FIRST Name Change - Order of Operations?

[Lee VD]

Now studying up on all the AOS phase processes. Everything in the FAQ is very clear on the last name change and is easy to accommodate, however at the same time we want to legally change her FIRST name to her chosen english name.

From what I have been able to determine, this must be done at your local courthouse with a petition for name change. I got the info, no problem. I presume we do this after we get married so we can demonstrate the last name change as well. Seems ok to do this even with no green card yet. In the state we are marrying (Florida) they don't appear to ask what your married name will be but I presume you can't change a first name at that time anyway?

She already has a Michigan state ID and SS card with her Chinese name from the time she studied in the U.S.. Very helpful... so no rush on the ID and SS card. She won't need to work or drive.

I imagine after we get the name change approved, then go get a new Washington State ID and then file for AOS referencing the new first/last name as the married name (and include a certified copy of the name change I imagine). That should get everything processed through them with the new name.

At this time can start using the new name on everything else... bank account, credit cards, etc...

But do NOT file for the name change with SS until we get the Green Card from what I read? It will go smoother if they get data from USCIS on this first?

[True Blue]

Now studying up on all the AOS phase processes. Everything in the FAQ is very clear on the last name change and is easy to accommodate, however at the same time we want to legally change her FIRST name to her chosen english name.

 

From what I have been able to determine, this must be done at your local courthouse with a petition for name change. I got the info, no problem. I presume we do this after we get married so we can demonstrate the last name change as well. Seems ok to do this even with no green card yet. In the state we are marrying (Florida) they don't appear to ask what your married name will be but I presume you can't change a first name at that time anyway?

 

She already has a Michigan state ID and SS card with her Chinese name from the time she studied in the U.S.. Very helpful... so no rush on the ID and SS card. She won't need to work or drive.

 

I imagine after we get the name change approved, then go get a new Washington State ID and then file for AOS referencing the new first/last name as the married name (and include a certified copy of the name change I imagine). That should get everything processed through them with the new name.

 

At this time can start using the new name on everything else... bank account, credit cards, etc...

 

But do NOT file for the name change with SS until we get the Green Card from what I read? It will go smoother if they get data from USCIS on this first?

 

Not to discourage you and your wife from changing her first name but please be sure you think through all of the ramifications before you do this. You will lose a bit of her "history" and "paper trail" in her records in both the USA and in China if you do this. It could be important in case of later inheritance or need to prove some other credentials like a diploma, or job reference or medical records.

 

In our case, we decided there would be less chance of something getting fouled up somewhere down the line if my wife retained her Chinese first name as her legal first name and used for everyday use an English name that sounds close to her Chinese first name. Everyone in the USA calls her by her English first name and her friends and relatives in China all know her by her Chinese first name. It's not unusual and many Americans already do it. For example Dallas Cowboys owner "Jerrah Jones" goes by "Jerry Jones"

 

It is easy to do - Li Zhang becomes Li "Lee" Zhang or "Lee" Smith if she takes an American last name, Meng Wu becomes known as "Megan" Wu if she keeps her family name. Just a thought in case you hadn't considered some of the problems a full name change could create down the road.

 

Good Luck.

TB

[warpedbored]

For AOS you can change her last name and/or middle name fairly easily. Many of our wives use their maiden name as a middle name and take our last names. First name change is not so easy. You would have to go to court and have her first name legally changed. Most people do as True Blue suggested and use her English name for everyday use but keep it legally her Chinese name. I believe the first chance you will have to legally change her name without going to court is if she becomes a US citizen. At that point she can change her name however she desires.

[dnoblett]

I am with the others on this one, my wife had no "middle" name so on our marriage license we specified her family name as "Middle" name and she took my family name. We then adjusted status using her married name. She does have an "English" first name which she uses for ease of conversation, however it is just a "nic" name not a legal name.

 

Virtual all our Chinese friends do this, and never go so far as change a given name legally.

[Lee VD]

The problem we have to deal with his that her pinyin name is not phoentic and causes a lot of problems when Americans try to pronounce it. He first name is Ruiqing ("RAY-ching") and she has taken on the english name Rachel. I already have her on various correspondence and I get calls from businesses and such which just can't figure out her name, so it is very inconvenient. It would be much smoother for her if she was able to start fresh with an english name. The history is all in China, so its a very small bridge and she will have the legal documentation to make that bridge. Her prior history in the U.S. is not so important since she was really a post-grad student. She has limited credit history and her SS# will provide that linkage.

