Middle Name Confusion After N400 Interview

[jepongsky 3]

Hello everyone. VJ has been so helpful to me on this whole journey of naturalization, I am so thankful. And this is it...Yay, I passed my N400 interview:) the only thing is I just got confuse with the Immigration Officer (IO) when he mentioned about the format of my legal name in my naturalization certificate. I am from the Philippines, so technically once we get married our last name becomes our middle name and then we carry the last name of our husband . The IO officer insisted that in US the middle name will be the last name of my mother and my last name will be the last name of my husband which means dropping my original last name. My oath taking will be on January 26 next year and I am still confuse on how to resolve this name format since all my documents will mismatch my new legal name. My Green card, social Security card all other documents here in US carry this format: first name, my fathers last name, my husbands last name. The IO told me that my legal name is suppose to be first name, my mothers last name, my husbands last name. Is there any way I can still fix this before oath taking? I just want to keep my name on the same format. first name, my fathers last name,my husbands last name. Please let me know how to do this the simpler way. Anyone had experience this? Thanks in advance

[JimmyHou 611]

Hello everyone. VJ has been so helpful to me on this whole journey of naturalization, I am so thankful. And this is it...Yay, I passed my N400 interview:) the only thing is I just got confuse with the Immigration Officer (IO) when he mentioned about the format of my legal name in my naturalization certificate. I am from the Philippines, so technically once we get married our last name becomes our middle name and then we carry the last name of our husband . The IO officer insisted that in US the middle name will be the last name of my mother and my last name will be the last name of my husband which means dropping my original last name. My oath taking will be on January 26 next year and I am still confuse on how to resolve this name format since all my documents will mismatch my new legal name. My Green card, social Security card all other documents here in US carry this format: first name, my fathers last name, my husbands last name. The IO told me that my legal name is suppose to be first name, my mothers last name, my husbands last name. Is there any way I can still fix this before oath taking? I just want to keep my name on the same format. first name, my fathers last name,my husbands last name. Please let me know how to do this the simpler way. Anyone had experience this? Thanks in advance

This is an annoying situation and it happens surprisingly often.

Officers really shouldn't be guessing what your name is. If the marriage certificate shows your new name, they should accept it. If it doesn't, they may still accept your explanation of the custom in your country and accept your married name as you indicate it. However, they may also say that if the marriage certificate doesn't state your new full name, then they'll go by the birth name. What they shouldn't do (as happened in this case) is decide a new name for you based on their own interpretation.

The easiest way around all this would have been for the officer to be a little more understanding. But since that didn't happen, and since he insisted that your legal name was something you didn't want, you should have requested a legal name change to the name you do want. That should have happened at the interview, but since it didn't, it may be too late now.

I recommend that you try making an Infopass appointment... you can explain the situation and see if they'll change the name. If they won't, you can ask for a legal name change. If they agree, this may or may not delay the date of your ceremony.

If you end up getting your certificate in the name you don't want, you can still have it changed back legally in court. This won't be free. You won't need to modify your naturalization certificate; whenever you need it, you'll present it together with the name change order from the court.

That's all my interpretation... I haven't been through this myself, so if someone has other suggestions, please chime in.

[gwapzerick09 0]

On 12/5/2016 at 1:30 PM, jepongsky said:

Hello everyone. VJ has been so helpful to me on this whole journey of naturalization, I am so thankful. And this is it...Yay, I passed my N400 interview:) the only thing is I just got confuse with the Immigration Officer (IO) when he mentioned about the format of my legal name in my naturalization certificate. I am from the Philippines, so technically once we get married our last name becomes our middle name and then we carry the last name of our husband . The IO officer insisted that in US the middle name will be the last name of my mother and my last name will be the last name of my husband which means dropping my original last name. My oath taking will be on January 26 next year and I am still confuse on how to resolve this name format since all my documents will mismatch my new legal name. My Green card, social Security card all other documents here in US carry this format: first name, my fathers last name, my husbands last name. The IO told me that my legal name is suppose to be first name, my mothers last name, my husbands last name. Is there any way I can still fix this before oath taking? I just want to keep my name on the same format. first name, my fathers last name,my husbands last name. Please let me know how to do this the simpler way. Anyone had experience this? Thanks in advance

My wife is having the same issue. She had her Naturalization interview last April 25th and the IO dropped her Middle Name which is her last name when she was single and changed it to her middle name when she was single.

 

She just received her notice of ceremony which due to take place in June 13th and her middle name has indeed changed.

 

This is really ridiculous as the IO did not take the importance of her green card, passport, and SS card showing the correct name.

 

Now were scrambling and doing research on how to fix this before her Oath Taking Ceremony.

[nywestq 51]

4 minutes ago, gwapzerick09 said:

My wife is having the same issue. She had her Naturalization interview last April 25th and the IO dropped her Middle Name which is her last name when she was single and changed it to her middle name when she was single.

 

She just received her notice of ceremony which due to take place in June 13th and her middle name has indeed changed.

 

This is really ridiculous as the IO did not take the importance of her green card, passport, and SS card showing the correct name.

 

Now were scrambling and doing research on how to fix this before her Oath Taking Ceremony.

Have your wife attend the Oath Ceremony and highlight it to them there and once she becomes a citizen since its a USCIS Error have them at the oath ceremony give her a letter indicating its an error and their fault if however they cant make sure you have a copy of the green card and documents from them showing the correct name. Then file N-565 to replace the document and have the error corrected. indicate its an error of USCIS to waive the filing fee and also request an expedite due to an error of USCIS within a month she should have her new certificate mailed with the correction once they acknowledge its their mistake. all they should've done is hyphenate her maiden last name with her married last name 

[CarlHamilton 252]

9 minutes ago, gwapzerick09 said:

This is really ridiculous as the IO did not take the importance of her green card, passport, and SS card showing the correct name.

Maybe it's not as important as you think.  Her green card will be taken from her at the oath ceremony.  She will then obtain a brand new US passport in the right name.  She will have to update her SS details anyway after becoming a citizen. 

[aileen86 0]

hello i have the same issue about the name, pls give us some update about what happened thank you so much

[OldUser 6,710]

OP last visited July 13, 2017. @aileen86 don't expect to get an answer .

[Ontarkie 14,228]

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