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Name change question

By wizardfitz in US Citizenship General Discussion

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wizardfitz Rising Star

wizardfitz   13

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Philippines
 Timeline
Posted

I recently received my 10 yr GC. I am reading through the threads here in preparation for citizenship. I am wondering if I can go ahead and file for a name change through the courts (not to married name as I already use my husband's surname, rather first name change) or should I wait for naturalization and have them change it for me without cost to me?

2ndly, with the photos to be sent in with the applications, do I write the name I want my name to be after citizenship or my current name now?

Any info would be appreciated. Thank you.

June 2006 Met on Myspace
Sep 21 2007 Proposed and she accepted
Dec 9 2007 Arrived in Manila
Dec 15 2007 Returned home, very sad day
Dec 21 2007 Sent Form I-129F to CSC
Dec 24 2007 Packet received at CSC
Dec 31 2007 NOA 1 received
Jan 02 2008 Check cashed
May 05 2008 NOA2
May 12 2008 Received letter from NVC MNL2008xxxxxx
May 19 2008 Paid Delbros fee at Metrobank
May 20 2008 First day of medical
May 21 2008 Told to return for sputum test
May 21 2008 Delbros confirmed receiving payment
May 27 2008 Delbros sent proof of payment to USEM
May 27,28,29 2008 Sputum test done
June 6 2008 Delbros sent doc ver request to the NSO
June 27 2008 NSO doc ver completed, to be picked up by USEM
July 1, 2008 Called USEM, doc ver is at the embassy
July 30, 2008 Passed the sputum test and finished the physical
Aug 5, 2008 Interview, PASSED received PINK SLIP
Aug 12 2008 VISA IN HAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you God
Aug 16,2008 Flight to US. Manila to Narita, to Chicago
Sept 8, 2008 Civil wedding
Feb 14, 2009 Big fancy wedding
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lax75 Contributor

lax75   2

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Nigeria
 Timeline
Posted

I recently received my 10 yr GC. I am reading through the threads here in preparation for citizenship. I am wondering if I can go ahead and file for a name change through the courts (not to married name as I already use my husband's surname, rather first name change) or should I wait for naturalization and have them change it for me without cost to me?

2ndly, with the photos to be sent in with the applications, do I write the name I want my name to be after citizenship or my current name now?

Any info would be appreciated. Thank you.

Hi,

I am in the same situation, except for changing my last name. When I talked to an attorney, I was told that it is best to do your name change in the courts PRIOR to your naturalization. This way, you will have your court decree with you and include it with your N400 (a smoother transition/process). The attorney mentioned that it's best to do it this way in order to avoid any delays in your process.

Hope this helps.

-Check with your local county and be sure to begin the name change process at least 3 months before you plan on sending in your N400 package. This way, your decree will be ready for you to include in your N400 package.

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Brother Hesekiel Mentor

Brother Hesekiel   2,235

Posted
Filed: Other Timeline
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Are you willing to spend a few thousand dollars now get a new name in about 6 months, or would you rather wait another 6 months and then be able to do it free of charge?

Only you can answer that question.

There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all . . . . The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic . . . . There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else.

President Teddy Roosevelt on Columbus Day 1915

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hhN400 Enthusiast

hhN400   3

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Germany
 Timeline
Posted

Are you willing to spend a few thousand dollars now...

A few thousand dollars? Where do you live, Luke?

Here in Fairfax County, VA the filing fee for a name change is $41. I would expect it to be similar in most if not all jurisdictions.

My wife's USCIS journey:

I-130 (IR1) Timeline

03-26-07 -- I-130 sent to VSC

09-20-07 -- Permanent Resident

N-400 Timeline

09-20-10 -- N-400 sent to Dallas lockbox

09-24-10 -- Check cashed

09-27-10 -- NOA received

10-07-10 -- Biometrics letter rec'd (appointment for 10/19/2010)

10-15-10 -- Biometrics done (walk-in at Alexandria, VA facility)

10-23-10 -- Another Biometrics letter rec'd (1st fingerprint set unusable according to FBI; appointment for 11/19/2010)

10-25-10 -- 2nd Biometrics done (walk-in at Alexandria, VA facility)

10-26-10 -- Called FBI: Second fingerprint set okay

11-20-10 -- Yellow letter received

01-26-11 -- Interview letter received

03-01-11 -- Interview (Civics test passed, but "Decision cannot yet be made" -- Docs missing)

03-25-11 -- Oath letter received

04-18-11 -- Oath Ceremony -- USC

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Brother Hesekiel Mentor

Brother Hesekiel   2,235

Posted
Filed: Other Timeline
Posted

A few thousand dollars? Where do you live, Luke?

Here in Fairfax County, VA the filing fee for a name change is $41. I would expect it to be similar in most if not all jurisdictions.

Kellyphornia. We are different here. Our lawyers take it from the living and the dead. This is Governator country, and we don't know mercy.

There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all . . . . The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic . . . . There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else.

President Teddy Roosevelt on Columbus Day 1915

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hhN400 Enthusiast

hhN400   3

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Germany
 Timeline
Posted

Kellyphornia. We are different here. Our lawyers take it from the living and the dead. This is Governator country, and we don't know mercy.

Ah, but you don't need a lawyer. The name-change petition is a simple two-page form, you pay the court clerk the fee, and you are set.

My wife's USCIS journey:

I-130 (IR1) Timeline

03-26-07 -- I-130 sent to VSC

09-20-07 -- Permanent Resident

N-400 Timeline

09-20-10 -- N-400 sent to Dallas lockbox

09-24-10 -- Check cashed

09-27-10 -- NOA received

10-07-10 -- Biometrics letter rec'd (appointment for 10/19/2010)

10-15-10 -- Biometrics done (walk-in at Alexandria, VA facility)

10-23-10 -- Another Biometrics letter rec'd (1st fingerprint set unusable according to FBI; appointment for 11/19/2010)

10-25-10 -- 2nd Biometrics done (walk-in at Alexandria, VA facility)

10-26-10 -- Called FBI: Second fingerprint set okay

11-20-10 -- Yellow letter received

01-26-11 -- Interview letter received

03-01-11 -- Interview (Civics test passed, but "Decision cannot yet be made" -- Docs missing)

03-25-11 -- Oath letter received

04-18-11 -- Oath Ceremony -- USC

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Rosie74 Collaborator

Rosie74   0

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Italy
 Timeline
Posted

Ah, but you don't need a lawyer. The name-change petition is a simple two-page form, you pay the court clerk the fee, and you are set.

In San Diego County the court clerk fee for name change is $ 390.. :wacko: I think I'll change my name during the Naturalization process, even if I have to wait a little longer.

05/12/04 => Arrived in the US under L1 status / work visa

03/05/05 => Met the love of my life

07/02/07 => Married my wonderful USC husband

______AOS JOURNEY________________________________

10/03/08 => Package sent to USCIS

03/03/09 => Interview in Chicago, IL =>> APPROVED!

______REMOVAL OF CONDITIONS JOURNEY______________

12/03/10 => Package sent to California service center

03/02/11 => 10 YR GREEN CARD RECEIVED!!

______CITIZENSHIP JOURNEY_________________________

01/20/12 => Filed N-400 for Citizenship

06/21/12 => Citizenship interview: Approved!

07/25/12 => Oath Ceremony.. DONE WITH USCIS!!

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