How does name change work?

[slowlyman 118]

Jin is tossing around the idea of Americanizing her name. How is the name change done, and what all is effected?

I'm guessing she would need to change her passport and SSC. What about the AOS paperwork? Marriage certificate?

[jkelly07 120]

if you don't need it right away.wait until time for citizenship time-,name change you have one last chance to do a name change for free and that is at the naturalization stage on the form n-400 it ask if you want a name change most times their is a judge at the oath ceremony federal judge.

[Andy and Pui 16]

Pui changed her name when she got married and you can change the name then. When you fill out the AOS forms it will ask about pervious names used and enter in her maiden name. Her Thai passport still has her maiden name in it and whenever she leaves the country she has to bring along a certified copy of our marriage license with her for when she enters the US. I think Karee can explain this better then I but if she were to own land in Thailand she is not going to want to have a foreign last name because foreigners cannot own land in Thailand

[slowlyman 118]

Pui changed her name when she got married and you can change the name then. When you fill out the AOS forms it will ask about pervious names used and enter in her maiden name. Her Thai passport still has her maiden name in it and whenever she leaves the country she has to bring along a certified copy of our marriage license with her for when she enters the US. I think Karee can explain this better then I but if she were to own land in Thailand she is not going to want to have a foreign last name because foreigners cannot own land in Thailand

It takes more then a name change to make her a foreigner doesn't it? She will still be a Thai citizen regardless of her name.

[Juan & Nan 12]

It is not as easy to change your name in the US as it is in Thailand. Even after you go through the court to change her name, it will only make the immigration process more complicated. If I was you, I would wait until she gets her US citizenship, it is easy then to change her name not to mention that she won't have to deal with inmigration again.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Change last name to match hubby's. --> easy. All you need is a marriage certificate.

Change first name --> you need a court order. Google legal name change in your state.

[Ning 619]

It takes more then a name change to make her a foreigner doesn't it? She will still be a Thai citizen regardless of her name.

Any Thai with a odd last name is subject to suspicion when it comes to some things we may want to do there. Buying land is the one that comes up often. This is easily overcome by using Thai style tactics. Americans become concerned because they want to comply with the laws or rules. Most Thais don't care about what it takes to have what they want because they resent what they see when it comes to the laws application to the people with money in my opinion.

She isn't a foreigner until she is a citizen of another country. Even then we would still consider her as a Thai of course. Few people there encounter a Thai that is a USC and don't understand what it even means to be a USC.

[ThaiStyleUSA 1]

If she wants to change her first and last names to foreign, it will probably best to do it when she applies for US citizenship. I changed mine when I got my US citizenship during my military yrs. It's much easier process. But make sure she retain her Thai passport and all other Thai identifications because she will need them when she want to move back and buy property or business. I still have my Thai passport and Thai identifications because I plan to move and retire there. My wife has her Thai passport and other Thai documents as well. We both have properties in Thailand respectively. In my opinion, name changing is not so important. I wish I still had kept my Thai name because it's unique.