passport question

[heyjimi]

Well my wife sent me her passport to me,from China,to get it notarized for taxes,my question is this...shouldn't the name on the passport be in our married name? (My last name).We were married in China.

[dnoblett]

Keep in mind it is traditional for most Chinese to keep their family names after marriage, it is a western thing to have wife take husband's family name.

 

Even here in the USA it is optional for a wife to take husband's name.

 

So it is not a problem having "Maiden" name in passport.

[heyjimi]

Keep in mind it is traditional for most Chinese to keep their family names after marriage, it is a western thing to have wife take husband's family name.

 

Even here in the USA it is optional for a wife to take husband's name.

 

So it is not a problem having "Maiden" name in passport.

 

 

For real? I didn't know this......So if you know....how will i prove she is my wife to the IRS....I am sure they will question her having a different name.Also when she gets her Visa to come to the states...what name will it have on the Visa?

thanks for your help

[dnoblett]

Keep in mind it is traditional for most Chinese to keep their family names after marriage, it is a western thing to have wife take husband's family name.

 

Even here in the USA it is optional for a wife to take husband's name.

 

So it is not a problem having "Maiden" name in passport.

 

 

For real? I didn't know this......So if you know....how will i prove she is my wife to the IRS....I am sure they will question her having a different name.Also when she gets her Visa to come to the states...what name will it have on the Visa?

thanks for your help

A copy of marriage cert, English translation works for this, but all you have to do is indicate she is your wife on the 1040, and they will accept this.

 

The name on visa is what is indicated on the DS-230.

 

Another post indicates that married name can be appended to the passport. This should be able to be done in China at passport office.

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=363182

[heyjimi]

Keep in mind it is traditional for most Chinese to keep their family names after marriage, it is a western thing to have wife take husband's family name.

 

Even here in the USA it is optional for a wife to take husband's name.

 

So it is not a problem having "Maiden" name in passport.

 

 

For real? I didn't know this......So if you know....how will i prove she is my wife to the IRS....I am sure they will question her having a different name.Also when she gets her Visa to come to the states...what name will it have on the Visa?

thanks for your help

A copy of marriage cert, English translation works for this, but all you have to do is indicate she is your wife on the 1040, and they will accept this.

 

The name on visa is what is indicated on the DS-230.

 

Another post indicates that married name can be appended to the passport. This should be able to be done in China at passport office.

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=363182

 

Thank you very much my friend

Merry Christmas

[MikeXiao]

There are other problems/issues if you start to change her name to be in line with the western custom. Her passport is in her maiden name, but you have her SS card in her maiden name. Hard then to get drivers license. I know some who had to have his wife have his name, and have had many problems after that. We opted to keep her name as it is, and have not had any problems. The IRS has never questioned the name.

[heyjimi]

There are other problems/issues if you start to change her name to be in line with the western custom. Her passport is in her maiden name, but you have her SS card in her maiden name. Hard then to get drivers license. I know some who had to have his wife have his name, and have had many problems after that. We opted to keep her name as it is, and have not had any problems. The IRS has never questioned the name.

 

I never knew Chinese keep their family name,that explains why her daughter has the dads name,my wife has her fathers name.I thought when i seen this on the immigration forms she filled out,I thought it as odd but,I never questioned it.

ok.....thanks for the info

 

Jim

[jim_julian]

Both my wife and our stepdaughter have taken my family name. We have not had any problems related to this. Green cards, SSN's, driver's licenses, etc all have our family name. The only thing we have yet to do is to trundle down to the Chinese consulate in LA to get the "also known as" entry in their passports. According to Jason of Jason & Joanna that's $10 and a form.

 

Having the same family name makes us feel more like the family we are. It is particularly important to our Chinese daughter.

[Shenzhen K-1]

Both my wife and our stepdaughter have taken my family name. We have not had any problems related to this. Green cards, SSN's, driver's licenses, etc all have our family name. The only thing we have yet to do is to trundle down to the Chinese consulate in LA to get the "also known as" entry in their passports. According to Jason of Jason & Joanna that's $10 and a form.

 

Having the same family name makes us feel more like the family we are. It is particularly important to our Chinese daughter.

 

OK Jim put out a nice post, but could use a few more details, please!

 

How did you get all that done, including daughter??

 

I am figuring on having feng have my last name, middle will be her Chinese first name and then her chosen English name. But I have seen posts that you can get some parts changed but not all??

 

Thanks for any infprmation, Mark

[jim_julian]

Both my wife and our stepdaughter have taken my family name. We have not had any problems related to this. Green cards, SSN's, driver's licenses, etc all have our family name. The only thing we have yet to do is to trundle down to the Chinese consulate in LA to get the "also known as" entry in their passports. According to Jason of Jason & Joanna that's $10 and a form.

 

Having the same family name makes us feel more like the family we are. It is particularly important to our Chinese daughter.

