JJSA

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

Nutmegger

I have never changed my name on my UK passport, but had a green card in a married name at one time. Later I got a green card with a hyphenated name that I never used on anything else. I traveled back and forth for years with no problems, carrying marriage/divorce papers to show just in case. I was never asked for them. You'll be flne.

lansbury

Check the rules of the airline you are flying with concerning name on tickets and passports. Some are more stringent than others on them matching.

Rete

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.

MidAtlantic

I think you are saying the name on your green card is the same as on your British passport. Did you use your "new" name to book the tickets? If so, then you may have some issues, although having your divorce papers as the explanation should be OK.

lansbury

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.

Nutmegger

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.

JJSA

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.

JJSA

Thank you!