When does my Last name change? (K1)

[haggarda.versoza 3]

Just got married. My marriage certificate still shows my last name when I was single. So when does my last name will change into my husband's last name? Is it during the AOS filing? We haven't started filing for AOS yet never seen the forms (laziness) lols.

[c12h22oh 11]

CONGRATULATIONS ... Happy Honeymoon, happy new born with a lot of siblings OH YEA !!!!

[cyntica 4]

I changed it when i got my SSN. I got it with the new name and then i filed for aos with the new name too

[Penguin_ie 5,984]

**** Moving from Philippines to Your New Life forum as not country related ****

Your name does not automatically change at any time- many US women keep their maiden name forever.

[haggarda.versoza 3]

I changed it when i got my SSN. I got it with the new name and then i filed for aos with the new name too

Thank you for replying. So that means the marriage certificate will just stay like that? With my maiden name on it right? And then when filing for all the documents will use my husband's last name.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

After you are married you are free to start using your husband's name if you want it. There will be a bit of lag time while your IDs get changed. For K-1 people, the best thing to do is to apply for the GC in the married name, then when they get their GC in married name they can go around and change their IDs.

There is no central database of names.

[Hank_ 9,171]

Just got married. My marriage certificate still shows my last name when I was single. So when does my last name will change into my husband's last name? Is it during the AOS filing? We haven't started filing for AOS yet never seen the forms (laziness) lols.

You name changes when you sign your name after the ceremony, when you complete your first form. For my wife it was when she applied for her SSN.

The marriage certificate here in AZ does not list the married name either, it comes down to you choosing your married name and using your married name in everything after marriage.

[haggarda.versoza 3]

Thank you for all the reply. I now understand it. I thought there was something wrong with our marriage certificate because my last name is still on it.

Therefore when I will apply for SSN, I just use my husband's last name.

[Tahoma 2,291]

Chinook started using her married name as soon as we were married. She uses my last name as her last name, and she uses her maiden last name as her middle name. She filed for her green card using her married name. Also, she went back to the Social Security office and filed for a name change to her married name. No problems.

[Greenbaum 12,258]

The marriage certificate is a license to marry and legally this document is created when you both have your original names. When you go to get your ssan you will use that document as evidence of your marriage and you will inform the clerk what name you will use and they will add it to your ss card. That's the name that you will be use going forward. Some women here in the USA will choose to use their first name their family name and then their husbands last name. Others will choose to use their first name their middle name and her husband's last name which also is another traditional way that the name is used here.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

The marriage certificate is a license to marry and legally this document is created when you both have your original names. When you go to get your ssan you will use that document as evidence of your marriage and you will inform the clerk what name you will use and they will add it to your ss card. That's the name that you will be use going forward. Some women here in the USA will choose to use their first name their family name and then their husbands last name. Others will choose to use their first name their middle name and her husband's last name which also is another traditional way that the name is used here.

A marriage cert is not a license. It is proof of having gotten married.

Most of the time SSA will not change names on immigrant's SS Cards until they check with immigration. SSA doesn't own your name. Getting a GC in the married name is the best way to start changing your docs. Most immigrants have to do that before they can change their SS Cards.

[scienceworks 64]

To add to it, there is not legal requirement to change your name. No one can change your name until you request it.

[Hypnos 6,576]

In some states, marriage certificates have a specific section where the woman can state the name she will use after marriage. Of course it's completely up to her whether to take her husband's name or keep her own maiden name.

And in other states, once a marriage licence has been completed by the officiant and is then returned to and endorsed by the county, it automagically becomes the marriage certificate (despite a big section at the top that says "Marriage License" - Texas is one of these states).

It's really cool how there are so many different requirements, standards, forms, and certificates from state to state. By cool I mean annoying.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Hypnos

[rickalamo02 3]

I'm in a smiliar situation, can someone help?

We live in Virginia, when we got the marriage certificate, we put down my wife's maiden name. I thought it would be easier in the long run of things for her to carry my name as well. So we agreed that after marriage that we update her last name with my name.

However i heard that if we change her name at the Social Security Office, then she would be required to change her Mexican passport to show the name change. It appears that we should change the name until everything is done (Green Card, etc.)

Can anyone help give us the pro's & con's of changing the name and/or keeping it the maiden name.

[fantonledzepp 159]

Married. Marriage certificate says "New Surname: ***** ". Went to SS office, changed social security card with new surname. Filed AOS with new surname. After, she received her EAD, we went to the DMV and got a state ID card with the new surname. GC with new surname.

I will stop calling it new surname, because it is now my wife's surname.

Edited September 21, 2013 by fantonledzepp