 

OK Jim put out a nice post, but could use a few more details, please!

 

How did you get all that done, including daughter??

 

I am figuring on having feng have my last name, middle will be her Chinese first name and then her chosen English name. But I have seen posts that you can get some parts changed but not all??

 

Thanks for any infprmation, Mark

 

OK ...

 

1. It's the ladies choice, not yours.

 

2. File the 485 in your wife's married name, no matter what the form seems to say.

 

3. We changed our K-2 daughter's name by invoking the English common law procees which is accepted by the feds and also our state, although state's vary. The name change was done at the AOS interview.

 

If you like, PM me an e-mail address and I can send you the form we used for #3.

[Shenzhen K-1]

Both my wife and our stepdaughter have taken my family name. We have not had any problems related to this. Green cards, SSN's, driver's licenses, etc all have our family name. The only thing we have yet to do is to trundle down to the Chinese consulate in LA to get the "also known as" entry in their passports. According to Jason of Jason & Joanna that's $10 and a form.

 

Having the same family name makes us feel more like the family we are. It is particularly important to our Chinese daughter.

 

OK Jim put out a nice post, but could use a few more details, please!

 

How did you get all that done, including daughter??

 

I am figuring on having feng have my last name, middle will be her Chinese first name and then her chosen English name. But I have seen posts that you can get some parts changed but not all??

 

Thanks for any infprmation, Mark

 

OK ...

 

1. It's the ladies choice, not yours.

 

2. File the 485 in your wife's married name, no matter what the form seems to say.

 

3. We changed our K-2 daughter's name by invoking the English common law procees which is accepted by the feds and also our state, although state's vary. The name change was done at the AOS interview.

 

If you like, PM me an e-mail address and I can send you the form we used for #3.

 

Thanks as always for good info!!!

[heyjimi]

Both my wife and our stepdaughter have taken my family name. We have not had any problems related to this. Green cards, SSN's, driver's licenses, etc all have our family name. The only thing we have yet to do is to trundle down to the Chinese consulate in LA to get the "also known as" entry in their passports. According to Jason of Jason & Joanna that's $10 and a form.

 

Having the same family name makes us feel more like the family we are. It is particularly important to our Chinese daughter.

 

Yeah to be honest,it feels weird My Wife having a different name,

all having the same name,would make it feel like we are all one, ,because here is what we have,my last name is different than my wife,and my step daughter has a different name than my wife and I.......very strange !!!!!But either way not a big deal to me.

[MikeandRong]

I am figuring on having feng have my last name, middle will be her Chinese first name and then her chosen English name. But I have seen posts that you can get some parts changed but not all??

 

With that sequence you have in mind, you will have to wait awhile and change after greencard issued and then do a legal name change by the court system later. Mucho ID card re-ordering to follow then ie: GC, DL, Passport, SS, just off the top of my head.

 

Do I have this right in this example of a made up name to follow your idea? Chen Fengxia changed to Jane Feng Doe.

[Shenzhen K-1]

Both my wife and our stepdaughter have taken my family name. We have not had any problems related to this. Green cards, SSN's, driver's licenses, etc all have our family name. The only thing we have yet to do is to trundle down to the Chinese consulate in LA to get the "also known as" entry in their passports. According to Jason of Jason & Joanna that's $10 and a form.

 

Having the same family name makes us feel more like the family we are. It is particularly important to our Chinese daughter.

 

Yeah to be honest,it feels weird My Wife having a different name,

all having the same name,would make it feel like we are all one, ,because here is what we have,my last name is different than my wife,and my step daughter has a different name than my wife and I.......very strange !!!!!But either way not a big deal to me.

 

Not really, but I am hoping like you to get us all with the same last name and she wants a English first name. The worst to happen is get my last name and just by the English name she chooses?

[david_dawei]

Both my wife and our stepdaughter have taken my family name. We have not had any problems related to this. Green cards, SSN's, driver's licenses, etc all have our family name. The only thing we have yet to do is to trundle down to the Chinese consulate in LA to get the "also known as" entry in their passports. According to Jason of Jason & Joanna that's $10 and a form.

 

Having the same family name makes us feel more like the family we are. It is particularly important to our Chinese daughter.

 

Yeah to be honest,it feels weird My Wife having a different name,

all having the same name,would make it feel like we are all one, ,because here is what we have,my last name is different than my wife,and my step daughter has a different name than my wife and I.......very strange !!!!!But either way not a big deal to me.

 

Not really, but I am hoping like you to get us all with the same last name and she wants a English first name. The worst to happen is get my last name and just by the English name she chooses?

It's more involved to change her first name... most simply use an english nickname.. or even a few

 

I really wouldn't worry too much about needing name changes... if changing a name is some assurance that our marriage is more meaningful, then why not change our names to "Forever"