Framework

Don't mean to ressurect an old thread but I thought I would post an update in the event someone else has this issue and searches for answers.

We decided not to do a name change through the courts prior to replying to the rfe. We wrote a letter politely explaining that we did not know that what we did was not allowed in Arizona, and that it was not done with ill intent. I stated that our only evidence documenting the legal middle name change at that time included an issued Arizona State ID with what we claimed was the proper middle name, a social security card with the claimed middle name, and a conditional green card issued with that claimed middle name. 

It was a polite letter and we explained that we understood that we may have been wrong and would take it on ourselves to have the name legally changed through the courts if need be.

We caught a break for once because the 10 year green card came with the middle name we have been using all this time and not the one that USCIS was claiming to be correct. Saved us alot of time and headache getting it changed later legally. I also messed up and sent a copy of the rfe back and not the original bit it didn't matter I guess. I did not use their envelope but I stuck it in with everything else and mailed it via USPS with tracking.

I'm pretty sure this was a discretionary decision made by the officer reviewing the case so I can't really give advice to any future filers with this problem other than to write a professional and polite letter explaining things and hope for the best.

@Shikimiri, In the last few days I learned that only a few states will allow you to change your middle name after marriage so you guys did it correctly. That's good that you do not have any issues traveling with a mismatched PH Passport and Greencard, I have read elsewhere that a "One as the same" document was needed in those cases.

Thank you for the replies, we are either going to submit the SS card, DL, and conditional greencard as evidence that USCIS has already accepted that name, or we will see if the county court can do a name change and send that as well. The letter does say that if we do not submit sufficient evidence or reply, then her greencard will be issued with the other name (mother's maiden name as middle name). It looks like she is approved, but they are asking about what name will be on the card. We can always change it after naturalization too.

Either way, I'll update this when we find out what happens. Hopefully someone a few years down the road can benefit from this.

I cannot edit my original post but I have been reminded that the USCIS officer at our AOS interview did more than think my wife's middle name was odd as I stated above, he was pretty upset about it and said that we may have been doing that to scam benefits or something along those lines. I am now understanding why he was going on about it but he never told us that what we were doing was not allowed in Arizona or I would have fixed it then!  I am still confused as to why they allowed the name change when we requested it on an I-90.

Hello all, I've found several posts on this topic here and read through them but none are as advanced as our case.

After we were married in Arizona in 2017, my wife began using the traditional Filipino surname construction. Her SS card was changed to this name, and an AZ State ID with this name. We filed AOS, EAD and advanced parole using this name with no issues until our interview. The officer at the interview mentioned that the middle name was odd and we explained that we used the traditional Filipino surname construction. He did not say anything after that. A few months later, we get her greencard in the mail and of course it had the mother's maiden name as the middle name. At this time, we had no idea that we were wrong in changing the middle name like that. I believed that getting an SS card and State ID in that name facilitated a "legal" name change. So we filed an I-90 to have USCIS correct the greencard to have the fathers surname as the middle name and they did it!  New greencard was mailed out with the traditional name and we thought everything was fixed. My wife also got her NY State Driver's License with that name on it after we moved here. After this, we file ROC on time using the same name and now, about 17 months later, we get an RFE because the middle name is wrong.  Also, like most others, we were transferred a few months ago to a new service center.

I feel like the best way to handle this would be to just go to the county courthouse (I live in NY state now) and have her middle name legally changed on paper even though all of her documents already have that name and provide that court order to USCIS. I'm pretty sure that even if I point out that they already issued a greencard with the name that they say is wrong, they will just tell me to pound sand and fix it. We filed ROM prior to COVID hitting too and her passport was renewed with the traditional name style. I think it will be more of a hassle changing the name everywhere else here and I don't even want to think about doing anything with her Philippine Passport right now! They have also given us the maximum amount of time to reply, this is due sometime in August.

Has anyone else had this happen and got it corrected without changing the middle name in court?

Thank you for the input

Hi all, we have to file the I-90 because they sent the Greencard with the wrong middle name.  Do I have to fill out the I-912 fee waiver form as well even though this is a USCIS error?  If that form is not needed, then we can file the I-90 online.  This may be a moot point though because wouldn't we have to mail in the erroneous card along with proof that it was a USCIS error anyway?  I appreciate any feedback or past experiences that get passed on.

