Erika

Hi, my fiancee and I are about to start the DCF process. I am from
Australia. I'm just wondering what others have done with their surname and
forms.

When would I start using my future husbands surname on forms? Will it only
be on the I-130 and I-864 and
I-864A (if required) because they are the only ones we will lodge after we
are actually married? Or do I use my name to be on the DS-230 Parts 1 and 2
and the Biographic Data G-325A forms?

Do I need to do anything specific once in the US to change my name? My
passport will have my maiden name on it. Will this cause problems? Do I need
to get some sort of new ID because when I enter the US my main ID will have
my maiden name?

Thanks in advance.

FlyergirlUK

Correct me if I'm wrong but I was under the impression that you had to be married in order to DCF, in which case, all forms submitted to the Embassy would be in your married name with your marriage certificate as proof of your change of name.

ironporer

When we did DCF in Madrid, we took all of the documents filled out withboth Cathy's maiden name, and her new married (my) last name. They wanted the new name documents. She retained her passport with her name on it, and there was no problem. Her green card came in 2 weeks after entry with her married name, which she has used ever since.

Dave

FlyergirlUK <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > Correct me if I'm wrong but I was under the impression that you had to
    > be married in order to DCF, in which case, all forms submitted to the
    > Embassy would be in your married name with your marriage certificate as
    > proof of your change of name.

The US consulate in Sydney allows you to start the process before the
marriage occurs. For example, you can submit forms DS-230 and DS-2001
before the marriage. The consulate then will set up an interview date
and time to take place after your marriage. These forms must be
signed. In our case, my wife signed them Jane Aussie (maiden name)
soon to be Jane Yank (married name) (not my wife's real name).

Dave

"Erika" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]. au>...
    > Hi, my fiancee and I are about to start the DCF process. I am from
    > Australia. I'm just wondering what others have done with their surname and
    > forms.
    >
    > When would I start using my future husbands surname on forms? Will it only
    > be on the I-130 and I-864 and
    > I-864A (if required) because they are the only ones we will lodge after we
    > are actually married? Or do I use my name to be on the DS-230 Parts 1 and 2
    > and the Biographic Data G-325A forms?
    >
I would ask the consulate. In our case, my wife used her married name
on all forms and signed the ones she submitted before the marriage
"Jane Aussie (maiden) soon to be Jane Yank (married)"

    > Do I need to do anything specific once in the US to change my name? My
    > passport will have my maiden name on it. Will this cause problems? Do I need
    > to get some sort of new ID because when I enter the US my main ID will have
    > my maiden name?

Just have the decorative marriage certificate you will get from your
celebrant as evidence of the name change. If you can't update your
passport before coming to the US, you can update it here by going to
the nearest Aussie consulate. In this case, you will likely get back
your old, voided passport as well, since this is the one with your
immigration stamp in it.
Dave

Dave

ironporer <member10524@british_expats.com> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > Originally posted by Erika
    > > Hi, my fiancee and I are
    > about to start the DCF process. I am from
    > > Australia. I'm just
    > wondering what others have done with their surname and
    > > forms.
    > >
    > >
    > When would I start using my future husbands surname on forms? Will it
    > only
    > > be on the I-130 and I-864 and
    > > I-864A (if required) because they
    > are the only ones we will lodge after we
    > > are actually married? Or do I
    > use my name to be on the DS-230 Parts 1 and 2
    > > and the Biographic Data
    > G-325A forms?
    > >
    > > Do I need to do anything specific once in the US to
    > change my name? My
    > > passport will have my maiden name on it. Will this
    > cause problems? Do I need
    > > to get some sort of new ID because when I
    > enter the US my main ID will have
    > > my maiden name?
    > >
    > > Thanks in
    > advance.
    >
    > When we did DCF in Madrid, we took all of the
    > documents filled out withboth Cathy's maiden name, and her new married
    > (my) last name. They wanted the new name documents. She retained her
    > passport with her name on it, and there was no problem. Her green card
    > came in 2 weeks after entry with her married name, which she has used
    > ever since.

The temp green card would be useful for id. However, another
"peculiarity" to worry about if you are coming from Australia (which
the OP is) is that, in the INS computer system, the AUSTR birth
country code is for French Polynesia. When my Aussie wife received
her temp green card (also only a couple of weeks after getting here),
her birth country was listed as, yep you guessed it, French Polynesia.
So, we had to go to the nearest INS office and turn the card in so
that a new one could be sent. Almost a year later, we're still
waiting on the new card.

Dave