Just Married, but now...

[Spinnors 0]

Hey everyone.  So, I just got married in the Philippines, but now we're looking to bring her to the United States.  I have been reading this great site and think I have a good handle on what needs to be done.  However, I have some questions... can anyone help?

 

• I was adopted and my original birth certificate was destroyed.  So the USA fabricated a new birth certificate, but it doesn't have some pertinent info (such as hospital name, signature, attendant, etc.) because it's basically a "furnished" certificate.  It's the official certificate from Vital Statistics, but is this going to be an issue?  Do I need a letter from someone/somewhere to explain this?
• Is it better for her to change her name now, or wait until she arrives in the States?  I can see pros/cons for both but I don't want it to affect the Interview -- will the immigration officer view it as a negative or flag if she didn't change her name to mine?
• Does my spouse need a letter indicating no military record, even if she is female and never served?
• Is the G325A a required form?  If so who fills this out?
• What is the difference between Zip code and Postal code?  Aren't these the same?  Do they both need to be filled out?
• The I-130 form asks for information beginning 5 yrs ago.  So should the "From" dates (i.e. Employment or Address history) be exactly 5 yrs ago, or should the from date be when it actually started (i.e. over 10 yrs ago)?
• How should self-employment be listed if I have a company registered as an LLC under an old address, but I have since moved?  Should I use the originally filed address or my new address?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!

 

[pushbrk 12,968]

21 minutes ago, Spinnors said:

Hey everyone.  So, I just got married in the Philippines, but now we're looking to bring her to the United States.  I have been reading this great site and think I have a good handle on what needs to be done.  However, I have some questions... can anyone help?

 

• I was adopted and my original birth certificate was destroyed.  So the USA fabricated a new birth certificate, but it doesn't have some pertinent info (such as hospital name, signature, attendant, etc.) because it's basically a "furnished" certificate.  It's the official certificate from Vital Statistics, but is this going to be an issue?  Do I need a letter from someone/somewhere to explain this?
• Is it better for her to change her name now, or wait until she arrives in the States?  I can see pros/cons for both but I don't want it to affect the Interview -- will the immigration officer view it as a negative or flag if she didn't change her name to mine?
• Does my spouse need a letter indicating no military record, even if she is female and never served?
• Is the G325A a required form?  If so who fills this out?
• What is the difference between Zip code and Postal code?  Aren't these the same?  Do they both need to be filled out?
• The I-130 form asks for information beginning 5 yrs ago.  So should the "From" dates (i.e. Employment or Address history) be exactly 5 yrs ago, or should the from date be when it actually started (i.e. over 10 yrs ago)?
• How should self-employment be listed if I have a company registered as an LLC under an old address, but I have since moved?  Should I use the originally filed address or my new address?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!

 

1.  Your BC is not required.  You can use your Passport as evidence you are a US Citizen

2. Better to change her name now and get passport in married name.  Far better.  No brainer.  Really!

3.  No

4.  No.  I-134a is required

5. A person has one or the other.  Zip Codes are for US addresses

6.  Actual dates.  She may have lived at her same address since birth

7,  Current address.

 

[Spinnors 0]

20 hours ago, pushbrk said:

1.  Your BC is not required.  You can use your Passport as evidence you are a US Citizen

2. Better to change her name now and get passport in married name.  Far better.  No brainer.  Really!

3.  No

4.  No.  I-134a is required

5. A person has one or the other.  Zip Codes are for US addresses

6.  Actual dates.  She may have lived at her same address since birth

7,  Current address.

 

Thanks for the response!  Can you tell me why it's better to change her name now?  It seems like it would be less hassle to just wait until she arrives in the States and then do it here than trying to update all of her paperwork for her job, ID's, passports, etc. there first?

 

Also any idea why I've seen G325A floating around in some areas as something that's required to file?  Is this for some other type of Visa perhaps?

[pushbrk 12,968]

1 hour ago, Spinnors said:

Thanks for the response!  Can you tell me why it's better to change her name now?  It seems like it would be less hassle to just wait until she arrives in the States and then do it here than trying to update all of her paperwork for her job, ID's, passports, etc. there first?

 

Also any idea why I've seen G325A floating around in some areas as something that's required to file?  Is this for some other type of Visa perhaps?

G325a is an artifact from years ago.  The I-134a replaced it.  Get your information here or from the actual form instructions and you'll be on the straight and narrow.

 

Your wife only has to change her name in her passport, then her visa, green card, and all future US ID will be in the married name.  She doesn't need to change her name for any other Philippines ID, just the passport, which is only used for international travel.  Once she gets the visa and on her flight to the USA, her other Philippine ID'S become souvenirs.  If she has a PI driver license she can use that when she visits or her US license.

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by pushbrk

[Chancy 6,241]

4 hours ago, Spinnors said:

It seems like it would be less hassle to just wait until she arrives in the States and then do it here than trying to update all of her paperwork for her job, ID's, passports, etc. there first?

 

If she does not change her name in her Philippine passport before being issued her spouse visa, she will not be able to use her married name on her US IDs and accounts immediately after arrival.  If SSA strictly follows their policy for changing the name on a non-US citizen's SSN card, your wife would need to present a name change order from a US state court, or a new green card with her married name, or a US naturalization certificate with her new name.  So if your marriage is already PSA-registered, it would be so much less hassle to change her passport name before she gets her visa.  We talked about this also in the thread below --