Name Change Confusion after N400 Interview

[jepongsky 3]

I hope I can get help on this issue of name change. Same dilemma like others during my N400 interview is the change of name which caught me by surprise. It was the first question the IO ask me on the day of interview. Why I am using the last name of my father as my middle name in my documents where in my birth certificate the name format is first name, mother's last name, father's last name. this is actually my name before I got married. So when I got married, the conventional way of changing name for us Filipinos is to drop the mothers name and my father's last name will be my middle name then my last name will my husband's last name. My husband and I got married in US under fiance visa, and I did not get any problem during the processing of my greencard, and other legal documents in US like SSN, DL and my names in bank. I use whatever we use in my country after marriage. First name, Middle Name(father's last name), Last name(husband's last name). Now here comes the day of the interview , the IO said the name format in US should be my first name, my mother's last name, then my husbands last name. I insisted at first that my middle name should be my last name( and that is my father's last name). The way he was telling me is that is not the legal way of writing name in US. I need just to completely drop my previous last name in replacement of my husband's name. We have not started the 6 questions yet, and the oral and written test at that time. So for me not to get in trouble I just told him to use the legal way of writing name in US since I am applying a citizenship for US.So interview done, He said I passed. Now after the interview, this where I began to realize the burden of changing my middle name because it will be a mismatch to all my documents in banks, passports, DL, SSN. I never thought It would be a problem because when they gave me a greencard they just follow whatever is in my marriage certificate. Bigger headache is all my documents in my home country are on the format of first name, fathers last name, husband's last name, and they are very strict on middle names in my home country specially in bank transactions.

So now my oath taking will be on January 26, I tried going online for an infopass but no appointment available for 14 days. And I am just wondering the best way to resolve this name format issue. I would like to keep my name as it is in my greencard, since that is the name I use in all my documents here in US and in my home country.Is there any way I can do this before oath taking or I will just do it in the court after oat taking. I am living in San Jose and from the thread that I read, there is no judicial oath ceremony in San Jose. It will be a change name in the court which means paying extra money, waiting for I don't know how long, which then makes all our plans for vacation on hold because I cannot get out of the country without an american passport after my oath taking since I will be surrendering my home country passport and greencard.

Please give me some light on this and to whoever experience it. I am just so stress right now. Thanks in advance.

[tatipstos 0]

I'm having the same exactly problem. Were you able to fix before the oath ceremony, I have an infopass to see what can be done. I just want to know how worked for you.

[Mardy 15]

Now I'm beginning to worry of mine. I have 2 names M R + (B)Married name. Here in the US the customary format is, M(first name) R which is my 2nd name(middle name) then married name. Now, in my Filipino birth certificate M R is just my first name, middle is my mother's maiden name, then my father's family name. When I got married here in the US, I just use M R B in all my documents.

Edited April 12, 2017 by Mardy

[datkins587 2]

On 12/9/2016 at 6:04 PM, jepongsky said:

I hope I can get help on this issue of name change. Same dilemma like others during my N400 interview is the change of name which caught me by surprise. It was the first question the IO ask me on the day of interview. Why I am using the last name of my father as my middle name in my documents where in my birth certificate the name format is first name, mother's last name, father's last name. this is actually my name before I got married. So when I got married, the conventional way of changing name for us Filipinos is to drop the mothers name and my father's last name will be my middle name then my last name will my husband's last name. My husband and I got married in US under fiance visa, and I did not get any problem during the processing of my greencard, and other legal documents in US like SSN, DL and my names in bank. I use whatever we use in my country after marriage. First name, Middle Name(father's last name), Last name(husband's last name). Now here comes the day of the interview , the IO said the name format in US should be my first name, my mother's last name, then my husbands last name. I insisted at first that my middle name should be my last name( and that is my father's last name). The way he was telling me is that is not the legal way of writing name in US. I need just to completely drop my previous last name in replacement of my husband's name. We have not started the 6 questions yet, and the oral and written test at that time. So for me not to get in trouble I just told him to use the legal way of writing name in US since I am applying a citizenship for US.So interview done, He said I passed. Now after the interview, this where I began to realize the burden of changing my middle name because it will be a mismatch to all my documents in banks, passports, DL, SSN. I never thought It would be a problem because when they gave me a greencard they just follow whatever is in my marriage certificate. Bigger headache is all my documents in my home country are on the format of first name, fathers last name, husband's last name, and they are very strict on middle names in my home country specially in bank transactions.

So now my oath taking will be on January 26, I tried going online for an infopass but no appointment available for 14 days. And I am just wondering the best way to resolve this name format issue. I would like to keep my name as it is in my greencard, since that is the name I use in all my documents here in US and in my home country.Is there any way I can do this before oath taking or I will just do it in the court after oat taking. I am living in San Jose and from the thread that I read, there is no judicial oath ceremony in San Jose. It will be a change name in the court which means paying extra money, waiting for I don't know how long, which then makes all our plans for vacation on hold because I cannot get out of the country without an american passport after my oath taking since I will be surrendering my home country passport and greencard.

Please give me some light on this and to whoever experience it. I am just so stress right now. Thanks in advance.

Did you ever get this resolved and what did you do? We are about to apply for citizenship and we were told the same thing at the K1 interview 3 years ago.

[jepongsky 3]

I went for an infopass

and good thing the IO changed it back to the name I want it to be on my citizenship certificate/ passport. It was a big relief. 

[bellez214 9]

I should have read this before it happened to me.

😭 I just had my interview this morning and I realized how it is so complicated to change my name. I have signed after the interview to use my name as : First name, middle name (mothers last name), and my married name.  My fathers name is gone😭 How can i fix this before oath taking?

Any help please. Would that be possible to make an appointment and IO will change this? Please I need your advice.

I don't know if that still works as today.