clarification on fees for name change?

[humblestudent]

Hi all,

 

My wife wants to change her last name to take on mine.

 

We've been married about a year, and have another year before we remove the conditions on her green card.

 

Reading some other threads, it mentions that there's a fee if i wanted to change her name. Does anyone know how much this fee is?

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...l=changing+name

 

Or should I wait until it's time to remove the conditions on her green card and do it then. I'm assuming during this period, there's no fee?

 

Thanks in advance.

[dnoblett]

Correct, file I-751 (To remove conditions) using married name. The resulting 10 years card should then have married name.

I-751 part 1 will show new married name, and part 3 "Other names used" will show name that is on current 2 year green-card "Maiden Name"

 

 

To change name now will require filing I-90 and paying a $370 fee.

 

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

Edited December 16, 2009 by dnoblett (see edit history)

[celiothrkn]

You are also eligible for a free (as in free beer) name change if your spouse decides to pursue naturalization... if you're willing to wait a few years.

[dnoblett]

You are also eligible for a free (as in free beer) name change if your spouse decides to pursue naturalization... if you're willing to wait a few years.

Does not need to go that long, they can do it when the file to remove conditions next year when they file their I-751

[celiothrkn]

By the way Dan, could the I-751 be used to change the first & last name to a "more American" given name & family name?

[dnoblett]

By the way Dan, could the I-751 be used to change the first & last name to a "more American" given name & family name?

Should be that way now.

 

The forms indicate Given, Family. My wife's given name is Yu and it is this way on her Green-card, we did make her family name Yang her "Middle" name and she took my Family name as hers.

 

But yes you can correct this when you file I-751, it does say Name on part 1, and "Other Names Used" in part 3

[celiothrkn]

After Yu added her middle name & changed her last name & received her 10-year green card, you guys went to the SSA to get a new SS card? Did anyone at SSA give you any problems? I imagine it was a smooth process since it's a common occurrence for SSA.

 

Although this is the part I'm worried about: we're filing CR1, and after my wife arrives in the US, she will be given a green card according to the name on her Chinese passport, which is still in her maiden name. But our marriage certificate is from Hong Kong, and it was registered under her maiden name. So when she changes her name when she removes conditions, our green card and SS card will be updated. But the name on our marriage certificate from Hong Kong stays the same...

 

Is that a valid concern? I'm guessing nobody's going to check our marriage certificate anyways, and most local authorities will just look at her green card or SS card for identification. Should we register our marriage with my state? Is that even possible?

 

Also, our son's birth certificate has my wife's maiden name on it. Will that present any problems? It's actually a Consular Report of Birth Abroad that we got from the US Embassy in Beijing.

Edited December 17, 2009 by celiothrkn (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

After Yu added her middle name & changed her last name & received her 10-year green card, you guys went to the SSA to get a new SS card? Did anyone at SSA give you any problems? I imagine it was a smooth process since it's a common occurrence for SSA.

 

Although this is the part I'm worried about: we're filing CR1, and after my wife arrives in the US, she will be given a green card according to the name on her Chinese passport, which is still in her maiden name. But our marriage certificate is from Hong Kong, and it was registered under her maiden name. So when she changes her name when she removes conditions, our green card and SS card will be updated. But the name on our marriage certificate from Hong Kong stays the same...

 

Is that a valid concern? I'm guessing nobody's going to check our marriage certificate anyways, and most local authorities will just look at her green card or SS card for identification. Should we register our marriage with my state? Is that even possible?

 

Also, our son's birth certificate has my wife's maiden name on it. Will that present any problems? It's actually a Consular Report of Birth Abroad that we got from the US Embassy in Beijing.

SSA wont give you any problems.

 

However In our case my wife entered the USA on a K-1, we married and had her name arranged this way on the marriage cert, and then applied for her first SSN card using married name, the office we used had no issue with this. Her 2 Year CR-Green-card, SSN, and D.L. All show her name as "Given" "Maiden" "Family". Only her Chinese Passport shows maiden name, not an issue, simply book international air tickets in maiden name.