Catch-22 on name changing

[Bill & Angel]

I thought I had a good plan at first. My fiancee's passport name is her Chinese name, but when filling out the SSN application, this appears to allow her to specify her English name. By doing this, we hoped to make the name change process simple.

 

However, I just realized that we will need to use her Chinese name (pinyin version) on the marriage license application since her proof of identity is her passport, and her passport does not specify her English name. If we are married under her Chinese name, and she fills out an SSN application with her English name, would that invalidate the marriage certificate?

 

I heard that using the Chinese name on the SSN application, and then trying to change it later is a more complicated task (takes more time and probably another fee).

 

What do others suggest? What is the best sequence of events to make this process of changing from her Chinese name to her English name fast and easy?

[Guest Rob & Jin]

cant help, sorry, Jin kept her family name.

 

good luck B)

[Bill & Angel]

cant help, sorry, Jin kept her family name.

 

good luck B)

 

I'm talking about her first name, not her last (aka, family) name.

 

I'm guessing that Jin kept her Chinese first name as well.

 

The thing is, my fiancee has been going by her English first name for almost 2 years (she just never made in legal changes within China). She definitely wants to use her English first name as her legal name, but in the most hassle-free way possible.

[Randy W]

Clarify - by "English" name, are you referring to her given name, or your family (her married) name?

 

SS may require that her SS name match her immigration name. Fill out the AOS application in her desired name, listing her passport name as an alias.

 

Thr marriage license won' be invalidated by anything.

[Guest Rob & Jin]

By English name I take it you mean something like "jennifer"

 

I think that legally is a alias, as its not her legal given name.

 

she can go by any name she wants, but as far as immigration, SS etc I would stick with the legal names.

 

Your marriage cert is fine as they will have filed it in from her docs and then listed her chosen name, I kinda remember the recorder asks what name you want. The top part "license" may have her given name. Of course may vary by state.

 

jmho

[dnoblett]

We married first, and then applied for SSN using married name.

[C4Racer]

cant help, sorry, Jin kept her family name.

 

good luck B)

 

I'm talking about her first name, not her last (aka, family) name.

 

I'm guessing that Jin kept her Chinese first name as well.

 

The thing is, my fiancee has been going by her English first name for almost 2 years (she just never made in legal changes within China). She definitely wants to use her English first name as her legal name, but in the most hassle-free way possible.

 

If she is going to become a US citizen, then the most hassle free way I have seen is to change the name during the citizenship process. They allow for this and ask if this is what you want to do on the N-400 application. Since this is done during the process, it then becomes her legal name without the normal legal fees involved.

Edited September 21, 2008 by C4Racer (see edit history)

[MikeXiao]

To avoid any of these problems, my wife and I talked about it and decided she should keep her Chinese name. Changing the name does not change our relationship. Have heard some not having problems, have heard of some having problems. As C4Racer said, you can change it on the N-400 if you want. We have gone this long and have the house, some bills and the bank accounts in her Chinese name, so we are not changing it.

[Bill & Angel]

To avoid any of these problems, my wife and I talked about it and decided she should keep her Chinese name. Changing the name does not change our relationship. Have heard some not having problems, have heard of some having problems. As C4Racer said, you can change it on the N-400 if you want. We have gone this long and have the house, some bills and the bank accounts in her Chinese name, so we are not changing it.

 

We also discussed it, and she said she definitely wants the name change, and I don't know if she wants to wait the 3 years + to do it during the citizen thing (I'm not even sure she's in a hurry to be a citizen).

 

I'm looking for an immediate name change method.

[Toplaw]

We obtained an SSN using Ping's passport, so it was issued in her Chinese name. We obtained the marriage license using her Chinese name as well. The marriage license was mailed to us addressed to Mr. & Mrs. in my name.

 

We went back to the social security office with the marriage license and got the card reissued in her "married name," which is Chinese "first" name, Chinese family name, my family name.

 

We filed AOS and EAD using her married name as above. She will receive her green card and her EAD card in her married name. Her EAD card, in her married name, her social security card in her married name, our marriage license, and her passport will be used to obtain her driver's license in her married name.

 

We will return to social security to have her card reissued without the restrictions once we have her EAD card. These days, however, some people on VJ are receiving their 2 year green cards in about 3 months from filing, sometimes even before the EAD card arrives, sometimes at the same time. Under that scenario, we could also use her green card to get her driver's license.

[david_dawei]

I've not heard of a fast and easy way to change the first name... I think it can take a court request to do so.

 

Why not just give an immigration lawyer a call and ask at which step are you able to do this easily.

[dnoblett]

We obtained an SSN using Ping's passport, so it was issued in her Chinese name. We obtained the marriage license using her Chinese name as well. The marriage license was mailed to us addressed to Mr. & Mrs. in my name.

 

We went back to the social security office with the marriage license and got the card reissued in her "married name," which is Chinese "first" name, Chinese family name, my family name.

 

We filed AOS and EAD using her married name as above. She will receive her green card and her EAD card in her married name. Her EAD card, in her married name, her social security card in her married name, our marriage license, and her passport will be used to obtain her driver's license in her married name.

 

We will return to social security to have her card reissued without the restrictions once we have her EAD card. These days, however, some people on VJ are receiving their 2 year green cards in about 3 months from filing, sometimes even before the EAD card arrives, sometimes at the same time. Under that scenario, we could also use her green card to get her driver's license.

Exactly what we did but applied for SSN after marriage. Yu's middle name is now her family name, and she took my family name as married name.

[Guest Rob & Jin]

I think they are talking about using a english name.. ie "Jennifer "instead of her real name.

 

example Jennifer Zang instead of Zang Pingcui

 

 

not sure if they are also meaning "Jennifer smith.. his family name"

 

 

personaly I think that would confuse the hell out of USCIS and the Feds on name checks for AOS.

 

As I said before she can ask people to call her whatever , sign letters in whatever name she likes, but for AOS seems like unecessary confusion, unless you can get her name on her passport changed, her visa changed, your marriage cert, etc.. to all say the same thing.

 

Can a court in the USA legally change the name of a foriegn citizen, until they they are at least a LPR ? ie Zang Pingcui to Elvis Presley, or can she do that just by marrying Joe Presley.

 

my opinion get the green card, then change it all, one step at a time.

 

JMHO

Edited September 21, 2008 by Rob & Jin (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

I think they are talking about using a english name.. ie "Jennifer "instead of her real name.

 

example Jennifer Zang instead of Zang Pingcui

 

 

not sure if they are also meaning "Jennifer smith.. his family name"

 

 

personaly I think that would confuse the hell out of USCIS and the Feds on name checks for AOS.

 

As I said before she can ask people to call her whatever , sign letters in whatever name she likes, but for AOS seems like unecessary confusion, unless you can get her name on her passport changed, her visa changed, your marriage cert, etc.. to all say the same thing.

 

my opinion get the green card, then change it all, one step at a time.

 

JMHO

Yep, family name is easy, given name tends to be a legal process.

 

My wife uses an English "nic" name because her given name is difficult for us westerners to pronounce.

[Bill & Angel]

 

 

My wife uses an English "nic" name because her given name is difficult for us westerners to pronounce.

 

Same reason why my fiancee wants to stick with the English first name. Does not pronounce as you would think looking at the pinyin, plus the tones are difficult even when you know how it should be pronounced.

 

Maybe we will go the nickname route afterall, and wait until the citizenship step.