Legal Question in Immigration Law in California

Is this question really in Immigration Law? What application is your wife applying for? If she's trying to get her green card, then usually at the end of the interview, the officer will ask the applicant what name she would like to use on her card. At that time she can specify what name she prefers and the green card will be produced with that name.

In non-immigration situations in the U.S., a wife who wants to use her husband's name just goes about using it in filling out her name in her daily life. There�s no form needed.

If you�re talking about a person who wants to change their name completely and not because of marriage, then that has to be done in civil court under California law, which is not an immigration matter.

Larry L. Doan

www.GuruImmigration.com

http://guruimmigration.wordpress.com (blog)

If you're asking in the immigration context, I can tell you it's very possible to do this at the green card stage or at naturalization, as a result of which her green card or naturalization certificate would have the new last name. If she has a green card but not citizenship yet, she could also file an I-90 form with the marriage certificate to get her green card in your last name.

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