questions

[Tegan2 0]

I used to be known as Tegan but the email address I used to use was cancelled before I could transfer to another email address.

Anyway, to my questions...

I know I can become a USC ((Dual with Australia)) I went home for 4 months am now back in the US had no trouble getting back into the country...

I was married for 5.5 years, I went home to Aust. in Oct 10. divorce was final in Nov 10. I can back yesterday the 5th of Feb 11.

It says in the divorce decree that i have to go back to my maiden, ((not sure how to do that even)) I looked up the form M-477 and it totally confused the ####### out of me ((it's an instructional form)).

Am I looking at the right form? I know I can still apply for USC ((Dual with Australia)) but since I'm not married how would I go about it exactly?

If anyone can help me I would really appreciate it!

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

As a divorced green card holder you need 5 years after your initial green card date to file for citizenship. Any trip of more than 6 months subtracts that amount of time from your time but the clock still moves. Any trip of more than one year totally resets your 5 years and counting.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I used to be known as Tegan but the email address I used to use was cancelled before I could transfer to another email address.

Anyway, to my questions...

I know I can become a USC ((Dual with Australia)) I went home for 4 months am now back in the US had no trouble getting back into the country...

I was married for 5.5 years, I went home to Aust. in Oct 10. divorce was final in Nov 10. I can back yesterday the 5th of Feb 11.

It says in the divorce decree that i have to go back to my maiden, ((not sure how to do that even)) I looked up the form M-477 and it totally confused the ####### out of me ((it's an instructional form)).

Am I looking at the right form? I know I can still apply for USC ((Dual with Australia)) but since I'm not married how would I go about it exactly?

If anyone can help me I would really appreciate it!

I am going to make your day (I hope).

To change your name back to maiden... Your divorce decree acts like your marriage certificate, it's a proof of name change document. Usually you would specify in the document but I think it depends on the state. You should be able to use your divorce decree and birth certificate to change your drivers licences, bank accounts, SSN etc back to your maiden name.

Your Aussie passport.. to change it is FREE!! as long as you file within 12 months of the date of your divorce. See here: https://www.passports.gov.au/Web/Requirements/NameChangeDivorce.aspx It is done much the same as changing it due to marriage where you'll have to register the change with Births Deaths and Marriages first (which WON'T be free but you'll get the passport for free and if it's a relatively new one that should save you some money because it keeps the same expiry date) and then apply for the change of passport.

To change your name with the USC stuff you would simply write your divorced name on the paperwork. You already changed your name by getting divorced so there's nothing else included. The proper form is the N-400. Here is the guide: http://www.visajourney.com/content/naturalization_guide

As for when you're eligible.. look at the date on your GC for "resident since" date. As you are divorced you need to have been a resident for at least 5 years (minus 90 days) and have less than 30 months (total) of time outside the US in that 5 year period. Any time periods over a year at once reset your clock though so if you had any of those (you would have needed a re-entry permit) you will need to start counting again from whenever you re-entered using that.

Good luck!

[NickD 202]

Ironically, my ex wanted to keep her married name, shocked me during our divorce. My wife insisted on going back to her maiden name, didn't want any part of the name. But with the USCIS, we had to provide a paper trail from her birth certificate, to first marriage certificate, to her divorce, then to our marriage certificate. Its kind of like you want to forget all that from the miserable past, but they won't let you.

And yes, with some other government agencies, had to bring in that paper trail, Department of State was just happy with her US citizenship certificate.

Aren't you happy you were required to get your maiden name back? But do have a paper trail, when all is changed, then you can forget about it and move on with your life. On the N-400, have to list all the names you used, with the required paper work. We had to do that primarily during the AOS stage and I though with a new green card for my wife with her married name on it, all that was history. But history repeated itself with the N-400, so out came the copying machine again, with a whole bunch of duplicate copies the USCIS already has to submit those again. Since we applied under marriage, all of my papers had to come out to. But I think with the five year, you only have to be concerned about yourself.