Maiden vs Married name - mixed versions/pitfalls?!
Feb 14th 2013, 1:08 am
#1
Researching like mad
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Joined: Apr 2012
Location: London to Bay Area
Posts: 38
Maiden vs Married name - mixed versions/pitfalls?!
I have done a search on this but can anyone help with specific pratfalls that might accompany this specific scenario, or anything we can do to mitigate...
We are moving to US. My wife will be the working party on a H1B visa and wants to maintain her maiden name for professional reasons. However her passport is in our married name.
So, in terms of USCIS - I guess she will just have a 'aka' on her passport as her employer will apply in her maiden name I guess. Or problem?
We guess we would put her SSN and IRS details in her maiden name. I will therefore have a different surname on my SSN. I will apply for joint bank accounts with a mix of both names. Problems there?
Is there an optimal way to deal with this, or anything we should watch out for.
TIA!!
We are moving to US. My wife will be the working party on a H1B visa and wants to maintain her maiden name for professional reasons. However her passport is in our married name.
So, in terms of USCIS - I guess she will just have a 'aka' on her passport as her employer will apply in her maiden name I guess. Or problem?
We guess we would put her SSN and IRS details in her maiden name. I will therefore have a different surname on my SSN. I will apply for joint bank accounts with a mix of both names. Problems there?
Is there an optimal way to deal with this, or anything we should watch out for.
TIA!!
Feb 14th 2013, 1:37 am
#2
Member
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,049
Re: Maiden vs Married name - mixed versions/pitfalls?!
Form I-129, like most immigration forms, and like the SS-5 form, asks for name and other names used. Your wife can leave her passport as is. For ID purposes her marriage certificate should be sufficient to link her maiden and married names.
Regards, JEff
Regards, JEff
Last edited by jeffreyhy; Feb 14th 2013 at 1:40 am.
Feb 14th 2013, 6:02 am
#3
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,586
Re: Maiden vs Married name - mixed versions/pitfalls?!
You wife's situation surely can't be that unusual, and as Jeff said, carrying a copy of your marriage certificate should cover pretty much all occasions when her name/identity could be questioned.
Feb 14th 2013, 6:52 am
#4
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 478
Re: Maiden vs Married name - mixed versions/pitfalls?!
I did the same thing for the same reason (kept my maiden name) but it was on all my documents. The only problem I had was occasionally you meet an immigration agent who has an issue with a married couple not having the same name and reads you the riot act about fraudulent marriages in order to get into the US. Crazy considering the circumstances but there are idiots everywhere. This was 10-15 years ago so hopefully things have changed, but this is the US, so it will probably depend which state/city/immigration office you end up in.
Feb 14th 2013, 7:27 am
#5
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Oz -> UK -> San Diego
Posts: 9,912
Re: Maiden vs Married name - mixed versions/pitfalls?!
Husband, daughter and I all have different last names.
never caused us any problems.
never caused us any problems.
Feb 14th 2013, 11:49 am
#6
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 38,865
Re: Maiden vs Married name - mixed versions/pitfalls?!
My wife kept her first husband's last name! Not an issue!
Ian
Ian
Feb 14th 2013, 10:45 pm
#7
Researching like mad
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Joined: Apr 2012
Location: London to Bay Area
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