Divorce and name change on green card
#1
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 9
Divorce and name change on green card
Hi,
I moved to the US in Jan 2017 on an unconditional greencard. Sadly my marriage ended when we arrived and I wish to remain in the States. I received my divorce decree and I am going through the process of updating my ID's with my restored maiden name..I read that the fee for changing my name on my green card is $540 😥 I cannot afford that. I fly back to England for Christmas and I am worried I will have trouble at the border if I do not update my name. Has anyone else had this experience? I was planning on travelling with my divorce document as I also will not have an updated British passport. Is it advisable that I just pay the fee for my greencard before I attempt to travel?
Thanks
I moved to the US in Jan 2017 on an unconditional greencard. Sadly my marriage ended when we arrived and I wish to remain in the States. I received my divorce decree and I am going through the process of updating my ID's with my restored maiden name..I read that the fee for changing my name on my green card is $540 😥 I cannot afford that. I fly back to England for Christmas and I am worried I will have trouble at the border if I do not update my name. Has anyone else had this experience? I was planning on travelling with my divorce document as I also will not have an updated British passport. Is it advisable that I just pay the fee for my greencard before I attempt to travel?
Thanks
#2
Re: Divorce and name change on green card
Hi,
I moved to the US in Jan 2017 on an unconditional greencard. Sadly my marriage ended when we arrived and I wish to remain in the States. I received my divorce decree and I am going through the process of updating my ID's with my restored maiden name..I read that the fee for changing my name on my green card is $540 😥 I cannot afford that. I fly back to England for Christmas and I am worried I will have trouble at the border if I do not update my name. Has anyone else had this experience? I was planning on travelling with my divorce document as I also will not have an updated British passport. Is it advisable that I just pay the fee for my greencard before I attempt to travel?
Thanks
I moved to the US in Jan 2017 on an unconditional greencard. Sadly my marriage ended when we arrived and I wish to remain in the States. I received my divorce decree and I am going through the process of updating my ID's with my restored maiden name..I read that the fee for changing my name on my green card is $540 😥 I cannot afford that. I fly back to England for Christmas and I am worried I will have trouble at the border if I do not update my name. Has anyone else had this experience? I was planning on travelling with my divorce document as I also will not have an updated British passport. Is it advisable that I just pay the fee for my greencard before I attempt to travel?
Thanks
#4
Re: Divorce and name change on green card
As long as your ticket name matches the name on your passport you should be fine. And if the British passport is still in your maiden name (after 3 or more years and never been changed?), then the present green card and the passport and your marriage and divorce documents should be the answer to that problem. Most divorce decrees state at the end (mine did) that I could resume my maiden if I wished and it listed my maiden name. I chose never to use my maiden name but retained my married name for 23 years before I remarried and changed it to new husband's surname.
PS Curious as to why you think that USCIS demands that you revert to your maiden surname? They don't care. You can keep the green card in your married name and use our maiden name for work, driver's license, etc. At this point you should have changed your social security card to your maiden if since you prefer to use that name and the card should not have the legend about needing USCIS authorization to work since you don't need it. You only have to show your social security card when you apply for employment If you ever decide to naturalize then you can naturalize under your maiden name.
PS Curious as to why you think that USCIS demands that you revert to your maiden surname? They don't care. You can keep the green card in your married name and use our maiden name for work, driver's license, etc. At this point you should have changed your social security card to your maiden if since you prefer to use that name and the card should not have the legend about needing USCIS authorization to work since you don't need it. You only have to show your social security card when you apply for employment If you ever decide to naturalize then you can naturalize under your maiden name.
Last edited by Rete; Jun 25th 2018 at 5:38 pm.
#5
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Joined: Aug 2013
Location: Athens GA
Posts: 2,134
Re: Divorce and name change on green card
Hi,
I moved to the US in Jan 2017 on an unconditional greencard. Sadly my marriage ended when we arrived and I wish to remain in the States. I received my divorce decree and I am going through the process of updating my ID's with my restored maiden name..I read that the fee for changing my name on my green card is $540 😥 I cannot afford that. I fly back to England for Christmas and I am worried I will have trouble at the border if I do not update my name. Has anyone else had this experience? I was planning on travelling with my divorce document as I also will not have an updated British passport. Is it advisable that I just pay the fee for my greencard before I attempt to travel?
Thanks
I moved to the US in Jan 2017 on an unconditional greencard. Sadly my marriage ended when we arrived and I wish to remain in the States. I received my divorce decree and I am going through the process of updating my ID's with my restored maiden name..I read that the fee for changing my name on my green card is $540 😥 I cannot afford that. I fly back to England for Christmas and I am worried I will have trouble at the border if I do not update my name. Has anyone else had this experience? I was planning on travelling with my divorce document as I also will not have an updated British passport. Is it advisable that I just pay the fee for my greencard before I attempt to travel?
Thanks
#6
Re: Divorce and name change on green card
I wouldn't be to sure on that. Virgin Atlantic, as an example, only allow three characters to be different between ticket and passport and were very strict in its enforcement. Other airlines were have their own policies.
#7
Re: Divorce and name change on green card
I see what you are saying -- my passport and ticket always matched; but the green card virtually never did. So if it is just the green card that is "off," the OP should be fine.
#8
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 9
Re: Divorce and name change on green card
PS Curious as to why you think that USCIS demands that you revert to your maiden surname? They don't care. You can keep the green card in your married name and use our maiden name for work, driver's license, etc. At this point you should have changed your social security card to your maiden if since you prefer to use that name and the card should not have the legend about needing USCIS authorization to work since you don't need it. You only have to show your social security card when you apply for employment If you ever decide to naturalize then you can naturalize under your maiden name.[/QUOTE]
Hi,
I read on the immigration website that the greencard should be updated when a name changes so I guess I am just trying to do everything by the book. I also was told by the SS officer today that they recommend getting the greencard updated first as immigration at the border may have an issue if the documents don't match. However after reading the replies here and on other forums, I'm getting the impression I could update my SS name and all ID and that as long as I carry my divorce decree at the border all should be okay.
Hi,
I read on the immigration website that the greencard should be updated when a name changes so I guess I am just trying to do everything by the book. I also was told by the SS officer today that they recommend getting the greencard updated first as immigration at the border may have an issue if the documents don't match. However after reading the replies here and on other forums, I'm getting the impression I could update my SS name and all ID and that as long as I carry my divorce decree at the border all should be okay.
#9
Just Joined
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 9
Re: Divorce and name change on green card
Thank you!