Name Change After Marriage for Green Card Holders and Non-Citizens
The four-step order is the same, but non-citizens carry two extra systems — USCIS and a foreign passport — and Social Security won't change a non-citizen's name without a current immigration document. Do it in the right sequence and nothing falls out of sync.
Social Security needs your immigration document
For a non-citizen, the SS-5 must be accompanied by proof of current immigration status — a green card (I-551), an Employment Authorization Document, or an I-94 with a valid visa — plus the marriage certificate and a photo ID. The immigration document can still show your old name at this point; SSA links the two through the certificate. Do this first, as always.
USCIS: replace the green card (Form I-90)
A green card in the old name is still valid, but a mismatch with your other ID causes friction at airports, employers (I-9) and banks. File Form I-90 to replace the card with the new name; the fee is ≈ $415 online / $465 by mail (confirm at uscis.gov), and the new card takes months, so keep your certificate with the old-name card meanwhile. If you're about to naturalize, skip I-90: Form N-400 lets you request the name change and it takes effect at the oath ceremony.
Your foreign passport
The U.S. can't change a foreign passport. Contact your country's consulate — many require the marriage to be registered with them first, and some countries (Spain, Italy, Korea, China, Japan, most of Latin America) don't recognize marital surname changes at all, in which case your passport keeps your birth name and your U.S. documents can differ. That's workable, but book flights in the name on the passport you'll present, and carry the certificate to explain the difference.
Order for non-citizens
- Certified marriage certificate copies (3+).
- Social Security with immigration document.
- State driver's license (bring the immigration document; REAL ID rules apply).
- USCIS I-90 (or N-400 if naturalizing).
- Home-country passport via consulate, if your country allows it.
- Employer (update the I-9), banks, insurance — the tracker lists the rest.
Skip the forms — get them filled in 10 minutes
The Name Change Plan Packet (free — your email is the only thing we ask for) asks you the questions once, then generates your completed official forms — SS-5, the right passport form — plus notification letters for your banks and employer, and your state's exact instructions. Built entirely in your browser: your details never touch our servers.
Get the free packet →Common questions
Can a green card holder change their name after marriage?
Yes. The marriage certificate works for Social Security and the DMV; USCIS updates the card through Form I-90; naturalization applicants can change the name at the oath instead.
Do I have to replace my green card?
It stays valid in the old name, but employers, airlines and banks match names across documents. Most people file I-90 within the first year.
What if my country doesn't allow married-name changes?
Your foreign passport keeps your birth name while your U.S. documents show the married name. Carry the marriage certificate when travelling and book tickets in the passport name.
Does a name change affect my immigration case?
No — but every USCIS filing asks for all names ever used, so list both, and use the same name on all future forms.