Name change in US, but not in former country?

[Cheryl-Hossein 25]

My husband really wants to legally change his name here in the US. That in and of itself is not an issue, as I understand the process in Caifornia. However, we're about 6 months out from sending in his ROC paperwork. So timing-wise, can we do his name change now and just present name change with the ROC paperwork? Or should we wait to do the name change when he applies for citizenship?

Secondly, he would prefer not to change his name back in Iran -- partly because of the red tape involved, if he can even do it. For those of you familiar with Iranian naming practices, only certain names are acceptable and must be approved. He also has the prefix "Seyed," which, as I understand it, is a birth right title meaning "of the prophet", and that's the part of his name he dislikes the most, but Iran won't let him drop that, even if he did a formal name change there.

Then, can he have one legal name in the US and one legal name in Iran? One scenario I thought about that could be sticky is travel between US and Iran and names on tickets vs passports.

I've tried to convince him that it's ok just to have an "AKA" and just use his Iranian name for legal purposes, but he still wants the name change if possible.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[ChuckM 8]

I really think it is best to wait until after the ROC. If I correctly recall, there is a way to change your name at naturalization. On the N-400 form there is a section about legally changing your name, but I am not sure how that is actually handled.

Btw, Parisa is also a Seyed, or the female version of it. She did not want to do anything with her name after our marriage though.

[ChuckM 8]

Btw, Parisa is also a Seyed, or the female version of it. She did not want to do anything with her name after our marriage though.

She also has Sadat as part of her name...... so Parisa Sadat Seyed.................. of course no middle name. When ever she fills something out, depending on how official it is, her last name either begins with Seyed, or her family name.

Almost every Iranian I know has a nickname that they go by. I did not know Parisa's name until I started to fill out paperwork for her. Same for her sisters, I only knew there nicknames until I helped them fill out DV applications.

[Cheryl-Hossein 25]

Hossein's real full name is insanly long and often doesn't fit in the allowed space -- another reason he wants to change it.

Still trying to find out if there's anyway to have two legal names -- one in US and another in Iran.