Marriage Certificate and name change

e_jakiela

Hi Ladies. How soon after your wedding did you get your marriage certificates? And, how long did it take you to change your name? Did you do it yet?

I am here on a work visa and wanted to start my green card process as soon as possible, but this waiting is killing me.  If you don't remember, our priest messed up our paperwork, so three weeks after our wedding, when we came back home, we found out that the process could take another week... well, it's been a week and still no certificate   I really want to change my name already!

tinydancer842

As soon as we got back from the HM DH went to go get our license, but the town said "they never received it" aka the misfiled it & he had to go back the next day to get it. The next week I took a 1/2 day from work and went to the SS office & DMV. I got my new SS card in the mail last week. I also looked up online how to change my name on my credit cards/utility statements & did that. One lunch break I headed over to my bank to change my name. At work I had to fill out some paperwork too. It's a slow moving process, but I can see a light at the end of the tunnel! 

srveatch

I think how quick you receive it will depend on your locality.  We received ours about a week after the wedding.  I went and had my name changed at the Social Security office one morning and plan on going to the DMV soon.  I haven't tackled work and credit cards yet.

beach11

DH and I got everything done the Monday after our wedding.  We were able to take our signed license to town hall and get the certificate within minutes.  From there we went (we meaning DH came with me so I didn't have to go by myself) to the SSA office then the DMV.  We had a week and a half before we left for our HM, so we wanted to get everything taken care of first!

alexilyse

DH went to pick up our certificate (and 2 official copies) one day last week.  Chicago doesn't automatically send them out.  I went to the SS office today.  I am going to the DMV tomorrow after work, and I will go to my bank on Thursday after work.  Then begins the long process of credit cards, utilities, student loans...

It is exciting though, because I have been using my new name at work since I came back from my honeymoon and now it will actually be legal! 

louieblue

We got married on the 14th and got back from the honeymoon on the 21st.  Our marriage certificate was in the mailbox and was postmarked on the 18th, I think, so it was pretty fricken fast.  Which I wasn't expecting.  I went that Monday after the HM to get my name changed at the Social Security Admin and then the next day to get my license changed.  My new SS card came in the mail a few days later.  So I was done changing over my name within the week. 

e_jakiela

I am jealous. It's quite a slow time at work and I could be doing all the name-changing activities, but instead all I can do is silently hate our priest and wait

louieblue

Did he even turn the marriage license into the county clerk's?  Seriously, can't he be fined if he doesn't?  That's a bunch of bull and I hate it for you that others are dragging their feet.

e_jakiela

When we came back from honeymoon - September 7, we called them immediately and found out they have been sitting on the license because it was missing information. They gave me attitude for being away so long (3 weeks) and for not noticing that informations has been missing.  I told them that I am not the one marrying three couples a week, and I trusted they knew what they were doing (sorta this way, but nicer).  They said they would send it on Tuesday last week, and that I should have the Certificate in 5-7 days.  Ok, now that I think about it, today is the 7th day.  I will leave it till Friday, if we don't have it.... I will think about what I will do in the meantime!

Thank you ladies. It's so cool to still come around and vent and the same familiar faces are always there to tell you it's going to be OK

aweilba

Our certificate came about 5 days after our wedding, but we live in the same city that processes the marriage certificates for our county.  I went to the social security office located in our county the day after our certificate came in the mail, and my new SS card made it about a week later.  I haven't taken care of tackling the bank and the CC companies yet; I don't even know how to go about dealing with changing it on my CCs.

MollySm

I've been such a slacker about this!  I just assumed they would send us our license, and then when it didn't show I was so busy with work nonsense I haven't had a minute to sit and look it up.  I guess I'll have to buy a copy (grrr) and get it sent here, and then get to work on changing my name.  Better get on that....

lexiarein

Our license was 3-part. The part we keep, the part the pastor kept, and a part that got sent into the county. So what we got when we went to apply for our license we got to keep. All I needed was the part we kept and my old SS card and I went to the SS office and the BMV both on the same day and got my new name.

rbtrumpet

(only read first post)

 

I found out in MD that they actually DON'T send you a certified copy - you have to go in, request it, and pay.  We have a "recipt" for the license that we got when we bought our license, but that's all they give us.

Stupid.

 (I'm upset - I just found this out yesterday after waiting almost 3 weeks for my marriage license to come in).

 

Luckily I'm not changing my name until after our honeymoon (Oct) - but I do need something so I can add DH on to my health benefits at work

jle625

I thought I would just drop our paper work off to speed up the process and when I went in the lady asked if I had a minute and I said sure and walked out with it 5 mins later. Perks of a small town I guess. I STILL havent changed my license! Everytime I make arrangements to go something crazy comes up! SS was easy too it took around a week to get my new card. I love clocking in at work and it says my new name corny I know...

CrissyH

In VA here-   we were told when we applied for the license that our officiant had to return it signed within a week of the wedding and then we could either mail in a request (and pay) for a copy or come back to the court house to buy a copy.  

I took a day off last week and got our copies and went to the DMV and my bank.   (our SS office is only open the 4th Thurs of the month from 9-1, now THAT is inconvienent!)   I was able to do my name change at work though and on the bills.   So all i have left is the SS card. 

It feels good to have my new name.     (i had never changed back to my maiden name after my divorce in 2006, so I was excited to get rid of that name!)