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Names change through marriage, a court order or a corrected civil record, and a family's documents often disagree as a result. The purpose of gathering them is to show how one person's records connect to each other, not to establish anyone's permission to work or study. Before the appointment, list each family member's documents, the exact name printed on each, and the record that explains any change.
Map the name that appears on every document
For each person, note the name as printed — spelling, order, hyphens and accents — on the passport, the birth record, any marriage record, previous U.S. records and school or medical files. Add the issuing authority and the date. Differences between them are common and are not by themselves a problem; the work is identifying which document links an earlier name to the current one. Records in French that are submitted to USCIS call for a full English translation with the translator's certification of accuracy, completeness and competence. Ask which items need that treatment for the procedure being considered, before ordering anything.
Keep the relationship question apart from the status question
Hypothetical example: a spouse assumes that presenting the marriage certificate after the move settles the question of working. A relationship document evidences a relationship. It does not create status and it does not authorize employment. TD status allows study but not employment, and an unpaid activity is reviewed on its specifics rather than under a blanket rule. Qualifying E and L dependent spouses are employment-authorized incident to their status, supported by proper I-94 evidence; children are a separate question. Describe what each person intends to do, and let the status analysis follow the person rather than the household.
Sequence the corrections and list the open questions
Decide which records should be corrected at their source, such as with a registrar or a passport authority, and which can be explained by a document that links the two names. Ask your representative in which order to do this, since a correction at source can take far longer than assembling an explanation. Record the dates that must be tracked: children's ages, the expiry of any current status, school terms. Ask what evidence connects a child to each parent when the child's document still carries a birth name, and avoid irreversible bookings until you know which step takes longest.
What else is on your mind?
Is a matching job title enough for TN?Can years of experience replace a degree for TN?Can my own U.S. company employ me under TN?Can my spouse work if I hold TN status?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.