Legal name change in US after foreign marriage with my k-1 visa applicant fiance

[abigailkhammond]

We have filed a K-1 visa and are waiting to hear back. In the meantime, we are getting legally and religiously married in Guatemala. When I come home, I want to change my last name. Will the social security office accept my foreign marriage certificate (in english) and allow for the name change if my fiance is not a legal US citizen? Would this ruin our chances at a visa? Lastly, should I just change my name without the marriage certificate??

[newacct]

We have filed a K-1 visa and are waiting to hear back. In the meantime, we are getting legally and religiously married in Guatemala. When I come home, I want to change my last name. Will the social security office accept my foreign marriage certificate (in english) and allow for the name change if my fiance is not a legal US citizen?

If you legally change your name as part of the marriage, the marriage certificate should indicate this, and it serves as a proof that your name has legally changed. With that, you should be able to update any of your documents to your new legal name. Your spouse's status is irrelevant.

Would this ruin our chances at a visa? Lastly, should I just change my name without the marriage certificate??

After your fiance gets married, they are not a fiance anymore, and would no longer qualify for K-1. You would have to file I-130 to petition them as a spouse.