Search the Community

Hello everyone had my interview February 14th at the Tampa USCIS office which I was passed my US citizenship interview. I did change my last name. Anyone out there had any experience on the wait for your oath ceremony with a name change. Have a cruise booked in July and just want to make sure I have enough time between my oath ceremony and cruise to get my passport.

Hi, I am worried that I have a big problem now. I should update my SSA card and drive license before mailing natraulization certificate to apply for passport. I changed name through natraulization. My new name have 4 parts which is first-middle-middle-last. Middle name is my maiden name, I create first and last name for myself and didnt take my husband's last. I have international trip soon and not receiving my passport yet. After 6 weeks passed then the passport offier requests me to provide identification for new name use in all purposes. I submit name change certified by court order because I dont have any ID with new name on. I am panic now because review process may cause delay to get passport even I paid extra for expedited service. I still need to update SSA and driver license before departure. What will happen if I can not update those information before I go trip? Will my passport be denied because I didnt fill out middle name on the passport application form? Then why fill online it said optional for middle name? It will be appreciated if there is someone can answer or share experience like mine because change flight will be another huge expenses too. Quote EditI

Hello, I really hope someone would be able to share their experience with me. So I'm having my oath ceremony in mid February, and I plan to apply for my passport soon after. I have an upcoming international trip in late April, which leaves about 9-10 weeks from my oath ceremony to my travel date. What confuses me is that, I'm changing my name during naturalization. I'm originally from Taiwan, and my name is Yi-Wen Chang (this is an example not real), sometimes that hyphen in my name gets omitted. Now, I'm changing my name to Jessica Yiwen Chang Brown, the reason being I've been using my English name since a long time ago, and I changed my last name to my married name. My question is here, when I apply for my passport after oath, would it be a problem that my government ID still shows my old name? While the NC shows my new name. On passport application form, it asks you to list out all other names you've used, I listed my old one, is that enough? Thank you.

Hi , I was wondering if you could help me I haven’t changed my name during interview, or when I applied but then after the interview I decided to take my husband’s name so I filed a Typographical error request and they changed it in their system and sent me an oath ceremony invitation with my husband’s last name on it now, due to unforeseen circumstances I really need to keep my maiden name , my oath ceremony is on Thursday. Will I be able to keep my maiden name if in the system it is now my husbands name? Are they allow you to do it? As a “fix mistake in your certificate “ maybe?

I thought this might help those of us considering a legal name change. The N400 application is (in most cases) a great time to legally change your name. It's fast and it's free. Outside of the N400 process, a name change requires a visit to your local courthouse, may require a public announcement in a newspaper (depending on your state and local laws) and will cost you money. In New York City, the cost is about $65 while on Houston it is over $400, so cost varies from city to city. You can change your name to anything you want within certain limitations. You can't change your name to impersonate someone or in an attempt to hide your identity for illegal purposes. Other than that, it's up to you. If you are Arthur Robert Wilkinson, you can become Geraldo Mohamed Leibowitz. It's important to note that if you are just changing your last name to take your spouse's last name or to revert to your maiden name, then a legal name change is not required. This is because a marriage certificate or a divorce certificate acts as proof of legal name change. This is true EVEN IF your certificate does not show the new name that you want to take. For example, if Anita Mary Harrolds marries Geraldo Mohamed Leibowitz, she can legally be known as Anita Mary Leibowitz even though that name does not appear anywhere on the certificate. In fact, she can also hyphenate both last names without a legal name change. However, if she wanted to change her middle name from Mary to Margaret, she would need a legal name change. To request a legal name change through the naturalization process, fill out the name change section of the N400. The interviewer may ask you to confirm that you still want to change your name because some people change their minds between the application and the interview. The interviewer may ask for proof of your current legal name. In case of a discrepancy between your green card and your passport, a birth, marriage, divorce, or name change certificate determines your current name, so make sure you have these with you (if they apply in your case...it's always a good idea to have your translated birth certificate with you at the interview). The interviewer will print out some forms (three I think) for you to check and sign. These should have your old and new names on them. You will have to be scheduled for a judicial oath ceremony. This is because USCIS does not have the legal authority to change your name and must ask a judge to do so. If your city has regular judicial ceremonies then there shouldn't be any delays. If your city holds regular administrative ceremonies, but not many judicial ceremonies, then the name change may cause a delay. Some cities (including San Francisco and San Jose) have stopped scheduling judicial ceremonies altogether. Applicants in these cities cannot legally change their names through the N400 application. Your interviewer will inform you of this and will cross out the name change section during the interview. You will have to request a regular name change before or after naturalization if you live in these cities (see above). At your oath ceremony you will be given your naturalization certificate as well as a name change certificate signed by a judge. This second certificate will show your old and new names and you'll need it to update your name with your banks, on your drivers license, credit cards, etc. In addition to doing all the paperwork to make these changes, you'll also have to consider the effect of the name change if you have dual citizenship; your name on your two passports may not match and your other country may require you to go through different name change procedures or may not allow name changes at all. People do travel using passports with different names, but you have to be careful when booking tickets and you may want to travel with your name change certificate (and translations). If you want to check whether or not (and how often) judicial ceremonies are held in your location, find your office here and look under naturalization ceremonies: http://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/field-offices

