Name Change

[Wcalmt1 34]

my wife asked me about finally taking my last name.  When we got married in Moscow, we were informed we would have to repeat the procedure if she did.  Not to mention her having to return to Tajikistan, for a new passport.  We originally agreed to get the name changed after we get her Here.  we already are now over 7 months at USCIS, unfortunately the NSC.  Also her daughters wish to have my surname.  

     Does anyone know what processes/steps are needed to get this done?  Do I need to adopt the girls, I have no problem in doing so, the youngest also wishes to change her middle name because it contains her biological father's name.

 

[SorrowL 138]

The easiest and cheapest is just to wait until she does her N-400. She can change her name on that at no extra cost or effort.

[Mike E 11,723]

26 minutes ago, Wcalmt1 said:

my wife asked me about finally taking my last name.  When we got married in Moscow, we were informed we would have to repeat the procedure if she did.  Not to mention her having to return to Tajikistan, for a new passport.  We originally agreed to get the name changed after we get her Here.  we already are now over 7 months at USCIS, unfortunately the NSC.  Also her daughters wish to have my surname.  

     Does anyone know what processes/steps are needed to get this done?  Do I need to adopt the girls, I have no problem in doing so, the youngest also wishes to change her middle name because it contains her biological father's name.

 

A name change is lot to put on your plate on top of everything else you have taken on, and it legally this is something your wife has to take care of.

 

I told my fiancee and later wife that if she opted to take my name before she became a USA citizen, she would get to own the problems and consequences; I've a full time job earning money, and a second full time job getting her an SSN, REAL ID, bank account, health insurance, drivers license, AoS, green card, second SS card (she she has a green card), RoC, naturalization cert.  No time for a third full time job.

 

After she is naturalized,  my second full time job will be over, and I can start my second full time job (or better yet, I will have retired from my first full time job too).  And we will deal with it then.

 

Changing it during the N-400 sounds easy, but the result is that it takes longer to naturalize.

 

It is easier to take the marriage cert and naturalization cert to get the other docs changed. Because a marriage cert is a name change document. That is if the person changing name is a woman. Woman have the legal right to use their husband's name. (The converse is not generally true, and varies by state).

 

https://www.wikihow.com/Change-Your-Name-After-Marriage

Edited February 23, 2020 by Mike E

[pushbrk 12,104]

Are the children immigrating too?

 

[Wcalmt1 34]

11 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

Are the children immigrating too?

 

Yes

[pushbrk 12,104]

You need country specific advice for changing names BEFORE arriving in the US, but it's likely the procedure will be different for child than for spouse.  Best to ask in the regional forum as yours is not a visa process and procedures question.

[Lil bear 3,831]

Moved to regional sub forum for country specific answers