Possible N-400 Name Change Issues

[IAmKhaye 3]

Hello everyone, I am so grateful to everybody who have contributed to this amazing website. I have learned a lot of insights and use those to guide me with my Naturalization journey.

 

I now have a query about the name change process. During the interview I was asked by the IO (who was amazingly nice) if I would like to initiate a name change (I chose NOT to change my name on the n-400 application). Since my current legal name is in my married name, he advised me to do legal name change if I want to use my current married name. His explanation was that ideally, one's birth name (which is my maiden name) should the one reflected on the Naturalization Certificate. I was a bit confused while listening to him, but eventually went ahead and initiated the name change so I can officially use my current married name.

 

Questions:

 

1. Is my understanding correct that a married woman can legally change her name (take their husband's last name as their last name) automatically as long as the marriage is valid and there is a marriage certificate that proves it or if a woman prefers to use his husband's last name? If that's the case, then I do not think I need a name change. Technically, my current married name should be one reflected on the naturalization certificate.

 

2. When I checked my USCIS online account, my profile has changed from my married name to my maiden name. Is this something I need to be worried about? Or will my new name (which is my married name) be reflected on the naturalization certificate during the oath ceremony?

 

Before we concluded the interview, the IO showed me my new name (on the tablet) which is my married name and stated that the name should be reflected on my naturalization certificate. But seeing my USCIS account profile changed to my maiden name, I am now concern. Every document I have (Green Card, Passport, Social security, DL, Banks, Credit Card, Taxes) is in my married name. 

 

Thank you so much in advance for your insights.

 

[Chancy 6,241]

*** Moved from US Citizenship Progress Reports to General Discussion, and removed duplicate thread ***

 

2 hours ago, IAmKhaye said:

Every document I have (Green Card, Passport, Social security, DL, Banks, Credit Card, Taxes) is in my married name. 

 

Since your GC already lists your married name, you should not have to do name change as part of your naturalization.  GC name = your legal name in the eyes of USCIS.  Maybe you got a newbie IO?

 

Edited April 21, 2023 by Chancy
removed duplicate thread

[Dashinka 24,467]

I agree, my wife took my family name when we got married, and her GC was in that name.  We actually considered doing a name change when she naturalized as the marriage certificate itself does not work in Russia to get her passport name changed there and we thought having a legal document might work, but in the end we did not do it.  She just deals with her US Passport in her married name and her Russian passport in her maiden name.

[IAmKhaye 3]

12 hours ago, Chancy said:

*** Moved from US Citizenship Progress Reports to General Discussion, and removed duplicate thread ***

 

 

Since your GC already lists your married name, you should not have to do name change as part of your naturalization.  GC name = your legal name in the eyes of USCIS.  Maybe you got a newbie IO?

 

I agree that since my GC is in my married name already, I thought that will automatically be reflected on my naturalization certificate. But in my case, I think it's not going to happen as my profile name on my USCIS account had already changed to my maiden name. I guess I will be carrying around my marriage certificate whenever I need proof of name change. 

[Scandi 4,166]

When you get married and you choose to use your spouse’s last name, then it's an automatic name change (ie you do not go to court to have your name changed, the marrige to your spouse is enough to change to his/her last name).

Your marriage certificate is the proof of that name change. 

 

If your married name is the name on you immigration documents (greencard etc) and that's the name you want to keep, then you don't ask for a name change when you naturalize, that is already the name USCIS has on file for you. Seems like you ended up asking for a name change at the interview, so your certificate will be in the name you chose to change to (ie your maiden name). 

 

And no, you absolutely do NOT need to have your maiden name on your certificate. You choose whatever name you want.