Information on Name Change During Naturalization

[magic123 3]

Hi all, if my question has already been answered somewhere on the site, apologies! So I'd like to add a middle name during the N400 process. So if I'm John Smith, I'd like to change to John Doe Smith. I'm planning to go through the name change when I apply for my N400, but just wanted to ask if there was any chance that I didn't need to? Thanks in advance.

[ZeeQ 9]

On 2/8/2016 at 11:19 PM, JimmyHou said:

If you were changing your name to Van T Smith, then you would definitely not need a judicial ceremony and your nat. certificate would say Van T Smith

Technically, combining both last names should be allowed without a judicial ceremony, but I'm not sure if the interviewer will insist on a judicial ceremony... they are not always consistent. Also, if you drop your middle initial, then that should require a legal name change, and a judicial ceremony, but again, the interviewer may not make you get one.

Going by my own interpretation of the guidelines, if you became Van T Smith or Van T Nguyen Smith (last name being Nguyen Smith), you should not need a judicial ceremony, but if you became Van Nguyen Smith (middle name Nguyen or last name Nguyen Smith with no middle initial), then you should need a judicial ceremony.

Either way, your certificate will have your new name on it, but you'll have to wait until the interview to see which type of ceremony you need.

Hi Jimmy and Sweetie1986. I was looking up on the forum to see if my name change due to marriage needs to be applied for or if I could just show it as my current name based on marriage certificate. My situation is exactly what sweetie1986's was so i'm hoping you may know what's needed. If my maiden name is Sarah Jessica Parker (husband's name John Doe) and I want to switch it to Sarah Parker Doe then do I need to apply for a name change? As far as I understood, if I just wanted to change my name to Sarah Jessica Doe or Sarah Doe then I don't need to apply for name change but my confusion is with regards to whether my hyphenated name with mine and husband's last name means that my last name now technically become my middle name? If this would cause an issue and lead to a judicial ceremony then do you know if it would be okay for me to completely drop my middle name (Jessica) and just change name to First name: Sarah and Last name: Parker Doe? Would that qualify to be done without applying for a name change?

 

Any help from either of you guys or anyone on the group who went through this situation will be SO helpful!

[evarush 0]

 My daughter is 13 years old and I change her last name for my last name, I have the papers from the Court with her new last name and I am about to send in my N-400, so I was wondering if I can send this papers form the court that way they can change her last name for mine.

 

Could you please help me.

Thanks.

[yugigi 3]

I have a question about changing my last name.

After I married, I took my husband last name and my green card is his last name too. But I want to change my last name back to my maiden name. The case is I haven't divorced, I'm still married to the same husband. 

In this case, do I still need to fill out the name change section of the N400? 

 

Thanks

[sunDallas 0]

Hi my mom age 67 speaks very limited English. Her name on foreign passport, greencard, TX stateid, insurance card etc is Sutara Kira Zaba. (First name, middle name, last name) . her N400 application was done with this name as well. In the application section -previously used names or maiden name she wrote her maiden name Sutara Nem Vera. (First, middle, last). She cleared her interview but there was some confusion about names and interviewer asked her to sign some things on ipad . she signed but did not exactly understand what.  and now her oath notice and online uscis account shows here maiden name Sutara Nem Vera. We dont want that name . we want the current married legal name Sutara Kira Zaba that she has been using everywhere since last 45 years to be on Nat. Certificate . please advise with any feedback or tips.

[nycn400 1]

I have few questions Name Change after Citizenship and certified copies of the Name Change and Certificate of Naturalization.

 

1) Do we need to inform current Employer that my Name Changed? If yes, should I wait till after I update my SSN information first? Should I also wait till I got the new SSN first as the new name will be updated among all the federal and government agencies?

 

2) What about my Company? EIN/TIN? Also Deed of the properties I own?

 

3) Will there be any issues if I buy/sell my properties during this period? do I have to update the Deed before I sell my properties?

 

4) Tax for 2017 when file April 2018, is there anything I need to do for filing taxes? 

 

5) I read some posts from the web that we can get the certified copies of Name Change and Certificate of Naturalization. Where I can get it? at the county clerk office of the Oath Ceremony took place or at the county clerk of where I live or country clerk office where I took my citizenship interview?? anyone can share some experiences?

 

6) I see USCIS website saying we can obtain certified true copies of the certificate of naturalization. Anyone tried?

 

Thanks in advance

[anunnaki 1]

Hello. Apologies if my question has already been answered.

 

My wife did not change her surname to mine during the visa process, and so her permanent resident card (just came in the mail today) has her maiden name on it. To change her surname now, she would have to get a new card, which apparently costs over $500.

 

Therefore, according to this thread, it's better to do the name change upon getting her citizenship.

 

Now, my question is - Does my wife need to change her surname on her permanent resident card before requesting the change during the citizenship process?

