Changing step-daughter's name in koseki
Paulrus
doesn't show my posts even though they make it to usenet.
My wife's daughter has come to live with us in the US and we are beginning the
process of filling out the various BCIS forms. But I was wondering
what we should do about her last name. Right now her last name is my
wife's maiden name - but we want it to be the same as ours.
How can we go about changing her name? Is that something that can be
done via the immigration process or will it have to be changed
afterwords? (and if so, will she immediately have to apply for a new
greencard since her's will have her former name on it?)
Just not sure what to do. We called the Japanese Embassy and they say
I have to adopt her first. The adoption agencies say they aren't sure
if we have to go through BCIS first or not - they've only had
experience adopting children who were abandoned on medical visas.
BCIS says "huh?" (ok, actually I never could get anyone on the phone
to answer my questions, so I don't know what the BCIS says).
Any thoughts on where to go? This is an incredibly confusing
situation for what seemed to be a very simple one - getting my
stepdaughter's last name changed.
Thanks
Paul
Ryan Ginstrom
"Paulrus" <6oo2...@sneakemail.com> wrote in message
news:733c8a12.03090...@posting.google.com...
> My wife's daughter has come to live with us in the US and we are beginning
the
> process of filling out the various BCIS forms. But I was wondering
> what we should do about her last name. Right now her last name is my
> wife's maiden name - but we want it to be the same as ours.
>
> How can we go about changing her name? Is that something that can be
> done via the immigration process or will it have to be changed
> afterwords? (and if so, will she immediately have to apply for a new
> greencard since her's will have her former name on it?)
First, I assume your step daughter is still a minor. If so, then her name
would almost certainly change when her mother's does.
Did your wife by any chance leave her name as-is in Japan, and change it in
the US only? This is pretty common, and would explain why your daughter's
name wasn't changed.
If this is the situation, I believe you could also have your step daughter's
name changed in the US only as well, leaving her Japanese name as it is.
Changing one's name is fairly easy in the United States. I suggest you call
your local city hall or county court to ask about it.
--
Regards,
Ryan Ginstrom
Paulrus
My wife changed her name in her koseki to match mine but left her
daughters alone. Her daughter (a minor) was still living in Japan at
the time. Now she has come to live with us and we would like her name
to match the rest of the family.
From what we've found, my wife's family can go to their city hall and
get the correct forms. When my wife changed her name, but didn't
change her daughters it created a new koseki for her daughter. Now
she has to apply for her daughter to be moved onto her koseki with her
new name - thus changing her daughter's name.
Does this sound right?
Thanks
Paul
Ryan Ginstrom
> daughters alone. Her daughter (a minor) was still living in Japan at
> the time. Now she has come to live with us and we would like her name
> to match the rest of the family.
In that case, I think you will need to make a trip to Japan, to have your
wife to the transaction in person at city hall. Maybe you could do it from
the embassy, and I would definitely try that first, but it sounds like
you've had no joy with that route so far.
Or, you could call your local city hall in the States and ask about changing
your daughter's name here. Since (I assume) neither your wife or daughter
are citizens, there might be some difficulties, but you could at least check
into it.
--
Regards,
Ryan Ginstrom