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Name Change After Marriage Before AOS

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: China
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Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and I'm now pretty confused about my name change before my AOS process. Hope I can find some help here, thank you in advance for your time reading this.

 

I came to the states with K1 and got married last week in Seattle. I changed my last name to my husband's last name and put my original last name as middle name, I also changed my first name to an English name (my original first name is too difficult to pronounce in english). I did the name change after marriage, so my marriage certificate has my maiden name on. After that, I wend to the County Courthouse to have the judge approve my name change (went through the hearing process), so I have the official name change document. Then I went to SSA to apply for a new social security card, but the officer said I need to apply for SSC with my maiden name, so I did as she said. I'm now waiting for the SSC to be arrived in about 4 weeks. The officer said I can change my name when I receive my SSC. 

 

My question is that: 

 

1. Should I send my Green Card application before I receive my SSC? or Should I send my Green Card application after receive my SSC with maiden name or even after I successfully change my name on SSC?

2. What name should I use when file I-485, I-864, etc.

 

Thanks a lot!

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Romania
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32 minutes ago, NoraNora said:

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and I'm now pretty confused about my name change before my AOS process. Hope I can find some help here, thank you in advance for your time reading this.

 

I came to the states with K1 and got married last week in Seattle. I changed my last name to my husband's last name and put my original last name as middle name, I also changed my first name to an English name (my original first name is too difficult to pronounce in english). I did the name change after marriage, so my marriage certificate has my maiden name on. After that, I wend to the County Courthouse to have the judge approve my name change (went through the hearing process), so I have the official name change document. Then I went to SSA to apply for a new social security card, but the officer said I need to apply for SSC with my maiden name, so I did as she said. I'm now waiting for the SSC to be arrived in about 4 weeks. The officer said I can change my name when I receive my SSC. 

 

My question is that: 

 

1. Should I send my Green Card application before I receive my SSC? or Should I send my Green Card application after receive my SSC with maiden name or even after I successfully change my name on SSC?

2. What name should I use when file I-485, I-864, etc.

 

Thanks a lot!

My two cents.

I would use your new official name for I-485, etc

If I remember right the form has a question about names used before. You can fill out your old name there.

Also send a copy of the approved name change from the court with your AOS. Did it say your previous name on it?

 

I am not sure if this is the right approach, but logically seems right.... Otherwise all your immigration documents will have your old name and not sure how you can change that. (Probably it would take forever)

 

 

Edited by ineedadisplayname
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11 minutes ago, Cula bula said:

When filling out your forms they have to match what is on your marriage cert nothing else we do everything as to match your name .

Thank you for your quick reply! I am just afraid if I have I already went through the legal process of changing name, am I still be available to use my old name as "Current Name" when filling with all those forms. 

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31 minutes ago, NoraNora said:

1. Should I send my Green Card application before I receive my SSC? or Should I send my Green Card application after receive my SSC with maiden name or even after I successfully change my name on SSC?

2. What name should I use when file I-485, I-864, etc.

 

Thanks a lot!

1. Receiving your SSN card is irrelevant. You do not need your SSN to file I485. I would recommend applying for a replacement SSN card on the I765 in your new legal name as its doubtful SSA will be able to change your name until after you receive your EAD or GC in your new legal name.

2. You will use your new name that you changed it to at the courthouse and you will use that name change document as proof of legal name change. That becomes your new legal name change document rather than your Marriage Certificate however you will still provide a copy of your marriage certificate with each of the AOS forms as well as that is proof of your marriage to your USC petitioner. 

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3 minutes ago, ineedadisplayname said:

My two cents.

I would use your new official name for I-485, etc

If I remember right the form has a question about names used before. You can fill out your old name there.

Also send a copy of the approved name change from the court with your AOS. Did it say your previous name on it?

 

 

Thanks for your reply! The approved name change document has my old name and new name, it basically saying the old name XXX is now changed to the new name YYY.

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4 minutes ago, NoraNora said:

Thank you for your quick reply! I am just afraid if I have I already went through the legal process of changing name, am I still be available to use my old name as "Current Name" when filling with all those forms. 

No you cannot use your old name as your current name (either of them, your maiden name or any of the options listed on your MC, if any, some MCs will not list the new married name) as you have changed it for a third time. That's the name you will file your AOS package in.

If you do not use your new legal name now you will have to pay $500 to update the name on your GC when you get it.

