Name Change

[LiandLarry]

Hello everyone,

 

Li will be coming here at the end of April and I am not sure on what to do first. She will want a drivers permit and a Social Security Card and her name to be changed legally. Her China ID won't match her new name so I am wondering what official document will be "OK" to obtain these things quickly. Her credit cards are already in her new name but she won't have an ID to use them yet. We will live in California.

 

thanks,

 

Larry

[warpedbored]

Since you are K-1 I presume you want to change her maiden name to her married name. If so get married first then take a certified copy of your marriage licence to the social security office along with her passport with visa and I-94 inside. You might want to take along a piece of mail that has been addressed and delivered to your address in her name as well. Fill out the application in her married name and when the social security card comes take it her passport and the same mail down to the DMV and get her a state ID card in her married name. Next stop the bank and put her on your accounts.

[LiandLarry]

What does she want to change it to?

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Her first name will stay the same, her middle name will be her current last name. Her new last name will be my last name. I thought this was traditional. Plus we both like the sound of the new name.

 

p.s. thanks for the tips Carl.

Edited April 9, 2006 by LiandLarry (see edit history)

[inxy]

Carl laid it out for you. When you file for AOS, use the 'new' name.

205507[/snapback]

Social Sercurity card is the way to go. To get a social sercuity card you need a "green card". The law reads that way. Here in Florida, I pulled alot of punches and could not pull it off without a green card.

 

Once you get past the SS Card, the rest is a given. To my knowledge SS will take any last name you want for your wife given a little proof of same - like not much.

 

Bruce

[Dan R]

Since you are K-1 I presume you want to change her maiden name to her married name.  If so get married first then take a certified copy of your marriage licence to the social security office along with her passport with visa and I-94 inside.  You might want to take along a piece of mail that has been addressed and delivered to your address in her name as well.  Fill out the application in her married name and when the social security card comes take it her passport and the same mail down to the DMV and get her a state ID card in her married name.  Next stop the bank and put her on your accounts.

205406[/snapback]

Be sure to get the State I.D. well before the I-94 expires since in California it will probably only be issued to expire with the I-94.

[LeeFisher3]

You may want to print out this post by mdyoung at VJ it covers the name change with SSA concerning marriage and how they are to handle difference in names when verifying with the SAVE system.

 

Basically the name difference is not a discrepancy and they are to Advise you to notify DHS while accepting the name change.

[MikeandRong]

Excellent information, thank you.

[warpedbored]

Carl laid it out for you. When you file for AOS, use the 'new' name.

205507[/snapback]

Social Sercurity card is the way to go. To get a social sercuity card you need a "green card". The law reads that way. Here in Florida, I pulled alot of punches and could not pull it off without a green card.

 

Once you get past the SS Card, the rest is a given. To my knowledge SS will take any last name you want for your wife given a little proof of same - like not much.

 

Bruce

208086[/snapback]

Whoa there, too much disinformation. A green card is NOT needed for a K-1 visa holder to get a social security card. All that is needed is the visa with at least 30 days left on it, her passport and I-94. Many SSA employees are not up to speed on the law so you may need to go to more than one SSA office to find someone who knows the rules. Moving the last name to middle name was not a problem for us for the SSN and ID card. At our AOS interview though the IO said she could keep her last name, take my last name or have a hyphenated name such as Smith-Jones. but not move her maiden name to middle name on the green card.We opted for my last name but when her green card came it had the first letter of her maiden name as middle initial. Go figure. We were happy with that.

[inxy]

Carl laid it out for you. When you file for AOS, use the 'new' name.

205507[/snapback]

Social Sercurity card is the way to go. To get a social sercuity card you need a "green card". The law reads that way. Here in Florida, I pulled alot of punches and could not pull it off without a green card.

 

Once you get past the SS Card, the rest is a given. To my knowledge SS will take any last name you want for your wife given a little proof of same - like not much.

 

Bruce

208086[/snapback]

Whoa there, too much disinformation. A green card is NOT needed for a K-1 visa holder to get a social security card. All that is needed is the visa with at least 30 days left on it, her passport and I-94. Many SSA employees are not up to speed on the law so you may need to go to more than one SSA office to find someone who knows the rules. Moving the last name to middle name was not a problem for us for the SSN and ID card. At our AOS interview though the IO said she could keep her last name, take my last name or have a hyphenated name such as Smith-Jones. but not move her maiden name to middle name on the green card.We opted for my last name but when her green card came it had the first letter of her maiden name as middle initial. Go figure. We were happy with that.

208237[/snapback]

Ok - I stand corrected.

 

Go to:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203500

 

RM 00203.500 Employment Authorization for Nonimmigrants

 

Further click on RM 00203.500C.1 down the page a bit.

The RM 002--------- screen will show what alien classifications (K1, K3, etc) will need an EAD to get a SSN and what ones that do not need an EAD.

 

K1 - go for the card

 

K3 - You will need the EAD (my wife's case)

 

Took some digging to find the above little gem.

 

Bruce

[Randy W]

Go to:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203500

 

RM 00203.500 Employment Authorization for Nonimmigrants

 

 

 

208347[/snapback]

 

 

Print this page and take it with you to the SS office as ammunition, in case they need some help remembering.

[LeeFisher3]

Go to:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203500

 

RM 00203.500 Employment Authorization for Nonimmigrants

 

 

 

208347[/snapback]

 

 

Print this page and take it with you to the SS office as ammunition, in case they need some help remembering.

208404[/snapback]

The SSN is the easy part, getting them to issue it in her married name without it being listed that way in SAVE is where the real battle can arrise. I've seen a POM that specifically addresses the issue and instructs them on how to update SAVE, but can't seem to locate it today.

[LiandLarry]

Thank you all for the information. I have never heard of SAVE before. I thought getting her new name on all the documents would save time and trouble than changing it after receiving them the first time.

 

Larry