I have no idea where to file this question, but someone here must be able to help!
I'm an American (woman) citizen, married to an Algerian. We married in 2019 in Tunisia. We filed our I-131 in July 2019, and (delayed due to Covid) he got here until May 2021. I didn't want to risk any other hold ups with our timeline and adding a name change in the midsts of all that, so I held off on figuring this all out for quite some time.
Anyway, after he arrived I changed my name with social security. It was quite easy. My NY state license was expiring soon after that- so I went to the DMV to get a new one and update my name-and might as well get the new Enhanced ID for domestic travel. DMV wouldn't let me get the Enhanced ID with my name change, using my Tunisian marriage certificate (with a certified translation of course). They said I have to get married again in NY state, and I need to go to my local city hall to apply for a marriage license! I thought this was absolutely crazy, we're already LEGALLY married... They let me get a new regular NY state license with the name change though (using that same marriage certificate as proof)!
I was pissed thinking they have no idea what they're talking about. I emailed the NYS DMV telling them all of this and they said I need to go to court to legally change my name if I do not have a US marriage certificate. 🤷♀️
Clearly the federal government recognizes my marriage certificate since they allowed us to use it with USCIS, NVC, IRS and Social Security. I figured to get around the DMV/ enhanced license, I will just get an updated passport for domestic travel as well as international.
As I was filling out the passport application it asks 'when did your name legally change'...and that got me questioning all of this again. Did my name legally change when social security changed it? Or the date we got married? Is my name really changed?!? I'm so confused! And now I'm worried I will have problems with this updated passport!
Any advise or insight will be appreciated!
I have no idea where to file this question, but someone here must be able to help! I'm an American (woman) citizen, married to an Algerian. We married in 2019 in Tunisia. We filed our I-131 in July 2019, and (delayed due to Covid) he got here until May 2021. I didn't want to risk any other hold ups with our timeline and adding a name change in the midsts of all that, so I held off on figuring this all out for quite some time. Anyway, after he arrived I changed my name with social security. It was quite easy. My NY state license was expiring soon after that- so I went to the DMV to get a new one and update my name-and might as well get the new Enhanced ID for domestic travel. DMV wouldn't let me get the Enhanced ID with my name change, using my Tunisian marriage certificate (with a certified translation of course). They said I have to get married again in NY state, and I need to go to my local city hall to apply for a marriage license! I thought this was absolutely crazy, we're already LEGALLY married... They let me get a new regular NY state license with the name change though (using that same marriage certificate as proof)! I was pissed thinking they have no idea what they're talking about. I emailed the NYS DMV telling them all of this and they said I need to go to court to legally change my name if I do not have a US marriage certificate. 🤷♀️ Clearly the federal government recognizes my marriage certificate since they allowed us to use it with USCIS, NVC, IRS and Social Security. I figured to get around the DMV/ enhanced license, I will just get an updated passport for domestic travel as well as international. As I was filling out the passport application it asks 'when did your name legally change'...and that got me questioning all of this again. Did my name legally change when social security changed it? Or the date we got married? Is my name really changed?!? I'm so confused! And now I'm worried I will have problems with this updated passport! Any advise or insight will be appreciated!