 

Logic tells me she doesn't, but I don't want to assume anything. Thanks!

[Hopeful2004 70]

On 6/23/2017 at 4:50 PM, anunnaki said:

Hello. Apologies if my question has already been answered.

 

My wife did not change her surname to mine during the visa process, and so her permanent resident card (just came in the mail today) has her maiden name on it. To change her surname now, she would have to get a new card, which apparently costs over $500.

 

Therefore, according to this thread, it's better to do the name change upon getting her citizenship.

 

Now, my question is - Does my wife need to change her surname on her permanent resident card before requesting the change during the citizenship process?

 

Logic tells me she doesn't, but I don't want to assume anything. Thanks!

No I don't think she needs to change her green card before her citizenship. If she hasn't already done so, she can have your last name on other documents such as her DL. She just has to show the marriage certificate as proof. 

[anunnaki 1]

Thank you for your response! Our marriage cert, unfortunately(?), does not have my surname listed as hers. At any rate, my wife will have to wait until she naturalizes.

[ZeeQ 9]

Hi everyone,

I have a question on name change under naturalization and am hoping someone can help me with it. If my maiden name is Sarah Jessica Parker (husband's name John Doe) and I want to switch it to Sarah Parker Doe then do I need to apply for a name change? As far as I understood, if I just wanted to change my name to Sarah Jessica Doe or Sarah Doe then I don't need to apply for name change but my confusion is with regards to whether my hyphenated name with mine and husband's last name means that my last name now technically become my middle name? If this would cause an issue and lead to a judicial ceremony then do you know if it would be okay for me to completely drop my middle name (Jessica) and just change name to First name: Sarah and Last name: Parker Doe? Would that qualify to be done without applying for a name change?

 

Any help from either of you guys or anyone on the group who went through this situation will be SO helpful!

[coffeetealatte 0]

Anyone knows if I am still able to make name change after the interview but before judicial ceremony ? 

Edited July 2, 2017 by coffeetealatte

[Mila2017 0]

Hi, I changed my last name to my husband's last name during naturalization in San Jose CA in 1998. I have naturalization certificate with my new name on it, but no court order for name change. I changed all American documents long time ago to my new name. But my Russian passport was still on my old name and when I decided to change my name to match my american passport and all the credit crards, they they refused and requested name change certificate. Also, from all financial institutions, eTrade had requested name change certificate (which I do not have) in order for me to access my money on their account I have under my old name. I went to court of San Jose and we did search, no records of my name change were found. I did an appointment with USCIS San Jose Field Office, they gave me some plain paper which states that <my new name> AKA <my new name>. I took this paper to Russian consulate , they said it's not enough, they need name change certificate to change my name on my Russian passport. Could you please help, where else I could go, to do and who could help me?

[jxn 86]

My wife is considering changing her name during the application for naturalization. Let's say I'm John Paul Smith and her maiden name was María Teresa Sosa López, with me having a first name, middle name, and last name, and her having a first name, middle name, paternal last name, and maternal last name.

 

Upon marriage she changed her name to María Sosa Smith, taking her paternal surname as her middle name and taking my surname as her new surname. With the N-400 application, she wants to become María López Smith (changing her middle name from her maiden paternal surname to her maiden maternal surname).

 

Are there scenarios where we will need to show our marriage certificate to demonstrate both name changes, the one at marriage and this potential upcoming one at naturalization? For what it's worth, her foreign passport is in her maiden name and her country doesn't allow her to change it. Thanks for your advice!

[Pennywise 8]

I'm thinking about changing my last name along with my naturalization, but this would involved my wife and kids (all American born) changing theirs as well, lots of trouble. Has anyone tried this in Texas?

 

any advise, suggestions, and opinions are welcome.

Edited August 15, 2017 by Pennywise

[kay_jay 0]

Hi, I am an Indian citizen.

My current name for example:

FIRST NAME: Albert

LAST NAME: Joshua Constantine (a very long last name)

 

I would like to change it to:

FIRST NAME: Albert

Middle Name: Joshua

LAST NAME: Consta

 

My question is:

1. My kids who are US citizens by birth, have the same last name as mine. When I change my last name, what is the procedure to change their last name also? in their birth certificate, passport, SSN etc. too.

2. I am based out of San Jose, CA. I was told that I cannot change my name straight forward way through the form N-400 application, after my oath. I was told to advertise in the local news papers and then get the name change done. But, I haven't seen this in any legal document, Which is correct? In other words, how is the name change done for Bay Area applicants?

3. We have lots of legal documents: SSN, mortgage, house, etc. how to change my new name in all these documents? How long will it take?

4. I have registered for various airline and hotel programs internationally, will name change be done smoothly? What is the procedure?

 

Edited September 6, 2017 by kay_jay