Need help with name change/Removal of conditions

[JFox762 18]

So my wife arrived December 2018.. and she arrived witha  CR-1

My wife is now pregnant with our baby boy, only one month to go before he's born. My wife wants to change her last name to have my last name... 
Since we soon need to get started on the Petition to Remove Conditions, how do we go about this? Do you recommend we do this now? Or should we wait until after Removal of Conditions?

How difficult is it to change your last name? What is involved? 
Also, what do we need to do to get started with the Petition to remove conditions?

[Soup Dragon 104]

I changed my last name when I removed conditions as I renewed my passport with my new name before my ROC came up.    I used my new name and signature on the I-751 form and then added a note at the end (Part 11 Section 3.d) requesting a name change and attached a photocopy of my new UK passport as verification.    My request was honoured and my 10 year green card came back with my new name on.

[JFox762 18]

My wife is not yet due to renew her Philippine Passport. Should she apply for a new passport from the Embassy/ConsulatE?

[LilyJ 1,258]

Just now, JFox762 said:

My wife is not yet due to renew her Philippine Passport. Should she apply for a new passport from the Embassy/ConsulatE?

If she changes her last name she should renew her passport with the new name even if it's not expired. A passport is a government document, you want it to match her legal name

[JFox762 18]

SO what are the steps my wife should start taking, to get the process rolling for changing her name?

[LilyJ 1,258]

3 minutes ago, JFox762 said:

SO what are the steps my wife should start taking, to get the process rolling for changing her name?

When I changed my last name I just went down to the social security office and handed them my marriage certificate. Not sure how it would work right now with many SSA offices being closed for COVID; give your local SSA office a call

[Soup Dragon 104]

1 hour ago, JFox762 said:

My wife is not yet due to renew her Philippine Passport. Should she apply for a new passport from the Embassy/ConsulatE?

I was not due to change mine either, I had a few years left on it but it was a legal name change so I did it anyway.  I am not sure how your wife would go about it, I was stationed in Germany at the time I did mine so I renewed online and then just mailed the required documents to the passport office back in the UK and they sent my new passport to me at my German address.  

[Villanelle 4,122]

8 hours ago, JFox762 said:

SO what are the steps my wife should start taking, to get the process rolling for changing her name?

For her GC she just needs to fill out the 751 with her married name.  You dont need an updated passport for GC purposes- the marriage certificate is enough for them to do the name change. If she needs to travel and was not able to update her passport she can still travel- she would just show the GC with the married name, her passport with her maiden name, and her marriage certificate showing the name change. If you do not apply for the 751 with the married name they will issue it in her maiden name and if you ever want to change it to the married name you will have to pay the 600$ or so fee for a new card with the married name on it. So do it at ROC. 

 

Your profile shows PI as the country so you should check in the regional forums for information on how she can update her PI passport. Lots of knowledgeable members there. Im not exactly sure of the process there but I believe they have some kind of registry you have to report the marriage to if you havent already. PI has some weird processes that other places dont like the whole cenomar thing- again the regional forum should give you all the answers. 

[Mollie09 1,543]

1 hour ago, Villanelle said:

For her GC she just needs to fill out the 751 with her married name.  You dont need an updated passport for GC purposes- the marriage certificate is enough for them to do the name change. If she needs to travel and was not able to update her passport she can still travel- she would just show the GC with the married name, her passport with her maiden name, and her marriage certificate showing the name change. If you do not apply for the 751 with the married name they will issue it in her maiden name and if you ever want to change it to the married name you will have to pay the 600$ or so fee for a new card with the married name on it. So do it at ROC. 

 

Your profile shows PI as the country so you should check in the regional forums for information on how she can update her PI passport. Lots of knowledgeable members there. Im not exactly sure of the process there but I believe they have some kind of registry you have to report the marriage to if you havent already. PI has some weird processes that other places dont like the whole cenomar thing- again the regional forum should give you all the answers. 

 

The caveat is to make sure your marriage certificate can be used as a name change document. Some specify the name you will use after marriage, some only have the birth names of both parties. If it's the former, make sure the name matches, if it's the latter you can use it regardless.

[morry & ren 124]

17 hours ago, JFox762 said:

So my wife arrived December 2018.. and she arrived witha  CR-1

My wife is now pregnant with our baby boy, only one month to go before he's born. My wife wants to change her last name to have my last name... 
Since we soon need to get started on the Petition to Remove Conditions, how do we go about this? Do you recommend we do this now? Or should we wait until after Removal of Conditions?

How difficult is it to change your last name? What is involved? 
Also, what do we need to do to get started with the Petition to remove conditions?

Has she already reported your marriage to the Philippine Embassy? If not she will need to do that first because when she goes to renew her passport with her New married name, they will ask for the report of marriage. 1st step should be at your local social security office to have her SS card changed.

Edited August 26, 2020 by morry & ren
additional info

[Ontarkie 14,275]

~~Moved to ROC - as this is the OP's next step.~~

[Villanelle 4,122]

22 hours ago, Mollie09 said:

 

The caveat is to make sure your marriage certificate can be used as a name change document. Some specify the name you will use after marriage, some only have the birth names of both parties. If it's the former, make sure the name matches, if it's the latter you can use it regardless.

The laws can vary in different states. In some states they do specify the name you are using after marriage. In others they dont. Most of those states will allow you to change your name regardless if it was printed on the certificate. Regardless immigration is federal. USCIS considers a marriage certificate (with a new name printed on it or w/o a new name being specified) as a valid document for them to change your name. So getting the married name on the GC is not an issue. If they are in a state that does not accept the marriage certificate as name change proof then they will have to see what else they have to do to change other things like their DL. I guess the first step would be for the OP to check what is needed for name change at their state/local level as well. But for the GC the marriage certificate is enough for USCIS. 

[JFox762 18]

On 8/25/2020 at 5:29 PM, morry & ren said:

Has she already reported your marriage to the Philippine Embassy? If not she will need to do that first because when she goes to renew her passport with her New married name, they will ask for the report of marriage. 1st step should be at your local social security office to have her SS card changed.

We got married in the Philippines. 

Her Marriage Certificate does not seem to indicate any name change. 
Can we still submit the Removal of Conditions with her having my last name? 

[JFox762 18]

So on the Removal of Conditions form I-751.... 

On the original IR1/CR1 petition, we filled it out as such.

Last name: (Her Father's last name)
First Name: Grace
Middle Name: (Her mother's last name)

That is basically the naming convention they use in the Philippines. 

My wife wants the new name to follow the same tradition with

Last Name: (My Last Name)
First Name: Grace
Middle Name: (Father's last name)

Is that how we put it down in the form? 

[Chancy 6,241]

4 minutes ago, JFox762 said:

So on the Removal of Conditions form I-751.... 

On the original IR1/CR1 petition, we filled it out as such.

Last name: (Her Father's last name)
First Name: Grace
Middle Name: (Her mother's last name)

That is basically the naming convention they use in the Philippines. 

My wife wants the new name to follow the same tradition with

Last Name: (My Last Name)
First Name: Grace
Middle Name: (Father's last name)

Is that how we put it down in the form? 

 

If your wife wants to follow Philippine naming convention on her US documents, I suggest getting a new Philippine passport with her married name.  No need to do ROM if you were married in the Philippines.

 

Then submit a copy of her new passport bio page and a copy of your PSA-issued marriage certificate to USCIS.