anniesdream

@Highmystic , my understanding is your wife's maiden name is on your ML while her married name is on her SS Card. Has she changed her maiden name on her passport? I'm not a legal expert but  my concern is the name on her passport should be in line with the one on her SS Card. If this should be a problem for her i-485 application, she probably need to consider applying for a name change on her passport at the Embassy of Philipines with your ML. But please do consult a legal expert before taking any action. 

Peace

The most convenient way to change your name is through N400 because it's free and simple.

1. If you are changing your current last name (Jane Smith) to your husbands (Jane Washington), you do NOT need a court order. Marriage certificate is the legal proof for the name change. You just need to file your name change on N400 form and you'll just go to an administrative oath ceremony.  But once you get your naturalization paper with your new name (Jane Washington), you will need to update your SSN and DL with your naturalization paper and your marriage certificate. (SSN first, then, DL)

2. If you are adding a middle name (Jane Smith Washington), you will need a court order. File the name change on N400 and you will need to go to a judicial oath ceremony  where your name change will be approved by a judge with a court order. Once you acquire your naturalization certificate and court order, you will need to update your SSN and DL with your naturalization paper and your court order.

Scenario 1 will typically take less time than scenario 2 as administrative ceremony is handled by USCIS while judicial ceremony is handled by the court. 

My two cents, just change your last name to your husbands if you don't want to wait too long. If your maiden name means a lot to you, it's worth the waiting:)

Good Luck

Is your name change based on marriage? If the name change is based on marriage and if the wife is changing her last name to that of husband's: no court order is required. All that you need is the marriage certificate. 

On 9/28/2017 at 10:08 PM, Mardy said:

Sorry if I may sound dumb but I would rather ask than make a mistake lol...

 

Ok, I got confused! Two opposite instructions...

..."answer the questionnaire on the day of the ceremony(front page).."

..."you MUST bring the completed questionnaire to the ceremony(back page)...."

Which one?

 

Also....

Signed at_______________(city & state)........is this supposed to be the uscis address?

 

How about...

Full Address & zip code

Street # & Name

City or Town

Is this my address??

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

I completed the questionaire 1 day before but signed and dated on the day of my oath ceremony. The Officer did ask, one by one, all the questions on the sheet to verify the answers. As to the address, we were specifically told to put the city where the oath ceremony took place, in my case, Atlanta.

On 9/2/2017 at 7:03 PM, jj23521 said:

My wife received a recommended approval after her interview on 8/7.  The online status has been in line for oath since 8/9.

 

Yet today, we received a letter asking for two passport photos, saying if not received by 9/30, it would delay the certificate.  (This is frustrating because the N400 form itself said no photos are needed and they were not asked for at the interview.  We even brought them.)

 

Has anyone seen this before?  Does this mean the case is still approved?  How much delay would this cause, if any?  The next ceremonies are on 9/7 and then 10/5.

 

Also, does she need to sign with a pencil on the back of the photos?  

 

Any help is appreciated, as I'm freaking out a little right now.  Thanks.

No need to freak out. It happened to me. Actually I received a call from local immigration office the day before my oath ceremony, telling me to bring 2 passport photos with me. It did sound weird but fortunately I had photos in hand (for my passport application).  The next day on the ceremony, they put my physical photo on my naturalization certificate and had me sign on the photo. So my certificate is slightly different from others since it has the actual stamped photo.  I also noticed that there was another lady at the ceremony who was told to get two photos on the spot because she found an error on her nationality and they had to re-issue the certificate for her.

I'm thinking maybe something happened to my photo in their biometric system as might be the case to your wife. Just send them the photos ASAP and it won't hurt to sign her name on the back with pencil. They will have her sign at the ceremony if needed.

Good luck!

23 hours ago, floridadave said:

I am the u.s. citizen and my wife who is a LPR (10-yr green card) is applying for citizenship as she's been here 5 years now.  Question is about N-400, Part 11, question 2, about listing stepchildren.  I have two adult citizen children who have not even met my wife yet.  She feels she should list them as "stepchildren."  I feel not, as I believe she should list her only natural born adult child as she can petition him to live here in the future.  Should my children be listed on her N-400?

 

Any input will be appreciated.

Check out N400 Form Instruction, Page 9:

Item Number 1. Indicate your total number of children. Count all of your children, regardless of whether they are alive, missing, deceased; born in other countries or in the United States; under 18 years of age or over 18 years of age; married or unmarried; living with you or elsewhere; current stepchildren; legally adopted children; or children born when you were not married.

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/n-400instr.pdf

Yes, include all your children.

Hi everyone ,

I am sending my I-751 package in Monday , but i am confused on the correct fees that i need to pay for me and my K-2 child.

She is included in section 5 , we have one and the same dates on our green cards .

Am i supposed to pay $505 + $85 bio metrics fee + $85 bio fee for my child = $ 675 OR

i am supposed to pay $505 for me + $505 for my child + $85 for me +$85 for her= $1180

And do i need to write separate or only one check for the total?

I am confused from the instructions

Please , anyone who filled with their kid/s to answer me ASAP

$675 and one check is fine. I filed with my son and we already got our GCs. Good luck!

Thiers expire in late August - I understand we have to wait until we are 90 days out - we have the forms - seems somewhat straight forward.

Can't quite figure out if we have to do another biometrics on everyone - we did one a couple of years ago for their original green card.

