Name Change in Passport and SSN

[softsathishr]

Hi,

Currently I'm in H1-B visa, I'm planning to change my name in my Passport, for which I'm giving news paper advertisement in India and U.S. with which I can change my name in Passport.

But I'm not sure if I need to change my name in U.S court, I'm specifically asking this because after changing the name in Passport, I need to change my Name in SSN, Driving License and in the Banks.

So could you please let me know, If I need to change my name in U.S Court to change the name in SSN, Driving License and others or Just having the name changed in Passport is enough to change it SSN, Driving License and others. Please Advice.

[rayb]

You don't need a U.S. court name change if you are legally able to use that name, i.e., married name.

To change the current SSN and driver's license names, you must have something from USCIS with the updated name (visa).

--Ray B

Hi,

Currently I'm in H1-B visa, I'm planning to change my name in my Passport, for which I'm giving news paper advertisement in India and U.S. with which I can change my name in Passport.

But I'm not sure if I need to change my name in U.S court, I'm specifically asking this because after changing the name in Passport, I need to change my Name in SSN, Driving License and in the Banks.

So could you please let me know, If I need to change my name in U.S Court to change the name in SSN, Driving License and others or Just having the name changed in Passport is enough to change it SSN, Driving License and others. Please Advice.

[softsathishr]

Name Change in Passport and SSN

Hi Ray B,

Thanks much, Actually I'm planning to remove Part of my Last Name. That is my Last Name has two name like "ZZZ YYY", so I'm planning to remove "YYY" from my Last Name, because none of my documents apart from Passport and Visa has "YYY" in it.

Also I wanted to do this as early as possible because, my H1B visa gets expired by April/2014. So If I can apply with new name all the documents will be having the new name.


So if I need to do this change in my SSN and others will it be accepted if I change my name only in Passport or Do I need to change the name through court. Please let me know.

[rayb]

What you are describing is not the same issue of "updating with a married name." If your intent is to remove a "node" from your legal name, for whatever reason, a U.S. court name change is the expected requirement for the new name version to be recognized and accepted by the Social Security Agency to change your SSN record.

--Ray B

Hi Ray B,

Thanks much, Actually I'm planning to remove Part of my Last Name. That is my Last Name has two name like "ZZZ YYY", so I'm planning to remove "YYY" from my Last Name, because none of my documents apart from Passport and Visa has "YYY" in it.

Also I wanted to do this as early as possible because, my H1B visa gets expired by April/2014. So If I can apply with new name all the documents will be having the new name.


So if I need to do this change in my SSN and others will it be accepted if I change my name only in Passport or Do I need to change the name through court. Please let me know.

[softsathishr]

What you are describing is not the same issue of "updating with a married name." If your intent is to remove a "node" from your legal name, for whatever reason, a U.S. court name change is the expected requirement for the new name version to be recognized and accepted by the Social Security Agency to change your SSN record.

--Ray B

Hi Ray B,
Thanks much, if I need court order, then I think it will be time consuming process. I say this because, for changing the name in Indian Passport I need to give Newspaper advertisement, which should be at least 30 days old and then I need to apply for Passport name change.

And I'm not sure how many days it will take for the court to give the name change judgment, I think I will be able to give the Newspaper advertisement only after the judgment comes and some counties in U.S (I live in King County, Washington State) have a rule like I should use this new name only after I give the Newspaper add after receiving the court order. So I don't want to Risk it during my Visa Extension time, because it might exceed my I-94 date, which ends in April/2014.

So I have a new question now, Can I apply for my H1B extension now and then after my extension gets approved can I change my Name in U.S court and Indian Passport and go with new Passport for Stamping. Please let me know if this can be done.

Also if I go with new Passport for stamping do I need to change the name in my I-797B and I-797A or is it not required.

Please let me know.

[rayb]

I would agree that obtaining a name change through the court process now would be too time-consuming to meet your requirements.

I can't fault your plan to do this after you receive the H1B extension.

Frankly, I think you are trying to do too much (affecting too many documents) while in the U.S. I'm sure I don't see all your reasons, but if given the "druthers," I would recommend you put off the name change steps until your visa status is over with and you return to India, or until you have Green Card status (if that is in your plans).

--Ray B

Hi Ray B,
Thanks much, if I need court order, then I think it will be time consuming process. I say this because, for changing the name in Indian Passport I need to give Newspaper advertisement, which should be at least 30 days old and then I need to apply for Passport name change.

And I'm not sure how many days it will take for the court to give the name change judgment, I think I will be able to give the Newspaper advertisement only after the judgment comes and some counties in U.S (I live in King County, Washington State) have a rule like I should use this new name only after I give the Newspaper add after receiving the court order. So I don't want to Risk it during my Visa Extension time, because it might exceed my I-94 date, which ends in April/2014.

So I have a new question now, Can I apply for my H1B extension now and then after my extension gets approved can I change my Name in U.S court and Indian Passport and go with new Passport for Stamping. Please let me know if this can be done.

Also if I go with new Passport for stamping do I need to change the name in my I-797B and I-797A or is it not required.

Please let me know.

[softsathishr]

I would agree that obtaining a name change through the court process now would be too time-consuming to meet your requirements.

I can't fault your plan to do this after you receive the H1B extension.

Frankly, I think you are trying to do too much (affecting too many documents) while in the U.S. I'm sure I don't see all your reasons, but if given the "druthers," I would recommend you put off the name change steps until your visa status is over with and you return to India, or until you have Green Card status (if that is in your plans).

--Ray B

Hi Ray B,

Thanks again, Today I enquired about the name change in my County Court in U.S and they said its just a one day process and I can get the name change done within a day and also I can start using the name the same day, this answer made my life little easy now.

Now my question is that, I need to give the news paper advertisement to get my name changed in the passport. When I enquired with one of Indian newspaper they said they would require Affidavit to do the name change advertisement, now I'm not sure if I need to get the Affidavit from India or from U.S.

If I need to get the Affidavit from India, is there any way that I can get it without going to India, if I get the Affidavit without traveling to India will the Indian Embassy accept it or is it ok, if I get the Affidavit in U.S and give it to Indian newspaper company and give the same Affidavit to Indian Embassy and apply for name change in Passport.

Please advice

[rayb]

Acceptance of your affidavit, when sent outside the U.S., may require the notary authority to be authenticated first, by an "apostille" or notary certification by the State or local government agency (usually, county) of the legitimacy of the notary authority.

I'm surprised that your county "name change" procedure can be accomplished so fast. Here in California, the process can take weeks (maybe due to backed up court scheduling).

--Ray B

Hi Ray B,

Thanks again, Today I enquired about the name change in my County Court in U.S and they said its just a one day process and I can get the name change done within a day and also I can start using the name the same day, this answer made my life little easy now.

Now my question is that, I need to give the news paper advertisement to get my name changed in the passport. When I enquired with one of Indian newspaper they said they would require Affidavit to do the name change advertisement, now I'm not sure if I need to get the Affidavit from India or from U.S.

If I need to get the Affidavit from India, is there any way that I can get it without going to India, if I get the Affidavit without traveling to India will the Indian Embassy accept it or is it ok, if I get the Affidavit in U.S and give it to Indian newspaper company and give the same Affidavit to Indian Embassy and apply for name change in Passport.

Please advice