You got married, and one of you is changing their last name. On a visa, that touches your passport, visa, I-94, Social Security record, license and USCIS file. Done in the wrong order, it creates mismatches that slow everything down.
As of November 2, 2026, here's a practical order and the rules behind each step.
- The Indian embassy reissues passports when you need a change in details.
- SSA accepts a marriage document as evidence of a new last name derived from the spouses' names.
- SSA also needs evidence of identity linking your old and new names.
- Green card holders change their name on Form I-90 with registered legal documents.
- SAVE says a name change may require updating your DHS immigration record.
- REAL ID applicants must show name traceability between documents.
Step 1: Your passport
Start here, because your visa and US records are tied to it. The Embassy of India in Washington lists passport reissue when "you require a Change in Details on your existing passport," through an online application and VFS Global (Embassy of India, Passport Services). Our guide to H-1B visa stamping covers getting a visa in the new passport if you need one. Our guide to renewing an Indian passport in the US covers the passport process itself.
Your existing US visa stays valid in the old passport. The visa rules say an unexpired visa remains valid "even if the passport in which the visa is stamped has expired," as long as you hold a valid passport from your country (22 CFR 41.112(b)(3), eCFR). Carry your marriage certificate when the names differ.
Step 2: Social Security
SSA accepts a marriage document for a new last name. Its manual says to "accept a name change document based on marriage" as "evidence of the new name to be shown on the card, if the new name can be derived from the document," including when a spouse "takes the other parties' last name" or uses a "compound name (with or without hyphen)" (SSA POMS RM 10212.055).
SSA also needs proof linking old and new names. It requires evidence of "the name change event," "new name," and "number holder's identity as shown on the latest Numident record" (SSA POMS RM 10212.015). H-4 spouses without an SSN can skip this step.
Step 3: DHS and USCIS records
SAVE, the system DMVs and other agencies use to check status, is where a mismatch shows up. USCIS says: "If you change your name or other information, you may need to update your immigration record with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)" (USCIS, SAVE for Benefit and License Applicants). For future H-1B, H-4 or green card filings, use your current legal name and include the marriage certificate.
Green card holders file Form I-90. USCIS says you must replace your card if "you have legally changed your name or other biographic information on the card since you last received your card" (USCIS, Replace Your Green Card). The instructions require documents "registered with the proper civil authority" (USCIS, Instructions for Form I-90). Our guide to fixing a green card's name or details covers the I-90 filing.
Step 4: Driver's license
States need a paper trail. TSA's REAL ID guidance says "the applicant should demonstrate name traceability, i.e., a connection between the name presented on the source document and the name requested to be on the issued document" (TSA, REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions).
What about the marriage certificate itself?
Make sure it's registered. The I-90 rule asks for registered documents, and the Embassy of India says Indian documents such as marriage certificates that US authorities require "should be apostilled in India" (Embassy of India, Miscellaneous Consular Services). If you married in India and the marriage was never registered with the civil authority, sort that out before you start changing names. Our guide to apostilles between India and the US explains which country stamps which document.
What this means for you
- Update your passport first.
- Then Social Security, with your marriage certificate and identity documents.
- Use your new legal name in future USCIS filings and include the certificate.
- Green card holders file Form I-90.
- Carry the marriage certificate until every record matches.
Where to start
Marriage is also a good time to think about which spouse's record is strongest for a green card. Our guide to which spouse should be the principal applicant explains the choice. Our free evaluation at /evaluate/ checks whether EB-1A or the NIW fits, and Frank, our AI assistant at /frank, helps you build the evidence. Petitions are reviewed and filed by our partner law firm, Lai & Turner.
Sources
All checked November 2, 2026.
- Embassy of India, Washington DC, Passport Services. Reissue for change in details.
- 22 CFR 41.112 (eCFR, current text). Visa in an old passport.
- SSA POMS RM 10212.055. New name based on marriage.
- SSA POMS RM 10212.015. Name change evidence requirements.
- USCIS, SAVE for Benefit and License Applicants. Updating DHS records.
- USCIS, Replace Your Green Card and Instructions for Form I-90. Name changes for green card holders.
- TSA, REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions. Name traceability.
- Embassy of India, Washington DC, Miscellaneous Consular Services. Apostilles for Indian documents.
Frequently asked questions
What should I update first after changing my name?
Usually your passport, since your visa, I-94 and many US records are built on it. The Embassy of India in Washington lists passport reissue when you require a change in details on your existing passport. Then update Social Security and other records using the new passport and your marriage certificate.
What does Social Security accept for a name change after marriage?
SSA accepts a marriage document as evidence of the new last name if the name can be derived from it, such as one spouse taking the other's last name or a hyphenated combination. SSA also needs evidence of your identity that links the old and new names. Bring your marriage certificate and an identity document.
Do I need to update USCIS after a name change on H-1B or H-4?
USCIS's SAVE program says that if you change your name or other information, you may need to update your immigration record with DHS. For future filings, use your current legal name and include the marriage certificate. Ask your employer's attorney how to reflect it in your next H-1B or H-4 filing.
How do green card holders change their name?
On Form I-90. USCIS says you must replace your green card if you've legally changed your name since it was issued. The I-90 instructions require legal name change documents, such as a marriage certificate, registered with the proper civil authority. The general I-90 fee applies.
Will a name mismatch cause problems at the DMV?
It can. TSA's REAL ID guidance says applicants should demonstrate name traceability, a connection between the name on their source document and the name on the license, and that states choose the documents for this. Carry your marriage certificate when your passport and other documents show different names.
Green Card Guide AI is not a law firm and this article is not legal advice. It describes evidence-building strategy in general terms; your attorney determines what belongs in your petition and how it's argued.