Edited by K1visaHopeful
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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: China
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2 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

1. Receiving your SSN card is irrelevant. You do not need your SSN to file I485. I would recommend applying for a replacement SSN card on the I765 in your new legal name as its doubtful SSA will be able to change your name until after you receive your EAD or GC in your new legal name.

2. You will use your new name that you changed it to at the courthouse and you will use that name change document as proof of legal name change. That becomes your new legal name change document rather than your Marriage Certificate however you will still provide a copy of your marriage certificate with each of the AOS forms as well as that is proof of your marriage to your USC petitioner. 

Thanks a lot! I think I will file all AOS document with the new name and send it with a copy of my marriage certificate and name change document. After I receive my SSN card, I will go to the office again to see if I can change name with the files I have on hand. 

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4 minutes ago, NoraNora said:

Thanks a lot! I think I will file all AOS document with the new name and send it with a copy of my marriage certificate and name change document. After I receive my SSN card, I will go to the office again to see if I can change name with the files I have on hand. 

Like I said, you can try but most SSA agents wont do it (erroneously) until you have an immigration document in that name (your EAD or GC). That's why I suggested using the SSN replacement card request section on the I765. The SSN will automatically come in your current legal name as you would have filed the I765 in your current legal name too. It will arrive after your EAD is approved and issued.

Edited by K1visaHopeful
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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: China
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Just now, K1visaHopeful said:

Like I said, you can try but most SSA agents wont do it (erroneously) until you have an immigration document in that name (your EAD or GC). That's why I suggested using the SSN replacement card request section on the I765. The SSN will automatically come in your current legal name as you would have filed the I765 in your current legal name too after your EAD is approved and issued.

Got it! Thank you so much!

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25 minutes ago, Cula bula said:

When filling out your forms they have to match what is on your marriage cert nothing else we do everything as to match your name .

She legally changed her full name after marriage so all she needs to do is provide the paper trail of all legal name changes (the MC and the new legal name change document). She will be fine.

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Brazil
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12 hours ago, Cula bula said:

When filling out your forms they have to match what is on your marriage cert nothing else we do everything as to match your name .

Most marriage certificates in the US only have birth names, but they can be used as name change documents for everything.

I used mine to change my name to a hyphenated version of both our hyphenated birth names.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Germany
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We got married in Seattle as well & i was very confused why i had to sign my marriage certificate in my maiden name but after a week or two, you can go to get your certified marriage license and with that paper i went to the dmv and got my driver license with my new name. AOS, AP & EAD we applied with my new name. Opened a bank account with the new name etc. Make sure you get a few copies of the certified marriage license, you will need it for the AOS package. 

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Russia
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6 hours ago, Mollie09 said:

Most marriage certificates in the US only have birth names, but they can be used as name change documents for everything.

I used mine to change my name to a hyphenated version of both our hyphenated birth names.

In this case she wanted to change her given name(s) as well which one cannot do with just a marriage certificate.  So the OP correctly changed her entire name through a court and now has those legal documents which as @K1visaHopeful stated is just fine for filing the AOS.  So many folks get nervous because of the SSN/SSC, but at this stage, that is not a priority.

 

To the OP, Good Luck!

Visa Received : 2014-04-04 (K1 - see timeline for details)

US Entry : 2014-09-12

POE: Detroit

Marriage : 2014-09-27

I-765 Approved: 2015-01-09

I-485 Interview: 2015-03-11

I-485 Approved: 2015-03-13

Green Card Received: 2015-03-24 Yeah!!!

I-751 ROC Submitted: 2016-12-20

I-751 NOA Received:  2016-12-29

I-751 Biometrics Appt.:  2017-01-26

I-751 Interview:  2018-04-10

I-751 Approved:  2018-05-04

N400 Filed:  2018-01-13

N400 Biometrics:  2018-02-22

N400 Interview:  2018-04-10

N400 Approved:  2018-04-10

Oath Ceremony:  2018-06-11 - DONE!!!!!!!

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: China
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6 hours ago, Sandy & John said:

We got married in Seattle as well & i was very confused why i had to sign my marriage certificate in my maiden name but after a week or two, you can go to get your certified marriage license and with that paper i went to the dmv and got my driver license with my new name. AOS, AP & EAD we applied with my new name. Opened a bank account with the new name etc. Make sure you get a few copies of the certified marriage license, you will need it for the AOS package. 

Thank you so much for sharing your case! I did several certified copies for both marriage certificate and name change court order. 

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