Name Change Timing

[The White Fiance 22]

My wife and I are starting the NVC process now. Problem: she has not changed her name yet. We were married over Zoom, so we weren't in range of a courthouse where we could take care of it.

 

I would also like to change my name. I have wanted to do it for a long time. I have an unfortunate last name, and while I was willing to bear it while single, I am not willing to burden my wife and children with it. People with names like Crapper and Titsworth will understand.

 

Should we go ahead and change our names now, or will it cause us problems? I thought it would be best to wait, but then I thought about her foreign passport, which may be hard to change once she's here. We will need it for travel. We are not near anything resembling a Zambian embassy.

[pushbrk 12,979]

1 hour ago, The White Fiance said:

My wife and I are starting the NVC process now. Problem: she has not changed her name yet. We were married over Zoom, so we weren't in range of a courthouse where we could take care of it.

 

I would also like to change my name. I have wanted to do it for a long time. I have an unfortunate last name, and while I was willing to bear it while single, I am not willing to burden my wife and children with it. People with names like Crapper and Titsworth will understand.

 

Should we go ahead and change our names now, or will it cause us problems? I thought it would be best to wait, but then I thought about her foreign passport, which may be hard to change once she's here. We will need it for travel. We are not near anything resembling a Zambian embassy.

The sooner the better.  Hold with NVC until you have it completed.  The time to do all this was between filing the I-130 and now, but that 's water under the bridge.  The REAL best time for YOU to do it was before your marriage.

 

Edited December 9, 2022 by pushbrk

[The White Fiance 22]

I should have changed my name during the Reagan administration. I never got around to it!

[pushbrk 12,979]

On 12/10/2022 at 7:04 AM, The White Fiance said:

I should have changed my name during the Reagan administration. I never got around to it!

And now you will reap the fruits of your procrastination by delaying your unification with your spouse.  It is what it is.

 

[The White Fiance 22]

We'll see. You're assuming I'll change my name during the process. I don't really have to do that. I can do it whenever I want.

 

Believe it or not, I wasn't thinking about bringing a wife to America in 1985.

Edited December 11, 2022 by The White Fiance

[pushbrk 12,979]

17 minutes ago, The White Fiance said:

We'll see. You're assuming I'll change my name during the process. I don't really have to do that. I can do it whenever I want.

 

Believe it or not, I wasn't thinking about bringing a wife to America in 1985.

With respect, I'm not assuming anything.  I took you literally, when you said, ", I am not willing to burden my wife and children with it."  Your choice.

[The White Fiance 22]

Yes, you are assuming. You're assuming my own name change has to be done now. Why? It can wait until she arrives.

[The White Fiance 22]

In case anyone else has this problem with a Zambian spouse, I have uncovered useful information. A Zambian spouse can get a new passport and change of name by email. For us, then, the best thing is to get my wife here and take care of the names later.

[pushbrk 12,979]

32 minutes ago, The White Fiance said:

Yes, you are assuming. You're assuming my own name change has to be done now. Why? It can wait until she arrives.

It can, but it will be much more trouble, depending on WHEN.  If she changes her name now, it will be to the name you said you don't want to burden her with.  Then when you change it here, she'll need a new passport in that name to travel under that name.  If she waits until she Naturalizes to change HER name again, then she'll be "burdened" with your current name for several years.  Lots to think about, that it seemed you already thought through.  Maybe not.

 

[The White Fiance 22]

She can change her name to whatever she wants. She can call herself Zaphod Beeblebrox if she feels like it. She can change her name to match the name I'll be choosing, and I can follow up later.

[pushbrk 12,979]

7 hours ago, The White Fiance said:

She can change her name to whatever she wants. She can call herself Zaphod Beeblebrox if she feels like it. She can change her name to match the name I'll be choosing, and I can follow up later.

In some countries, yes, that's true. Sounds like you've solved it yourself.  Carry on.

 

[The White Fiance 22]

In case anyone with a Zambian spouse is interested, I have new information from an American citizen who immigrated from Zambia. It turns out it is possible to get a new NRC while living in America. The Zambian government says otherwise on the web, but it's not true.

 

He also informed us that NRC's are never needed in the US. Since my wife has no interest in returning to Zambia, all is well.

 

We now have no impediments to our application.