Changing name before or after applying for AOS?

[Corey Novak 5]

Hi everyone, so my wife and I just got our marriage certificate in the mail and we are preparing form I-485. Should my fiancé change her last name to mine before we file or after we file for AOS? Or does it not matter and just while filling out the form... put my last name and under the other names section put what will be her maiden name once we change her name??? 
I just don’t want it to cause any problems for us.

 

thank you 

[Crazy Cat 39,192]

Before.  If she is going to use your last name, then she needs to start filling out all AOS paperwork using her married name. Then, the Green Card will be issued in her married name.

[Corey Novak 5]

6 minutes ago, Lucky Cat said:

Before.  If she is going to use your last name, then she needs to start filling out all AOS paperwork using her married name. Then, the Green Card will be issued in her married name.

So we don’t actually have to go to like the social security office to officially change her name? We just have to fill out the AOD form with her married name??

[Crazy Cat 39,192]

6 minutes ago, Corey Novak said:

So we don’t actually have to go to like the social security office to officially change her name? We just have to fill out the AOD form with her married name??

Her legal name change source document is the marriage certificate..  If she already has a Social Security card in her maiden name, then she will have to go to the SS office later. 

Edited January 28, 2021 by Lucky Cat

[Ayrton 965]

7 minutes ago, Corey Novak said:

So we don’t actually have to go to like the social security office to officially change her name? We just have to fill out the AOD form with her married name??

She can use her new name as soon as you guys get married if she decides to. The marriage certificate is the name change document.

[JeanneAdil 6,190]

which one of you is the USC?

[Corey Novak 5]

1 minute ago, JeanneAdil said:

which one of you is the USC?

I’m the USC. She came here on the K-1 visa. We got married within the 90 days but now we are past the 90 days.

[JeanneAdil 6,190]

Just now, Corey Novak said:

I’m the USC. She came here on the K-1 visa. We got married within the 90 days but now we are past the 90 days.

Then she gets to choose / she can change her name if she wants or keep her maiden name/ up to her

 

or she can wait for naturalization and ask for a name change at that point /  many have done this

 

 

congratulations of K1 approval and marriage

best to both of you

 

 

[Mollie09 1,543]

4 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

or she can wait for naturalization and ask for a name change at that point /  many have done this

You don't have to wait for naturalization if you're changing a name due to marriage, the marriage certificate is a name change document. Changing name at naturalization is usually unrelated to marriage.

[Ed&Midori1031 330]

7 hours ago, Corey Novak said:

Hi everyone, so my wife and I just got our marriage certificate in the mail and we are preparing form I-485. Should my fiancé change her last name to mine before we file or after we file for AOS? Or does it not matter and just while filling out the form... put my last name and under the other names section put what will be her maiden name once we change her name??? 
I just don’t want it to cause any problems for us.

 

thank you 

Use her new married name on the AOS form. 

[Corey Novak 5]

8 hours ago, Corey Novak said:

Hi everyone, so my wife and I just got our marriage certificate in the mail and we are preparing form I-485. Should my fiancé change her last name to mine before we file or after we file for AOS? Or does it not matter and just while filling out the form... put my last name and under the other names section put what will be her maiden name once we change her name??? 
I just don’t want it to cause any problems for us.

 

thank you 

Just for clarification guys, my wife did not change her name yet.  But we are going to be during this process. Like in the next week. On our marriage certificate. It has my wife’s maiden name on it. I don’t know if this will change anyone’s advise? Should I still just put her new married name while filling out the form??? 

[SalishSea 16,746]

15 minutes ago, Corey Novak said:

Just for clarification guys, my wife did not change her name yet.  But we are going to be during this process. Like in the next week. On our marriage certificate. It has my wife’s maiden name on it. I don’t know if this will change anyone’s advise? Should I still just put her new married name while filling out the form??? 

There is no separate "name change" process (i.e. in the courts), when the change comes about via marriage.   The marriage certificate serves as the document for changing her name with agencies such as SSA, DMV, etc. 

 

Yes, the marriage certificate shows her maiden name, but it also shows your surname.

 

And yes, for the AOS forms (and any other), she simply uses her new name, and the marriage certificate serves as evidence.

Edited January 29, 2021 by Jorgedig

[Ayrton 965]

16 minutes ago, Corey Novak said:

Just for clarification guys, my wife did not change her name yet.  But we are going to be during this process. Like in the next week. On our marriage certificate. It has my wife’s maiden name on it. I don’t know if this will change anyone’s advise? Should I still just put her new married name while filling out the form??? 

Marriage certificate shows the name before the marriage, because that's what you must write on the marriage license. Some states allow the couple to write down the new name on the marriage license, but most don't have that. So she can literally sign with her new name and give her new name everywhere.

 

Like Jorge dig said. There's no process to change the name besides filling out a marriage license and getting married. That's the name change document.

 

Everything else you mentioned should be called UPDATING the name, on the IDs/SSC/job system, etc.

[Corey Novak 5]

1 minute ago, Ayrton said:

Marriage certificate shows the name before the marriage, because that's what you must write on the marriage license. Some states allow the couple to write down the new name on the marriage license, but most don't have that. So she can literally sign with her new name and give her new name everywhere.

 

Like Jorge dig said. There's no process to change the name besides filling out a marriage license and getting married. That's the name change document.

 

Everything else you mentioned should be called UPDATING the name, on the IDs/SSC/job system, etc.

Okay great. Thanks guys.

[JeanneAdil 6,190]

19 hours ago, Mollie09 said:

You don't have to wait for naturalization if you're changing a name due to marriage, the marriage certificate is a name change document. Changing name at naturalization is usually unrelated to marriage.

did not say she had to

said up to her to change it,  not change it at all or do it during naturalization

its the woman's choice