jbfaust

Hi all. My husband (UKC) and I (USC) got married in August. I filed all our visa forms with my maiden name only, figuring that if I used my "new" name it would be partially a lie since we would file the forms before I had a chance to get a new social security card in the US. I understand the process for getting my name changed here, but I'm unsure how this might effect our K-3, whether I'd have to submit a letter stating my name change, or do something else. I'm willing to wait until everything comes through including his status adjustment, I just think it would mean a lot to my husband if I made the switch. Does anyone else have any experience with this?

ian-mstm

You didn't have to.


Well... you'd be wrong. The SS card has *nothing* whatsoever to do with your name change - at least, not as far as immigration is concerned. You can use whatever name you like as long as your intent is not to commit fraud.


See... this is what happens when you try to change things after the fact. On the practical side, it shouldn't affect your K-3 at all.


This is the 21st century... there is no requirement to change your name... unless your husband is insisting on it, in which case, I recommend you slap him around a bit for his misogynist views.

Ian

jbfaust

I agree, I happen to like his name though. I won't post it here but trust me it's better than mine. Maybe I'll just wait a year or two.

ian-mstm

You don't have to wait! Take your current SS card and your marriage certificate to SSA and get a new SS card. Once you have the new card, you can change all your other paperwork. You can *still* use your maiden name on all immigration forms if you like (your maiden name is *still* your legal name, even if you change your last name to match your husband's). Once your current CR-1/K-3 has been processed, you can use your married name on any future immigration forms. It won't affect the process at all.

Ian

Ray

Or just go double barrelled ..tack his name on the end of yours...
and becomes Mrs Faust-Smith

Hope10

In this case what is she supposed to do if she decides to tack it to her name?The same procedure as if she was to take his name ,without still keeping hers, right?

ian-mstm

What do you mean "what is she supposed to do"? All she has to do is start using his name as an extension of hers. She doesn't need to ask permission from anyone. As I said before, you can call yourself whatever you want as long as the intent is not to commit fraud.

Ian

Ray

Do whatever suits the person ..Thats what my wife did ..
so she is known in both her single and married name
and yes the same procedure

jeffreyhy

jbf,

How do you figure that the SSA is the entity that determines what your name is?

It's the act of marriage that gives you the option to change your name, and if YOU decide to change your name then you procede to notify all those that you want to know about the change, including the SSA. There's nothing that requires the SSA to be first on the list, or even to be on the list at all.

Regards, JEff

AlanR

This is only one particular (admitedly the usual) case - one can change one's name as often as one likes; if there is no criminal intent. It may be convenient for a name change at this time if both partners want this.

jbfaust

My main concerns with the name change issue are that (according to my research) sometimes there are problems with tax returns if the employer does not make the correct changes in a timely manner. This would worry me as I am using my income to sponsor my husband when he adjusts his status from K-3 to green card. Secondly, I assume I would have to get a new passport which would not match the names on all my applications. One would assume, as others have stated earlier that the USCIS or anyone else dealing with the application at any stage would understand such a change, but my inclination is to not give them any reason to delay/deny/confuse or in any way encourage them to slow down as a result of this mid-application change of names. I could be overly cautious but I can't imagine it's a bad idea with these people. I agree that I could start going by the name and perhaps get a new library card

Noorah101

My fiance and I did the K-1 visa, then did the AOS after we got married here in the USA. I didn't change my name to his until about a year after we were married. I wanted to do all the immigration forms in one name so as not to confuse anyone (including myself...lol). Plus I was just soooo tired of paperwork, I didn't even feel like doing my own name-change paperwork right away.

Rene

ian-mstm

USCIS doesn't care what name you use. USCIS does not cross-reference your application forms with the IRS to see that tax returns are kosher. Quite frankly, they don't have the resources for such an investigation. If you show up at an interview with a marriage certificate that easily explains why your last name is different, that'll be good enough. In my 10+ years in this forum, I can *not* recall a single incident of denial based on a name change due to a recent marriage.

Ian

meauxna

Ditto to the rest of it and I have to add, I've never even seen anyone complaining that their case got messed up over different surnames. And plenty of people gave ample opportunity!