 

The legal process in my county seems pretty simple and cheap so will just follow that route. Sounds like that's the way to do it.

 

Lee

[dnoblett]

Like you, my wife's name is very difficult to pronounce, Yu ìÏ, which is pronounced with the short falling tone western people have great difficulty with this, so my wife has an English name that she uses with , not used on any legal documents. This was simpler for us.

[weregoing]

I am very confused on this name changing stuff too. On our marriage certificate it says "Sean [my last name]" and "[her full CHINESE name], but then on the bottom of the certificate where it says "sign new legal name to go by" we filled in "Leah [my last name]". I don't understand why they ask you to sign this because what if they can't even read it? She basically printed in so that they could see it clearly.

 

So now in retrospect I'm regretting COMPLETELY changing her name but I had read that using her Chinese name as a middle name was not usually accepted by USCIS.

 

She also now has a SS# filed under her Chinese name.

 

So my question is for the AOS (all documents including I-485, I-864, I-693) should I use her full Chinese name as I have been doing before? Because that's why I have done so far and I'm sending it in tomorrow. Would it make sense to start using a completely new name on all these AOS records that the USCIS is familiar with? I don't think it would.

 

But the marriage certificate DOES have that new name and that worries me.

 

(They should really clarify this stuff in the paperwork instructions).

 

Hope I was clear and any help is appreciated.

[Randy W]

I am very confused on this name changing stuff too. On our marriage certificate it says "Sean [my last name]" and "[her full CHINESE name], but then on the bottom of the certificate where it says "sign new legal name to go by" we filled in "Leah [my last name]". I don't understand why they ask you to sign this because what if they can't even read it? She basically printed in so that they could see it clearly.

 

So now in retrospect I'm regretting COMPLETELY changing her name but I had read that using her Chinese name as a middle name was not usually accepted by USCIS.

 

She also now has a SS# filed under her Chinese name.

 

So my question is for the AOS (all documents including I-485, I-864, I-693) should I use her full Chinese name as I have been doing before? Because that's why I have done so far and I'm sending it in tomorrow. Would it make sense to start using a completely new name on all these AOS records that the USCIS is familiar with? I don't think it would.

 

But the marriage certificate DOES have that new name and that worries me.

 

(They should really clarify this stuff in the paperwork instructions).

 

Hope I was clear and any help is appreciated.

 

 

The name she puts on her AOS application will be the name shown on her green card and will be MUCH more official than her signature on the marriage certificate. Use the name she chooses to go by.

 

The application will have a space to put other aliases she has used. Not a problem.

 

No one will challenge her marriage certificate.

 

Once she has the green card, she can take that, and her marriage certificate to the SS office and get a new card in her chosen name.

[weregoing]

So, I should use her original Chinese Pinyin name on all AOS documents EXACTLY as I have done before on the I-129F and just as we did on the SS card, correct?

 

The ONLY time her English nickname (with my last name as hers also) has been written on anything official was the Marriage Certificate. (which has nothing to do with USCIS, only the local county court, BUT they will see a copy of that certificate and wonder where that name came from, possibly)

 

I am thinking it is in her best interest to fill out all AOS information just as we have done before, with her REAL name and not an English nickname plus my last night. Agreed?

 

(Thanks, btw, Randy W)

[dnoblett]

 

 

So, I should use her original Chinese Pinyin name on all AOS documents EXACTLY as I have done before on the I-129F and just as we did on the SS card, correct?

The ONLY time her English nickname (with my last name as hers also) has been written on anything official was the Marriage Certificate. (which has nothing to do with USCIS, only the local county court, BUT they will see a copy of that certificate and wonder where that name came from, possibly)

I am thinking it is in her best interest to fill out all AOS information just as we have done before, with her REAL name and not an English nickname plus my last night. Agreed?

(Thanks, btw, Randy W)

Again it is her decision, does she wish to take your family name as is common western custom, or keep her family nale as per Chinese custom??

My wife took my family name, this is how it is on her green-card, SSN card, Driver's license etc... We applied for Adjustment of Status using new married name. She kept her given name and made her family her middle name, and she toom my family name as her family name.

