MrsLondon

I changed mine to my husband's. He wanted me to. I didn't want to at first but now I like being Mrs Manning.

leebarton

my fiancee isnt going to change hers probably, although we have made no final decision yet... having one of us having to obtain everything will be bad enough, without her having to reobtain driving license/passport/bank changes/bill changes etc at the same time we think =P

Kattosha

I changed mine in everything except my work. I also figured this way its easier to prove to the INS that I didnt marry him just because my visa was running out.

stevelisaw

With my ex I didn't want to take his last name, but with Steve, his is so much easier for people to pronounce than my maiden name, as well as not feeling this time round as I'm giving up anything by being a Mrs.

Lisa

NevAnna

Absolutely. I have no reason to keep my maiden name.

Pimpbot

Except if you were married to Bernard!

Aliluv

I changed mine and it was really easy. Not at all the hassle I expected!

thing2

We're considering taking thing1 and thing2 as our complete names, with our children to be thing3, thing4 ...

But seriously, I'm taking Thing1's last name as my middle name. Thing1 will take my surname and her original last name will become her middle name too.

Maggs

I'm very lucky as we both have the SAME surname!!! Didn't have to change a thing!!

Maggie

MrsLondon

Yeah, what a nightmare that would be! Fortunately my hubby gets on really well with his mother-in-law!

MrsLondon

Amazing coincidence! Rather like Cruz/Cruise eh? ;D

Trinity

I changed my name to my husbands, but I never liked my maiden name and I am quite old fashioned anyway. Its much easier to feel like a team if you share a last name, but thats just my opinion. My friends and coworkers now get a kick out of calling me Mrs Harris and giggling.

I am assuming that she's a USC, its really not hard at all to change your name on things. I got a new social security card a week and half after applying, my drivers license took 10 minutes, changing bills just means writing your new name on the back. If she adds you to her checking account and savings account at her bank, that took us only 10 minutes as well and they changed my name at the same time. To change her passport, she needs the certified marriage certificate and new pictures and like $45 or something. That only takes 6 weeks to get back. She'd most likely get that back long before you receive your AP notice!

So in my opinion, hassle isnt a good excuse for not changing your name, unless your like a big shot doctor with a really known name or something.

Does the BCIS get suspicious of those who dont change thier names?

I know I always do when its just people I know! But like I said, I'm a bit old fashioned (despite the fact I am only 29), and I think its sweet. I took a poll before I did it, asking all my friends if they think it "implyed ownership." It was interestingly divided on gender lines. The more chauvanist men said yes, and the informed men and all of the women said no. (It was an online poll and in total I had about 40 responses.)

SundarV

My wife is not taking my last name. But my last name is too looooooong. Her maiden name is much longer. I told her that she is going to have to shorten it after coming to the US.

I am going to shorten my last name legally after I become a citizen. The place I come from in India, we don't have the concept of last name. My last name is actually my dad's first name. If my wife takes my name, she would actually take my first name. So there would anyway be lot of confusion. I think I am just going to change the name to something simple like "Smith" :-)

Sundar

catswhiskers

I can't wait to take my fiance's surname. I took my first husband's and now want to have the new one - I like his last name anyway - much better than the one I have now.

MrsLondon

I'm sure BCIS won't care if you don't change your name--it is 2003 afterall! I only changed my name on my passport (which is what the IND here in the UK go by) in 2001, so when I was sponsoring my husband for his visa, I had my maiden name. No-one questioned it. I'm sure the US is the same.
I certainly don't think changing your name implies ownership any more than having an engagement/wedding ring does. However, I would draw the line at vowing to obey my hubby!