British Expatriate Network

I have a bit of a unique problem (or, maybe it's not that unique, LOL) that I would like anybody's informed opinion on. Here's my deal:

Nov. 2002: Came over to USA to visit.
March 2003: Got married unexpectedly, changed name to married name.
March 2003: Applied for AOS, got Conditional Permanent Resident Card, SS card.
2003-2005 - Lived happily in USA, following all USCIS guidelines about my next filing date.
Nov. 2005: Applied for the Removal of Conditions.
Jan. 2006: Application to Remove Conditions was approved and received my new Permanent Green Card.
May 2006: Sadly, marriage to USC husband broke down, got divorced.
Changed name on SS card to my maiden name. Kept married name on Green Card. Continued living/working in the U.S.
March 2008: Got married to my wonderful husband. Changed name to new married name. Went to SS office to get them to change my name on my SS card to my new married name.

HERE COME THE PROBLEMS.

Social Security NOW tell me that "because of new restrictions in place", they cannot simply change my name on my Social Security card without first sending the authorization to do so through the USCIS. I expressed my surprise to the SS and told them about how the last time I changed my name on my SS card it took all of 14 days. They told me that there were new regulations brought into effect recently which govern aliens changing their names on their green cards.

Result:

I am now 32 days past applying for my new SS card and still no new card. I called my local SS office and spoke to the lady who served me the day I came in to submit my name change. She has told me that the USCIS has requested copies of my marriage certificate etc. from them, and that USCIS will not authorize my name change on my SS card until they see the documents that she sent them. She told me that this is IF they authorize my name change on my SS card. She told me they might even CALL me. She asked me if I had changed my name with the USCIS - to which I answered of course not.

Has anybody had any sort of trouble like this before???

Also - any idea why the USCIS have strict stipulations about informing them within 10 days of a change in address - and yet no stipulations as far as informing them of name changes?

Confused.

TT

When we adopted out daughter from Guatemala, she came in on a visa under her original birth name. Afterwards, we changed her name legally here in Ohio, and to get her social security card correctly, we had to send the USCIS the certificate of legal name change (actually it was a second birth certificate issued for her from Ohio) along with the green card with her original name.

I wasn't really a big deal, we just went to the social security office with all the correct documents and they faxed them all to the USCIS. We got the SS card about 2 weeks later.

I think it all depends on which SS agent takes care of you. Thankfully this one was friendly.

Well, I'm god-knows-how-many-days past applying to the SS for my new SS card, now......and still nothing. No phonecalls, now new card in the mail - nothing.

Thoughts?