Name change in the US

[Catalyst2020 4]

Hi,

 

I would like to change my first and last name upon my arrival to the US, to a name that's American and easy to get. Because I have a long complicated "cultured" name lol. But I wish to do this on American grounds because I want to keep my original name back home. 

 

How soon can I do this? Do I have to wait until I get citizenship?

[Greenbaum 12,258]

7 hours ago, Catalyst2020 said:

Hi,

 

I would like to change my first and last name upon my arrival to the US, to a name that's American and easy to get. Because I have a long complicated "cultured" name lol. But I wish to do this on American grounds because I want to keep my original name back home. 

 

How soon can I do this? Do I have to wait until I get citizenship?

I am assuming you are arriving in the US on a K-1 visa. Upon marriage you can change your name. It's customary that you take your husbands last name here in the states but not necessarily. You will also be given a chance to change your name at citizenship.

[aaron2020 11,651]

7 hours ago, Catalyst2020 said:

Hi,

 

I would like to change my first and last name upon my arrival to the US, to a name that's American and easy to get. Because I have a long complicated "cultured" name lol. But I wish to do this on American grounds because I want to keep my original name back home. 

 

How soon can I do this? Do I have to wait until I get citizenship?

You can only have ONE legal name.  You can not have TWO legal names.

 

To change your first name, you will need to get a US court order.  You can do this as soon as you have immigrated to the US.  

 

Once you get your name legally changed, you will need to get a new passport.  Your old name is GONE.  You can not use it.  (The US is not going to let you use a passport with an old name to enter the US after you legally change your first name in the US.)

[payxibka 10,044]

3 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

You can only have ONE legal name.  You can not have TWO legal names.

 

To change your first name, you will need to get a US court order.  You can do this as soon as you have immigrated to the US.  

 

Once you get your name legally changed, you will need to get a new passport.  Your old name is GONE.  You can not use it.  (The US is not going to let you use a passport with an old name to enter the US after you legally change your first name in the US.)

Really?  Me ex changed all three of her names and continued to use her original passport for years

[aaron2020 11,651]

Google "can I have two legal names."

 

How would you reconcile a passport with "Mary Kay Smith" with a green card that reads "Kelly Ann Jones?"  You can't use a marriage certificate to tie the two names together.  

 

[payxibka 10,044]

4 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

Google "can I have two legal names."

 

How would you reconcile a passport with "Mary Kay Smith" with a green card that reads "Kelly Ann Jones?"  You can't use a marriage certificate to tie the two names together.  

 

She did every time she traveled 

[aaron2020 11,651]

1 minute ago, payxibka said:

She did every time she traveled 

What did she change her name from and to?  Did she use the same first name?  

[payxibka 10,044]

4 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

What did she change her name from and to?  Did she use the same first name?  

Changed the spelling of her first name (russian transliteration to English standard),  adopted a middle name (non existent previously) and changed her last name 

[aaron2020 11,651]

6 minutes ago, payxibka said:

Changed the spelling of her first name (russian transliteration to English standard),  adopted a middle name (non existent previously) and changed her last name 

Same first name, taking your last name, and having a marriage certificate is a lot different from changing a first name.  

[payxibka 10,044]

2 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

Same first name, taking your last name, and having a marriage certificate is a lot different from changing a first name.  

What difference does it make,  a name change is still a name change.   The change is still reconciled from the passport to the us immigration name via the name change document 

[aaron2020 11,651]

Just now, payxibka said:

What difference does it make,  a name change is still a name change.   The change is still reconciled from the passport to the us immigration name via the name change document 

It makes a huge difference.  

 

It's common to have a marriage certificate to shows the legal basis for changing a last name.   

 

Changing first names are a completely different matter since it's uncommon and requires a court order.  Traveling with a passport for "John" while your name is "Bob" on the green card will be problematic.  

[payxibka 10,044]

Just now, aaron2020 said:

It makes a huge difference.  

 

It's common to have a marriage certificate to shows the legal basis for changing a last name.   

 

Changing first names are a completely different matter since it's uncommon and requires a court order.  Traveling with a passport for "John" while your name is "Bob" on the green card will be problematic.  

So Sviitlana Ushakova to Lana Kournikova Smith is ok but Sviitlana Ushakova to Sandy Kournikova Smith is not even if the name change document shows the trail of names?