Last name change before starting CR-1/IR-1 visa process

[moon15 3]

Hi all,

 

My boyfriend and I want to get married in the US and start the CR-1/IR-1 visa application. In case I change my last name in my country after getting the marriage certificate in the US AND before starting the CR-1/IR-1 visa application, would it cause any difficulties or delays in the CR-1/IR-1 visa process?

 

Thank you in advance!

[OldUser 5,099]

There is no downside to this approach if you can update your name in your country easily. This will ensure your passport name will match name on GC etc.

[moon15 3]

Once I update my last name in my passport, it is not gonna match with other documents that the consulate/USCIS might require, such as my birth certificate, house ownership certificate - all those documents have my original last name. I will have to show the consulate that I have changed my last name and that I am the same person. My concern is - wouldn't this cause any issues in the process, or at least delay the whole process for several months?

Edited May 18 by moon15

[top_secret 2,117]

2 minutes ago, moon15 said:

Once I update my last name in my passport, it is not gonna match with other documents that the consulate/USCIS might require, such as my birth certificate, house ownership certificate - all those documents have my original last name. I will have to show the consulate that I have changed my last name and that I am the same person. My concern is - wouldn't this cause any issues in the process, or at least delay the whole process for several months?

 

 

At every point where USCIS, NVC or the embassy asks your name, they will follow up by asking ALL names you have ever used.  As long as your documents match one of "ALL names" it is fine.   They know people change their names during marriage.  It is not the slightest problem.  You could change at any time during the whole process up until the day of your interview.  The name on the passport you bring to your interview is the only one that really matters because it will go on your visa, green card, social security card and from those, all the new documents spawned during immigration to the US.  So it is highly preferable that it is the name you really want to use.  If you are married and choose to change to your spouses surname, filling the I-130 is as good a place as any to start using that name.  You can change your passport later as long as it's changed before your interview..

[OldUser 5,099]

45 minutes ago, moon15 said:

Once I update my last name in my passport, it is not gonna match with other documents that the consulate/USCIS might require, such as my birth certificate, house ownership certificate - all those documents have my original last name. I will have to show the consulate that I have changed my last name and that I am the same person. My concern is - wouldn't this cause any issues in the process, or at least delay the whole process for several months?

That's normal. Many people's names don't match on birth certificate and newer documents.

 

Your marriage certificate is proof of changing name.

[moon15 3]

 

4 minutes ago, OldUser said:

Your marriage certificate is proof of changing name.

The marriage certificate will have my original last name.

[OldUser 5,099]

9 minutes ago, moon15 said:

 

The marriage certificate will have my original last name.

And it presumably would have your husbands name? Not sure how it works outside the US. In many US states this alone allows changing to husband's last name.

[top_secret 2,117]

7 minutes ago, moon15 said:

The marriage certificate will have my original last name.

 

 

It will also have your spouse's name, and marriage is a legally valid reason for taking your spouse's surname in the US.  But the passport you bring the day of your interview is what really determines the name that goes on your visa, green card and social security card.  So you would mainly want to look at what the requirements are for changing the name on your passport in your country.

[pushbrk 12,245]

If you have already decided to change your name.  Use the new name on the I-130.  It's fine to complete the name change later.  Even so, you can change the name any time, as long is it is early enough to take the new passport to the visa interview.

 

Not that when Bill Smith marries Mary Jones, those are always the names on the marriage certificate.  Mary Jones is not yet Mary Smith until AFTER the marriage takes place, so she has no Mary Smith documents yet.

Edited May 18 by pushbrk