The documents have places for "Name on I-94" and "Other names used" these are for maiden name.

[weregoing]

 

 

So, I should use her original Chinese Pinyin name on all AOS documents EXACTLY as I have done before on the I-129F and just as we did on the SS card, correct?

The ONLY time her English nickname (with my last name as hers also) has been written on anything official was the Marriage Certificate. (which has nothing to do with USCIS, only the local county court, BUT they will see a copy of that certificate and wonder where that name came from, possibly)

I am thinking it is in her best interest to fill out all AOS information just as we have done before, with her REAL name and not an English nickname plus my last night. Agreed?

(Thanks, btw, Randy W)

Again it is her decision, does she wish to take your family name as is common western custom, or keep her family nale as per Chinese custom??

My wife took my family name, this is how it is on her green-card, SSN card, Driver's license etc... We applied for Adjustment of Status using new married name. She kept her given name and made her family her middle name, and she toom my family name as her family name.

The documents have places for "Name on I-94" and "Other names used" these are for maiden name.

Honestly neither one of us care about legal names. But it makes more sense if she uses her original name so that all names match all ID's and official documents between countries.

Would having completely different names matter when it comes to things like joint bank accounts? joint loans? etc.?

I have filled out all AOS forms with her full Chinese name just as we did for the I-129F and that entire process.

The only thing that worries me is the Oklahoma Marriage License says her Chinese name up at the top where it says "the two parties to be married are ________ and ____________" and then at the bottom of the form where it says "Please sign your new legal name" we have written something completely different (her English name "Leah" and my last name)

If it wasn't for the internet and specifically this forum, VJ, and others, I'm not sure how anyone would accomplish this task. (Think 10 years ago...hehe)

[Randy W]

That's known as an "alias". This one most likely won't show up anywhere. If it does, it might show up on her credit report as an alias.

 

I've signed a non-legal name for years (even on some legal documents). The only time anyone has insisted on my full legal name is for my bank account in China (so that it would match my passport). It's not easy to fit your full name into a space reserved for 3 Chinese characters (or even to fit it into nearby blank space).

 

Most states allow a common-law name change (I think ALL allow this after a marriage) - she simply starts using the name she choose after marriage.

 

Don't worry - your marriage is legal and will NOT be challenged. The marriage certificate is simply a piece of paper to verify that you are married - it does NOT accomplish a name change.

[Lee VD]

How about using the maiden name as the middle name? Is that commonly accepted after marriage or require a legal name change?

 

Its going to be a bit tricky for us since we are in a transition period with her new last name but old first name then want to change the first name but that will take a bit more time. I have to get her on all my insurance for work so will have to put her on with the new last name, old first name, and then change it all later. That means going back to all the doctors and changing it, etc...

 

I do think though that down the road it will make her life easier to have an easier to pronounce english name. People here really struggle with her Chinese name. The pastor had to practice it like 10 times to get it right!!

[Houzi]

Hi,

 

I'm currently in the same situation. My wife signed her English name, First and Last on our marriage certificate.

 

When we returned to the Social Security Office to get the name changed on her Social Security Card, they said they can't change both names. They stated they can only change the LAST Name, not the FIRST name.

 

So, what can we do now? I'm preparing to send in the I-485, but now, I don't know what name to use.

 

I'm mainly concerned that there could be a problem with the AOS if the name signed on the marriage certificate does not match the name used on the I-485.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks!!!

[dnoblett]

Hi,

 

I'm currently in the same situation. My wife signed her English name, First and Last on our marriage certificate.

 

When we returned to the Social Security Office to get the name changed on her Social Security Card, they said they can't change both names. They stated they can only change the LAST Name, not the FIRST name.

 

So, what can we do now? I'm preparing to send in the I-485, but now, I don't know what name to use.

 

I'm mainly concerned that there could be a problem with the AOS if the name signed on the marriage certificate does not match the name used on the I-485.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks!!!

Fill in the name as will be stated on the green-card and SSN card, (Original given name... new family name), the signature on marriage cert should NOT be an issue.

 

If you wish, you can note the marriage cert name on form G-325A "Other names used" I-485 has a line for "Name on I-94" which will be passport name "Maiden name"