My wife and I recently got married and moved in with me. She took my last name and she was told that because she did so she needs to change all her information (passport, ssn, ID, bank cards), but she doesn't know whether she can do it here, in canada, or if she would have to go back to the states.
Name change help
- Thread starter jewbob
- Start date
RobsLuv
Champion Member
- Jul 14, 2008
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- Category........
- Visa Office......
- Buffalo
- Job Offer........
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- App. Filed.......
- Original:14Mar2007; Reprocess began after appeal:26Apr2010
- Doc's Request.
- Original:9May'07; Reprocess:7May'10
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- 30Nov2010!!
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- 31Dec2010!!
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- 31Jan2011
I hope that you're aware that you need to apply to sponsor her for permanent residence, and that she has to maintain valid temporary status in Canada in order to stay here with you while waiting for that to be approved.
As far as her identification documents: she can get her passport changed by mail from within Canada by sending it, a certified original of your marriage licence, the fee, and the renewal form that's available on the US State Dept website, to the State Department. I would suggest that she send it via FedEx or some other courier so she can track the mailing. The State Dept will send it back to her in Canada - but only via regular mail, so she might want to look into sending a prepaid courier envelope with the request.
I don't know what her plans are for her bank cards and such - if she's going to maintain her US bank accounts, she probably cannot change her name on them without appearing in person. I had my banking in Canada by the time we married and I had to go into the branch and show them the original of our marriage licence. Same with my drivers' licence (which was also in Canada). I was not able to change the name on my US drivers' licence by mail.
I'm am not sure about social security - it used to be that that had to be done in person also, but some have said recently that it can now be done by mail. I don't know - I haven't changed mine yet and it's been four years. I'm not working in the States, so nothing is going towards my SSI benefits - I figure it's not that big a deal what name is on it right now and I'll change it when I get back there again.
As far as her identification documents: she can get her passport changed by mail from within Canada by sending it, a certified original of your marriage licence, the fee, and the renewal form that's available on the US State Dept website, to the State Department. I would suggest that she send it via FedEx or some other courier so she can track the mailing. The State Dept will send it back to her in Canada - but only via regular mail, so she might want to look into sending a prepaid courier envelope with the request.
I don't know what her plans are for her bank cards and such - if she's going to maintain her US bank accounts, she probably cannot change her name on them without appearing in person. I had my banking in Canada by the time we married and I had to go into the branch and show them the original of our marriage licence. Same with my drivers' licence (which was also in Canada). I was not able to change the name on my US drivers' licence by mail.
I'm am not sure about social security - it used to be that that had to be done in person also, but some have said recently that it can now be done by mail. I don't know - I haven't changed mine yet and it's been four years. I'm not working in the States, so nothing is going towards my SSI benefits - I figure it's not that big a deal what name is on it right now and I'll change it when I get back there again.
We already know all about the PR forms and such and we were hoping to send them out asap. But she saw online the forms for her passport renewal that she needed her ssn and she wasn't sure about how to go about that. She called her bank and they said she can fax the information (marriage certificate and new ssn), but if there was no problems for you over the ssn then I`m sure we can worry about everything else then. Thank you so much for your help. 