41,981]

I agree that the marriage certificate is normally considered a legal name change document....at least in the US.

[S Brennan 20]

Yes I understand that - I was just wondering since all my IDs are from Quebec when we apply for my spouse visa, will it be okay? 

 

I want to change my name once I get to the US, but haven’t started any procedures to change my name before applying for the visa cause it would take at least a year and delay us sending the paperwork in. 

 

I am just wondering if they will find fault in that - that all my IDs are still in my maiden name even though I changed my name on the wedding certificate (in anticipation of living in the US where changing your name is possible, when in Quebec, it is in fact impossible and not allowed by the law)

[Lemonslice 4,887]

You still won't be able to change your name in Quebec, or get a Canadian passport changed to your married name while living in Quebec, so your visa  and green card are going to be in your name. There's going to be a mismatch between some of your IDs.  

Edited August 18, 2018 by Lemonslice

[Ryan H 3,813]

1 hour ago, S Brennan said:

I am just wondering if they will find fault in that -

No

[NikLR 13,227]

Since your passport will probably be in maiden name, your visa and green card also will be in maiden name.  

You can change the green card later for $450. 

[pushbrk 12,979]

It is important to note that future international travel will be ticketed in your passport name.  Until you become a US Citizen, you will not have a US passport.  At Naturalization, you can do a name change if you want.  To re-enter the US from another country you would present your Canadian Passport and US Green Card.  It would be problematic for those to bear different names.  

 

A specific question to ask the IV Unit in Montreal would be, " Since I cannot change my name in my passport living in Quebec, would it be possible to have the visa and green card issued in my married name, if my passport is in my maiden name?"  I think they will say no, but it's worth asking BEFORE you file the I-130.  If the answer is no, file the I-130 with the maiden name and keep your maiden name until you get to the US.  You can probably get a driver license in the married name and even a social security card, but green card will need to remain the same as your passport.

 

Would it be possible to change the name in your passport AFTER moving to the US?  If so, you could then also change the name on the green card and anything else.

Edited August 19, 2018 by pushbrk

[JFH 12,190]

In the United States there is no requirement for women to change their name upon marriage. Many do. But it's not required, just a personal choice. So even if you were from a place where a name change was permitted, no one would automatically expect it of you.