Former Filipino changed his name during US naturalization Process now wants to marry a Filipina

[jrj_ph 3]

Good day! This post is for a friend of mine. He was a Filipino, by birth and now a Naturalized US citizen. During naturalization, he opt to change his name, different from the name on his PSA birth certificate and now is using current legal name on his documents in US. He plans to marry his Filipina girlfriend in the philippines, a church wedding. His concern is, will he have difficulty in doing paperworks for their marriage since his current legal name is different from his birth certificate, baptismal, etc.? Will the Philippine Govt honor his name change now that he is a US citizen??

[Hank_ 9,173]

49 minutes ago, jrj_ph said:

Good day! This post is for a friend of mine. He was a Filipino, by birth and now a Naturalized US citizen. During naturalization, he opt to change his name, different from the name on his PSA birth certificate and now is using current legal name on his documents in US. He plans to marry his Filipina girlfriend in the philippines, a church wedding. His concern is, will he have difficulty in doing paperworks for their marriage since his current legal name is different from his birth certificate, baptismal, etc.? Will the Philippine Govt honor his name change now that he is a US citizen??

 

 

Unless he gets the name change recognized in the Philippines, which I am sure would require an attorney and most likely a trip through the RTC, I doubt the Philippines would accept his name change.

 

Did he complete dual citizenship?  Or is he USC only?     I am gathering he is not a dual citizen.    Not being a Philippine citizen he should approach all things as a USC, only,  using his current name is my thinking.

 

As a USC only he would need to obtain the legal capacity to marry affidavit from the embassy for sure, and maybe a CENOMAR depending on the city where getting married, some cities do not accept the affidavit.

 

https://ph.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/getting-married/?_ga=2.171945638.764480744.1515702843-1618516958.1515702843

 

The actual answer to this question can best be answered by the local registry where applying for the marriage license .. if a birth certificate is not required (just his U.S. passport) I don't see any issues.

 

Have his fiancee check with the local registry to get a list of required documents for a foreigner.

 

@John & Rose   how about chiming in on this .. what were you required to present to get the marriage license?

 

[John & Rose 7,239]

10 hours ago, Hank_ said:

 

 

Unless he gets the name change recognized in the Philippines, which I am sure would require an attorney and most likely a trip through the RTC, I doubt the Philippines would accept his name change.

 

Did he complete dual citizenship?  Or is he USC only?     I am gathering he is not a dual citizen.    Not being a Philippine citizen he should approach all things as a USC, only,  using his current name is my thinking.

 

As a USC only he would need to obtain the legal capacity to marry affidavit from the embassy for sure, and maybe a CENOMAR depending on the city where getting married, some cities do not accept the affidavit.

 

https://ph.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/getting-married/?_ga=2.171945638.764480744.1515702843-1618516958.1515702843

 

The actual answer to this question can best be answered by the local registry where applying for the marriage license .. if a birth certificate is not required (just his U.S. passport) I don't see any issues.

 

Have his fiancee check with the local registry to get a list of required documents for a foreigner.

 

@John & Rose   how about chiming in on this .. what were you required to present to get the marriage license?

 

We needed to supply the original birth certificates for both of us.  That along with CENOMARs for both of us (yes, even the US citizen required a CENOMAR).  We did a civil wedding and they are exponentially easier than church weddings there.  I would anticipate a lot of challenges with the name change.  CENOMAR will have to be in both names and hopefully presenting all of the information together would be the safest bet.  I agree with Hank, just have him present himself as a USC and see what happens.  

 

It comes down to the people.  We had more problems with PSA because of my middle name.  My father was William John.  I am John William, My son is William John.  They were not going to certify the marriage since my middle name was not my mother's maiden name.  We needed a lot of help to get them to understand that not every country follows the same naming protocols.  It really makes me think that there may be some issues with the OP's friend.  I had to bring my original 57 year old birth certificate or an original court certified copy.  Both of his names will be out there.  Just have everything together and hopefully they will have a good registrar.

Edited August 31, 2018 by John & Rose

[Hank_ 9,173]

53 minutes ago, John & Rose said:

We needed to supply the original birth certificates for both of us.  That along with CENOMARs for both of us (yes, even the US citizen required a CENOMAR).  We did a civil wedding and they are exponentially easier than church weddings there.  I would anticipate a lot of challenges with the name change.  CENOMAR will have to be in both names and hopefully presenting all of the information together would be the safest bet.  I agree with Hank, just have him present himself as a USC and see what happens.  

