Venezuelan in process of naturalization, question on name change

[Lupecita 5]

Hello! I’m in the process of being naturalized in the US and would like to change my name after I become a citizen, but will not be changing my name in Venezuela, will this be a problem if/when I visit Venezuela?

I would like to change my name to the US format and maybe shorten my first name. For example, Maria Fernandez Gonzalez to Mary Fernandez Smith (I don’t have a middle name so I will take my first last name as such). 
In Venezuela the format is different so if I change my name there it would still not read the same as my American passport. I know you enter with your Venezuelan passport and exit with your American passport, but I’m unsure if during the exit you still have to tie the American passport to your Venezuelan’s or the way you entered the country in a way that maybe having two different names would be a problem. 
Anyone have experience with this? Or know the process of leaving the country with a non-Venezuelan passport? Please share.

Thanks a lot!

[Dashinka 24,635]

Should not be an issue.  My wife changed her name when we married, but her Russian passport still has her own name, and she never has any issues.  Also, my cousins recently naturalized with a name change, but will not change their Russian passports.  Just keep a copy of your Nat. certificate when traveling to Venezuela in case anyone questions the difference.

 

Good Luck!

Edited April 6 by Dashinka

[JeanneAdil 6,581]

You can change last name to married name even hyphenate both surnames or middle and last thru the N400 but changing your 1st  name usually requires a court document

 

How much does it cost to legally change your first name in the US?

 

between $50 and $500

Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere between $50 and $500 to obtain a court order to change your name. However, the cost of changing your name will depend on several factors, including what state you live in, why you're changing your name, and which methods you use to complete the change request process.

 

this does not alter the name on birth certificate 

[Crazy Cat 41,984]

1 hour ago, Lupecita said:

but will not be changing my name in Venezuela, will this be a problem if/when I visit Venezuela?

It appears Venezuela (as does the US) requires you, as a dual citizen, to enter and exit that country with a Venezuela passport.  I don't see an issue.  You just present your Venezuela passport when you arrive there.  You will present a US passport when arriving back in the US. 

Edited April 6 by Crazy Cat

[Lupecita 5]

30 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

You can change last name to married name even hyphenate both surnames or middle and last thru the N400 but changing your 1st  name usually requires a court document

 

How much does it cost to legally change your first name in the US?

 

between $50 and $500

Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere between $50 and $500 to obtain a court order to change your name. However, the cost of changing your name will depend on several factors, including what state you live in, why you're changing your name, and which methods you use to complete the change request process.

 

this does not alter the name on birth certificate 

I figured this may be the case, that’s why I’m not sure I will change my first name yet, but keeping my options open. Just never identified with my long first name, I only got called that when I was in trouble haha

[Lupecita 5]

Thank you all so much!

if someone disagrees, and believes this may be a problem from personal Venezuelan experience, please let me know. 

[TBoneTX 45,598]

6 minutes ago, Lupecita said:

my long first name

Ufff -- some of them -- ufff.

A lot harder to say "Maria de Jesús" than "Marichuy," for just one.

 

Consider issues that may arise when you need to renew your Venezolano passport:  would there be any if you changed your name here?

Edited April 6 by TBoneTX

[Dashinka 24,635]

53 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

You can change last name to married name even hyphenate both surnames or middle and last thru the N400 but changing your 1st  name usually requires a court document

 

How much does it cost to legally change your first name in the US?

 

between $50 and $500

Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere between $50 and $500 to obtain a court order to change your name. However, the cost of changing your name will depend on several factors, including what state you live in, why you're changing your name, and which methods you use to complete the change request process.

 

this does not alter the name on birth certificate 

Naturalization comes with the option to legally change one’s name including one’s first/given name.  Marriage only allows for a change of family name(s).

[Lupecita 5]

1 hour ago, Dashinka said:

Naturalization comes with the option to legally change one’s name including one’s first/given name.  Marriage only allows for a change of family name(s).

That’s the way I understood it too. I’m just not wanting to delay the ceremony waiting for a judge, from what I heard it’s faster if you’re not changing your name. We shall see. Thanks for your input.

[Lupecita 5]

1 hour ago, TBoneTX said:

Ufff -- some of them -- ufff.

A lot harder to say "Maria de Jesús" than "Marichuy," for just one.

 

Consider issues that may arise when you need to renew your Venezolano passport:  would there be any if you changed your name here?

Yes, that’s what I’m afraid of, missing some sort of loophole. 

[Dashinka 24,635]

7 hours ago, Lupecita said:

That’s the way I understood it too. I’m just not wanting to delay the ceremony waiting for a judge, from what I heard it’s faster if you’re not changing your name. We shall see. Thanks for your input.

You are running through the Detroit USCIS office correct?  Don’t worry about the name change, Detroit only does judicial oaths, so a name change does not delay anything.  My cousins applied in late November 2023 with a family name change, and had their oaths on February 22, 2024, so Detroit is fairly fast.

 

Good Luck!

[JeanneAdil 6,581]

14 hours ago, Dashinka said:

Naturalization comes with the option to legally change one’s name including one’s first/given name.  Marriage only allows for a change of family name(s).

This is the section i refered to as some oath ceremonies are not done by a court judge 

 

 name change petition, which USCIS files with a court before the judicial oath ceremony. Upon receipt of the petition, the court signs and seals the petition. The petition is later presented to you during the naturalization ceremony as evidence of the name change. 

All name change requests facilitated through USCIS will require you to take the Oath of Allegiance at a judicial ceremony, rather than an administrative one. As far as possible delays, USCIS has little control over the judicial ceremony calendar. However, most courts are very supportive in accommodating the need for naturalization ceremonies.

[Dashinka 24,635]

1 hour ago, JeanneAdil said:

This is the section i refered to as some oath ceremonies are not done by a court judge 

 

 name change petition, which USCIS files with a court before the judicial oath ceremony. Upon receipt of the petition, the court signs and seals the petition. The petition is later presented to you during the naturalization ceremony as evidence of the name change. 

All name change requests facilitated through USCIS will require you to take the Oath of Allegiance at a judicial ceremony, rather than an administrative one. As far as possible delays, USCIS has little control over the judicial ceremony calendar. However, most courts are very supportive in accommodating the need for naturalization ceremonies.

Each USCIS office is different.  Detroit only does judicial oaths.  Also, you inferred one can only change their last names through the N400 which is not correct.  A name change via the N400 allows one to change their entire name if they so desire.

[Lupecita 5]

25 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

Each USCIS office is different.  Detroit only does judicial oaths.  Also, you inferred one can only change their last names through the N400 which is not correct.  A name change via the N400 allows one to change their entire name if they so desire.

That’s good to know about Detroit, thank you. Do you know how long after interviews do they usually do the oath? I had seen some offices did same day oaths and I was afraid of delaying mine to change my name. How do you find information on what type of oaths and frequency a local office does?

[Lupecita 5]

8 hours ago, Dashinka said:

You are running through the Detroit USCIS office correct?  Don’t worry about the name change, Detroit only does judicial oaths, so a name change does not delay anything.  My cousins applied in late November 2023 with a family name change, and had their oaths on February 22, 2024, so Detroit is fairly fast.

 

Good Luck!

I missed this reply earlier. Thanks again! 
I already submitted my N-400 without a name change, wish I had known this beforehand, but I heard that during the interview you can still submit a name change request, do you happen to know if this is true?