Name change during naturalization in San Francisco

[kmills 3]

San Francisco no longer will change your name during the naturalization process, like it is done everywhere else in a country. And if you want to change it after the Oath Ceremony, you have to pay $345 to USCIS to change it to your new name on the naturalization certificate.

So what you want to do is as soon as you apply for your citizenship, go the the court, such as California Superior Court at 400 McAllister St, San Francisco. I suggest filling out and printing the application ahead of time (make sure you make two copies of everything), the link to the application is here http://www.sfsuperiorcourt.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/Name%20Change%20Packet--October%202012.pdf. And if you are not sure what something means, just leave it blank, they will tell you what to put at the court. At the court, you need to go to Civil New Filings.

Legally changing your name costs like $450 in court fees, but you can ask for a fee waiver. If you automatically do not qualify, you can have a hearing set with a judge who will hear your petition.

When you file a petition, they will set up a hearing day (or two if you need the fee waived). The earliest one was in 60 days, that is why it's important to do it ahead of a time.

For the judge to grant your petition, you need a proof that your gave a legal notice in a newspaper for four consecutive weeks. They will gave you the list of approved newspapers. I thought The Recorder was the best, here is a link http://www.law.com/jsp/ca/index.jsp. You don't have to physically go there. They charge you $45 (or $38 if you filed for a fee waiver, note, they don't need a proof that you got it, just that you filed for it). So all you need to do is email publicnotice@therecorder.com your Notice of Hearing and the front page of the fee waiver application (if you applied). Call them after you email at 415-490-9964. And tell that you just emailed the info, they will let you pay over the phone via credit card. They will even send confirmation directly to the court. This was the only hassle free transaction in this whole nightmare.

Once the judge grants you that petition, you need to bring it with you to your citizenship interview. This way nothing gets delayed.

For me, I had to learn it the hard way, which is why I am making this post. I did not know until the interview and had to make a million trips between the courthouse and immigration, and had to delay my Oath Ceremony. And do not change anything to your new name until you go for your interview, otherwise it will create problems. Just get that piece of paper from the judge.

If you find yourself in my shoes and realize it too late at the interview that they don't change names, just go the court, get the ball rolling, go back to the immigration, give them a copy of the proof that you filed for a name change, and ask them to add it to your file and not to send it for the Oath Ceremony until you have it changed. Unless you just want to give up and keep the old one.

So good luck. I hope this helps somebody. Excuse any typos, I did not have energy to proofread it.

[Autumnal 25]

Wow, they seriously won't? Is it a volume issue or a money grab? I'd be pretty ticked off if I applied for something that every other outpost of USCIS does.