 

It comes down to the people.  We had more problems with PSA because of my middle name.  My father was William John.  I am John William, My son is William John.  They were not going to certify the marriage since my middle name was not my mother's maiden name.  We needed a lot of help to get them to understand that not every country follows the same naming protocols.  It really makes me think that there may be some issues with the OP's friend.  I had to bring my original 57 year old birth certificate or an original court certified copy.  Both of his names will be out there.  Just have everything together and hopefully they will have a good registrar.

 

Thanks John.  That is what I was thinking on the birth certificates but didn't know for sure, figured you were the best person to ask.

 

Thanks

[jrj_ph 3]

3 hours ago, John & Rose said:

We needed to supply the original birth certificates for both of us.  That along with CENOMARs for both of us (yes, even the US citizen required a CENOMAR).  We did a civil wedding and they are exponentially easier than church weddings there.  I would anticipate a lot of challenges with the name change.  CENOMAR will have to be in both names and hopefully presenting all of the information together would be the safest bet.  I agree with Hank, just have him present himself as a USC and see what happens.  

 

It comes down to the people.  We had more problems with PSA because of my middle name.  My father was William John.  I am John William, My son is William John.  They were not going to certify the marriage since my middle name was not my mother's maiden name.  We needed a lot of help to get them to understand that not every country follows the same naming protocols.  It really makes me think that there may be some issues with the OP's friend.  I had to bring my original 57 year old birth certificate or an original court certified copy.  Both of his names will be out there.  Just have everything together and hopefully they will have a good registrar.

Oh.. I guess my friend would have challenges with this one. That's why I suggested to him to file for a fiance visa instead for her gf and marry here in the US. Would that be feasible? Then have a church ceremony (renewal of vows) in the philippines so that their relatives can attend to it. In having a church ceremony, they only need to present their marriage contract from here in the US right??

[jrj_ph 3]

12 hours ago, John & Rose said:

We needed to supply the original birth certificates for both of us.  That along with CENOMARs for both of us (yes, even the US citizen required a CENOMAR).  We did a civil wedding and they are exponentially easier than church weddings there.  I would anticipate a lot of challenges with the name change.  CENOMAR will have to be in both names and hopefully presenting all of the information together would be the safest bet.  I agree with Hank, just have him present himself as a USC and see what happens.  

 

It comes down to the people.  We had more problems with PSA because of my middle name.  My father was William John.  I am John William, My son is William John.  They were not going to certify the marriage since my middle name was not my mother's maiden name.  We needed a lot of help to get them to understand that not every country follows the same naming protocols.  It really makes me think that there may be some issues with the OP's friend.  I had to bring my original 57 year old birth certificate or an original court certified copy.  Both of his names will be out there.  Just have everything together and hopefully they will have a good registrar.

When you apply for a marriage license, do the local civil registry ask for your birth certificate as part of their routine requirements? or is it because they want to clarify your middle name on the application?

[Hank_ 9,173]

10 hours ago, jrj_ph said:

Oh.. I guess my friend would have challenges with this one. That's why I suggested to him to file for a fiance visa instead for her gf and marry here in the US. Would that be feasible? Then have a church ceremony (renewal of vows) in the philippines so that their relatives can attend to it. In having a church ceremony, they only need to present their marriage contract from here in the US right??

Yes, a fiancee, K-1 visa, would be much better in is situation.   Much better choice.

 

Then do a renewal of vows ceremony later in the Philippines ... nothing is required to do this .. except the big party afterwards    

 

 

 

 

53 minutes ago, jrj_ph said:

When you apply for a marriage license, do the local civil registry ask for your birth certificate as part of their routine requirements? or is it because they want to clarify your middle name on the application?

According to John ... YES they do ask for a birth certificate, and that is why things are screwed with using his new name.

[Noe&Estella 57]

On 9/1/2018 at 5:31 AM, jrj_ph said:

When you apply for a marriage license, do the local civil registry ask for your birth certificate as part of their routine requirements? or is it because they want to clarify your middle name on the application?

Yes it is one of the main requirement. My husband had the same problem like John about the "middle name". My husband has no middle name yet the person in charge of the registry put his mother's maiden name . Fortunately, we're able to correct before it was forwarded to PSA. We too had to explain.

[John & Rose 7,239]

On 9/1/2018 at 7:31 AM, jrj_ph said:

When you apply for a marriage license, do the local civil registry ask for your birth certificate as part of their routine requirements? or is it because they want to clarify your middle name on the application?

The birth certificates are required for the marriage license.