Costs - looks to be about $500 per person ( x 3 for us)

Interview - does not look like it is required but could happen - chances of that.

Any other insights that could be added that I am not thinking of?

Thanks

"If you have dependent children who acquired conditional resident status on the same day as you or within 90 days thereafter, then include the names and Alien Registration Numbers (A-Numbers) of these children in Part 5. of Form I-751 in order to request that the conditions on their status be removed as well. If you have dependent children who did not acquire conditional resident status on the same day as you or within 90 days thereafter, or if the conditional resident parent is deceased, then those dependent children must each file Form I-751 separately to have the conditions on their status removed."

If your stepdaughters acquired conditional resident status on the same day as your wife or within 90 days thereafter, then you may include them in the form as dependent children.

"The filing fee for Form I-751 is $505. A biometric services fee of $85 is also required for petitioners. Each conditional resident dependent, eligible for inclusion on the principal petitioner’s Form I-751 and listed under Part 5. of Form I-751, is required to submit an additional biometric services fee of $85, including dependents residing overseas pursuant to military or Government orders, regardless of age"

Both your wife and your stepdaughters need to do the biometrics if they are included. Dependent children do not have to pay filing fee but they need to pay the $85 biometric fee. The cost for your wife and two stepdaughter should be: 505+85*3= $760

Good luck!

Let's see if the N400 application would force adjudication of ROC myth is true. Mailed my naturalization package today. No reason to delay that any further especially it would probably take two more months for May cases to fall beyond normal processing times. At least that will get going meantime.

Btw, Mondays were our lucky day of the week but nothing was posted yesterday, any news?

Congrats on your approval! Please keep us posted on your N400 if possible! Thanks a lot for all you do at VJ!

Blessings!

Updating my info:

Approval date: 3/10/2016;

Approval letter received: 3/14/2016;

Online status changed to new card being ordered: 3/17/2016;

New card being mailed out: 3/21/2016;

New card received:3/24/2016

Thank you all at VJ for your help and support!

Wish you all the best!

Just received my approval letter in mail today! Date of decision: 03-10-2016. No on-line status update or email notification yet.

Thanks! Fingers crossed for those who are still waiting!

Hey all! I am super happy this morning! I just got my approval! Keep the faith May filers, they're moving along The 'Date of Decision: 02-17-2016' and the letter arrived in the mail about 10 minutes ago!

Congrats! Great news for VSC May filers! Fingers crossed for the rest of us!

We just received my wife's letter from USCIS that she is 90 days out and can file for removal of conditions. The problem is that recently my wife lost her wallet containing her green card (police report filed). The wait for a replacement green card will put us past her green card's expiration date. Any ideas on how to proceed?

Here's a thread that might help:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/244875-filing-i-751-soon-but-lost-green-card/

CSC is taking their time?

OMG could you have a little sympathy please? VSC is still working on applications from March 23, 2015. And in 6 months that I've been waiting VSC moved from March 02, to March 23, that is only roughly 20 days in 6 months. They still gotta finish March, April, May and June until they start working in July. And CSC is already working on July. Some of us will have to wait an extra 4 maybe 5 months to hear anything at all.

Couldn't agree more. There's absolutely no telling how long it's gonna take for VSC to move to April 23, a month, 2 months or maybe another 6 months. Nothing we can do but be patient and wish for the best!

Good morning all! Happy news - approved on 1/25/16 and card is on the way.

Congrats!

Thank-you so much for sharing that, I just called and spoke to a representative, who put a request to correct my last name and said I will receive an updated notice of action in 30 days,

I feel better now lol

Awesome!

Hi VS members,

I got my NOA today and my last name was wrong,

Example "Devis" instead of "Davis".

I will be traveling and I m worried that this will be a problem coming back

What can I do?

Thank you

My son's 1-year extension paper had the same problem with his first name misspelled. I called 800 number and managed to talk to an immigration officer who asked me the correct spelling of my son's name and told me a new copy of extension paper would be mailed to us in 30 days. We received the paper in 3 weeks.

Since he filed as my dependent child, he does not have a NOA for himself, just a 1-year extension paper.

It won't hurt for you to call the 800 number and try to talk to an immigration officer to address your problem.

Got NOA today!!! dated 06/01/2015, unfortunately they misspelled my lastname.

It happened to my son's notice also. They misspelled my son's first name. I had to call them for another one with the correct spelling. Still waiting for it to come.

We tried the walk in and did the biometrics today (5/26/15). It was very busy so we had to wait for one and a half hours in order to fit in the line. I'm still glad we eventually made it. Could someone please update the info for me. Thanks !

Hey, Biometric appointment received for 6/1/2015

Received my NOA this morning. Dated 5/1/2015.

One question: I filed my son as my dependent but I only received my notice, does it mean the notices are coming separately?

This morning, my bank account showed the check is being electronically processed (pending). No NOA yet.

I'm a little bit confused. Is no one concerned that the I-751 form on the USCIS website has an expiration date (written on the top right-hand corner of the form) of 4/30/15? Is there a new form available somewhere that I'm not seeing?

I called USCIS regarding this expiration date of the form since my window just opens on 4/30/15 and I was told it's fine to use the current form.

@Kash2011, thank you!

Could someone please add me to the list. I mailed my packet on April 29th to VSC, it was delivered and signed on April 30th. Thank you!