Green Card Application – maiden or husband’s last name?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Green Card Application – maiden or husband’s last name?

I am about to fill all the forms for the Green Card application process. I don’t know what I should enter as my last family name. I want to use my husband’s last name but I do not have any documents with my new last name. Should I go to my consulate and change my passport first or should I use my husband’s name as mine? The marriage certificate doesn’t state that I changed my name. I am on B2 visa and I cannot apply for an ID or a driver’s license change with the certificate.

Asked on September 13, 2017 under Immigration Law, Illinois

Answers:

SB Member California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 6 years ago | Contributor

If you are married and your reason for wanting to change your name is because of marriage, you do not need anything to show the new name.  You just start using the new name and change all the documents, one by one, to the new name. In some places, you will need to present a copy of the marriage certificate in order to do that.  Once you have some documents in the new name, you can also change it in your passport.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption