change of the first name on the green card!

[vasi 0]

hi there! I got married in usa and I changed my first name that I used to have, beside the fact that i choose my husband last name. so previous name was cornelia antoneta bush but after marriage is antoneta smith. so instead of picking all the name I only choosed middle name and my husband last name. Now because romanian embassy won't allow me get a passport with a different first name, I need to change my name on the green card. I want to have cornelia antoneta smith. what's the easiest way to do that? I also could apply for naturalization in may. thank you!!

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Wait until you file for citizenship. You will be able to change your name for free then.

If you feel you cannot wait, file an I-90. It will cost $450.

Edited September 26, 2011 by Jay-Kay

[Jojo92122 1,924]

hi there! I got married in usa and I changed my first name that I used to have, beside the fact that i choose my husband last name. so previous name was cornelia antoneta bush but after marriage is antoneta smith. so instead of picking all the name I only choosed middle name and my husband last name. Now because romanian embassy won't allow me get a passport with a different first name, I need to change my name on the green card. I want to have cornelia antoneta smith. what's the easiest way to do that? I also could apply for naturalization in may. thank you!!

You have only one legal way to change your first name. You need a court order. You can go to court now. Alternatively, you can wait until naturalization. You can only change your first name when you naturalize if your oath is given at a court. You can ask the court to change your first name at that time.

You can change your last name to your husband's with just your marriage certificate. If you want to change your first name, you need a court order.

http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/M-476.pdf

Congress did not give the USCIS legal authority to change a person's name when that person naturalizes. Therefore, there are only two ways that the USCIS can issue your Certificate of Naturalization under a new name:

(1) If you present proof that you have already changed your name according to the legal requirements that apply to persons living in your State, the USCIS can issue the Certificate of Naturalization with your new name. Such proof might include a marriage certificate or divorce decree showing that you changed your name when you married or divorced. It might also include some other State court order establishing that you changed your name.

(2) If you are going to take the Oath of Allegiance at a Naturalization Ceremony that is held in Court, you may ask the Court to change your name. If the Court grants your request, your new name will appear on your Certificate of Naturalization. You cannot change your name if you choose to have your Oath of Allegiance at a USCIS office.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5147926_change-first-name-legally.html

How to Change Your First Name Legally

By Vivian Pearson, eHow Contributor

To change your first name legally, you must ask the permission of the court and obtain an order granting your request. This order will allow you to change your name on your birth certificate, passport, tax documents, will, or any other legally binding document that lists your name.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1

Draft a petition for name change. In order to change your first name legally, you will need to file a petition for name change with the court in the jurisdiction where you reside.

2

State your reasons for wanting to change your first name. Your petition will need to outline your reasons, as well as certify that you are not changing your name to evade debts or other legal obligations.

3

File the petition with the court in the jurisdiction where you reside. After you have completed your petition for name change, you will need to file it with the clerk of the court. The court will charge a filing fee that must be paid at the time you submit your petition.

4

Attend the court hearing on your name change. Once you have filed your petition, the court will assign you a hearing date. At your hearing, the judge will examine your petition and make a determination on whether your name change will be granted.

5

Request a new birth certificate reflecting your new first name. You will do this after the court approves your name change and you receive a court order legally changing your name.

6

Use your birth certificate to get a new driver's license, Social Security Card, and passport. With your new birth certificate, you will be able to request new identifying documents that list your newly changed first name.

Tips & Warnings

The clerk of the court can provide you with a sample petition for name change that you can use as a template.

Edited September 26, 2011 by Jojo92122

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/M-476.pdf

Congress did not give the USCIS legal authority to change a person's name when that person naturalizes. Therefore, there are only two ways that the USCIS can issue your Certificate of Naturalization under a new name:

(1) If you present proof that you have already changed your name according to the legal requirements that apply to persons living in your State, the USCIS can issue the Certificate of Naturalization with your new name. Such proof might include a marriage certificate or divorce decree showing that you changed your name when you married or divorced. It might also include some other State court order establishing that you changed your name.

(2) If you are going to take the Oath of Allegiance at a Naturalization Ceremony that is held in Court, you may ask the Court to change your name. If the Court grants your request, your new name will appear on your Certificate of Naturalization. You cannot change your name if you choose to have your Oath of Allegiance at a USCIS office.

Like many USCIS publications, that needs to be changed. The N-400 name change only needs to be reviewed and approved by a judge. It doesn't have to occur in a Courthouse. Court refers to a Federal Judge in this case, not a physical location. Such name changes are routine.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

hi there! I got married in usa and I changed my first name that I used to have, beside the fact that i choose my husband last name. so previous name was cornelia antoneta bush but after marriage is antoneta smith. so instead of picking all the name I only choosed middle name and my husband last name. Now because romanian embassy won't allow me get a passport with a different first name, I need to change my name on the green card. I want to have cornelia antoneta smith. what's the easiest way to do that? I also could apply for naturalization in may. thank you!!

I'm sorry but after marriage I doubt your name is changed like you said. changing the first name usually requires a court order. Double check the rules in your state. You will either need to:

1. Get a court order to change your first name, file and I-90 (and pay $450) to change your GC

2. Wait till naturalization (if you're doing it) when it will take care of both of those.

Importantly though, again, I doubt that you ACTUALLY changed your first name and you should check the rules of your state so that you don't go trying to change a bunch of documents just to find out it's not a legal change and have to change it back.

Personally I would put your documents in your married name (changing only your husbands last name), and write that on legal forms but tell people that you prefer to be called Antoneta. Then come N-400 time i would make the legal change there. It will save a lot of hassle.

[Brian si Alina 0]

Hi,

I'm wondering what the outcome of this story is. We are in a situation with the Romanian consulate in NY- she changed her family name to be her middle name, and my family name as her family name. We tried to register our marriage in Romania as is required within 6 months, and they wouldn't accept our marriage certificate as valid because you are not allowed to use/move your family name as a middle name after the marriage.

Did you register your marriage? Were you able to renew your passport just with the greencard? Or, as the thread implies, was your name considered not to be changed by the marriage certificate? Basically, how did you resolve that they would not accept your changed first name?

Many thanks for any thoughts

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Hi,

I'm wondering what the outcome of this story is. We are in a situation with the Romanian consulate in NY- she changed her family name to be her middle name, and my family name as her family name. We tried to register our marriage in Romania as is required within 6 months, and they wouldn't accept our marriage certificate as valid because you are not allowed to use/move your family name as a middle name after the marriage.

Did you register your marriage? Were you able to renew your passport just with the greencard? Or, as the thread implies, was your name considered not to be changed by the marriage certificate? Basically, how did you resolve that they would not accept your changed first name?

Many thanks for any thoughts

Many countries have these "requirements", however, unless she plans to go back to Romania before she becomes a US Citizen, these so called requirements can be ignored. She is only subject to Romanian law while she is in Romania, and only then, to the extent the requirements apply to Romanian citizens. What you can do is report your marriage to the Romanian Consulate, and obtain a document called an "Affidavit of One and The Same Person" to make your marriage license, Green Cared and all Romanian documents (and passport) relate so there is less confusion. See if the Consulate is willing to do it that way. You will probably have to go to the consulate than\t services your area, and if you don't their answer, try another consulate.

We had the same problem with the Philippines consulate for Americanizing the wife's first name on her Green Card.

Edited December 17, 2011 by Crusty Old Perv

[Brian si Alina 0]

Many countries have these "requirements", however, unless she plans to go back to Romania before she becomes a US Citizen, these so called requirements can be ignored. She is only subject to Romanian law while she is in Romania, and only then, to the extent the requirements apply to Romanian citizens. What you can do is report your marriage to the Romanian Consulate, and obtain a document called an "Affidavit of One and The Same Person" to make your marriage license, Green Cared and all Romanian documents (and passport) relate so there is less confusion. See if the Consulate is willing to do it that way. You will probably have to go to the consulate than\t services your area, and if you don't their answer, try another consulate.

We had the same problem with the Philippines consulate for Americanizing the wife's first name on her Green Card.

-----------

It's true, most of the people we talk to (romanian K1's) have no intention of registering their marriage anytime soon. Our concern about adhering to the "requirements" is that she is in no rush to become a USC, hopes to keep her RO passport (meaning renewing in the future), to register any possible children as RO citizens (EU passport!), and yes, she intends to travel regularly back to Romania. Additionally, if she lost her passport now, she not be able to get a replacement. We have no intention of burning that bridge if one day we might choose to live in Europe as well. Most or all of these actions require that we are properly registered. I think we witnessed the consequences at the consulate the other day, people spending days(!) at the consulate trying to get adult children registered as citizens, or changing a passport to a married name etc. So we figure work on it while we have the time (her passport has years before it expires, so no immediate rush).

Thanks very much for your suggestion about one and the same- that at least resolves some questions we had about RO accepting a US name change (if they wouldn't accept our marriage certificate, then we would have no way to change her name in RO, which makes traveling with children difficult). It was my original understanding that a US name change (court order) was not accepted in other countries, but reading through the forums and with the type of filing you are suggesting I guess I was wrong. I'm curious though, who is eligible for a name change, as I read elsewhere in the forums it's only possible after having a greencard. RO also has a process to accept foreign judgements, so that also may be a route.

I'm probably going to start a new thread on our situation...