We had the same today minus the laughing part.  The officer told us that there was a t-file with my wifes A number in the system.  He also said that this was most likely the advance parole paperwork that was approved but did not make it into her file yet.  He said that he needed to physically put that paperwork in the file before he could approve the anything but there was nothing else needed on our end. We were told that the application would be approved once the paperwork came in.  He also did not ask us any questions about our relationship.

23 hours ago, Sabazou said:

Still no update from USCIS or the post office with regards to the application that was supposed to be delivered Feb 17th. At this point I'm ready to just re-send the package but I don't want to have the old one someday show up and then get charged $1225 twice. Anyone have any advice here?

Ours was supposed to be delivered on feb 14th via usps priority mail to the po box.  

Tracking says that it is still in transit but that it arrived at the post office. I filed a missing mail report but i think I'm going to have to send another packet because the k1 visa expires on the 5th, at least i can get another one post marked before then.  I plan on waiting until it is received to cancel the original check.

I dont have any evidence that i filed right now because at this point, i have to assume the post office lost the packet.

Hello,  like a few others, our packet was delivered to the post office in Chicago on Feb 14 and I have not heard anything since.  I'm not going to get too worried until we get past 30 days.  I included a G-1145 and used a personal check which has not been cashed yet.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Hello all, we are having an odd problem with obtaining an NBI clearance for my fiancee's A.K.A. We are currently in the K1 visa process.

A brief background, her mother and father were not married when she was born so her name was recorded as her mothers surname only, not her fathers. After her mother and father married, her mother went through the process to change my fiancee's name to what she uses today. A stamped and notarized update was placed on file with her birth certificate stating the name change.

Because we have both been studying the process, we knew that she would have to obtain an additional clearance for the old name as well.

The problem is at NBI, she was told that they would not give her a clearance for the A.K.A. without a 221g from the embassy. So they want her to be denied at the interview before they will obtain the clearance. The reason given for this was that the woman told my fiancee that the "format" might be incorrect and it will be denied if they give one now.

I am thinking by format, she is referring to how an A.K.A. is listed as for example, someone searching for a maiden name and a married name on the same clearance. I did find a post here detailing that format, my question is does this sound reasonable? Has anyone else had a problem like this before? The NBI staff seemed to be clueless.

Has anyone had any success with placing a "Hold for Pickup" at any locations in PI? Namely around Makati City?

Hello all, our I 129f application was approved today! The email was sent at 19:28 hrs. and the text was sent at 19:30 hrs. I followed the guides here to the letter and it served me well. I was tracking 10 cases below me and 10 cases above me on the USCIS page and there was one other I 129f approval before me. For those still waiting, just be patient! If USCIS is moving this fast, it only means that NVC is going to be the bottleneck now, so it will be more hurry up and wait!

Good luck all

Hello, packet mailed to Dallas via USPS Priority w/ signature confirmation August 5. Packet was picked up the evening of August 10 and signed for. I probably should have used the Lewisville site because of the signature confirmation, it would have saved me 2 days.

NOA 1 received August 16, got the email and text.

ritbo, I'm pretty sure that you won't be able to use the USC storage area without the USC petitioner being there, I have not personally been there myself though. I've read that there are vendors at the entrance used by non-USC applicants that will hold electronics for a fee as well as rent chairs and umbrellas.

Here is a link to a list of hotels near USEM, http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/328357-h0tels-in-manila/.

I forgot to add that I sent eight pages of Skype chatting from when we first met and eight pages of Viber Chat from different periods across the last 6 months. I also submitted a few cropped screenshots from Facebook of her families comments on our pictures together and our engagement. When you meet remember to take lots of pictures together and with family and friends as well!

Good luck

OP, I use Viber as well. If you go to settings, then calls and messages you will be able to email the log to yourself. It is sent as a ZIP file and when you unzip it will be readable as an excel file. It really looks terrible but names and dates are there. I went to view and changed it to page break view and moved the columns around to get it somewhat more legible and to see how much i could fit onto a page. If you want a log of your calls you might have to screenshot the actual image of the Viber conversation that says the call duration on your phone.

I'm getting ready to file soon and the timeline I have seen in my research is 7 to 10 days by courier. You can ask the CO for an expedited visa but I think they rarely give them. You can also ask them about picking the visa up yourself at the Mall of Asia 2Go office, this may save 2 or 3 days.