Hello everyone, I am an Indian citizen who recently got married and got my marriage-based conditional greencard. I have a long first name (with space) and a long last name which causes problems when my employer runs an everify check. It's really embarrasing to repeat myself twice whenever someone asks for my name. Hence, I have decided to change my name through the county court. Here are a few questions regarding name change after GC: 1) Will the i90 extension letter have my new legal name? 2) If yes, can I use the extension letter along with the court docs to change my name on my SSN and DL? Will it verify through SAVE? 3) Also, will this cause any issues during removal of conditions? Please let me know! Thanks!

My mom is the petitioner her last name on her green card is ********y ends with Y where her last name on my passport my country wrote it ending with i like that ********i. Knowing that English is not my country language it’s written in another language too. Is that going to cause me any problems? Because I can’t change it and I can’t make a new one it’s impossible here.

Hi there, I submitted a I-90 after my divorce, to change my name. I-90 was submitted during the pandemiy, Aug 2020. It has been almost 20 months and my case is still pending. Anyone know if this process is normal? Does it take that long to get a replacement green card? Thank you

My wife is colombian and has changed her last name. She currently holds a B1/B2 visa in her maiden name and her current passport number. When she went to the Colombian passport office to obtain a passport with hew new last name she was told that a new passport with her new name would come with a new passport number, and her old passport and visa would be void. She would need to apply for a new B1/B2 visa. Is it true that, if you get a new passport number, that your old B1/B2 visa with the previous passport number is invalid? (The B1/B2 visa lists her old name and old visa number on it)

The Background - Colombian with B1/B2, Legally Changed Her Name My wife is Colombian with a B1/B2 visa that has her maiden name and her current passport number. I am USC. We were married and my wife legally changed her name in Colombia. My wife has changed several legal documents already (cedula, bank account etc). In all those cases, she kept the same identity number. We submitted I-130 for CR1 in April 2022, currently waiting for USCIS approval. That application was done with her new married name, and with her current passport, as well as evidence of travel all tied to her current passport number. The Problem - Getting a Passport with New Name => New Passport Number When she went to change her name on her passport at the Colombian government office, she was told that she "is basically a new person" and she would receive a new passport number, and her B1/B2 visa would be void and she would have to apply for a new visa as well. Advice Wanted - Change the Passport or Wait? Her visa lists her maiden name and old passport number - Assuming she gets her old passport back, and they don't stamp anything on the Visa, is that visa still valid if she actively has BOTH a new name AND a new passport number that doesn't match the visa? Our I-130 application lists her current passport number. I'm concerned if she gets a new passport number that her identity and our travel evidence together will not match up. Any experience in changing name and changing passport number in the middle of the process? Will she still be able to try to enter the United States for short trips with a passport name and number that doesn't match what is on a B1/B2 visa? (I know there is always the risk she is denied entry on immigrant intent grounds) We are unsure if we should just hold onto the current passport and visa (expires in 2026), get the green card first (possibly in her maiden name), and then change everything after or whether it's better to do it now. Thank you community in advance. I can't begin to express my gratitude of everyone sharing their knowledge and experiences in this long, difficult process.

Hi! When applying for naturalization my husband wanted to change his name (he’s Latin so he has two last names. He wanted to drop one.) Now that his interview is scheduled and he’s had more time to think about it, he has decided he doesn’t want to change his name. Will this be an issue? Or can he just tell the officer at the interview he does not want to go through with the name change? Thanks!

I was approved for N-400 on may 05,2022. And approved on the spot. I request for the name change but Still waiting for the oath. It’s been more than 2 months. I call to USCIs but they said to wait for 4 months to submit any inquiry. Anyone who is waiting with me??

Hi, I did the interview for my citizenship last month and I was waiting to be informed on when to go for the oath. The USCIS emailed me couple days later that because I asked for a name change, I have to file and send the form n-662 before they can continue my proceeding. I haven't received the form in the mail, and I can't find it anywhere on the internet to download and fill out. I have only 6 days left to send it to them, but I did everything to receive the form and it was unsuccessful. I don't know what to do. I traveled back to my home country for some family issues, that means I can go to their office now and ask any question. I called the line several time, but the automated system keeps sending me to the USCIS website, but the form is not there to download. I emailed them but they are only saying they he already sent it and there is nothing they can do, but I haven't received anything in the mail. Please I am stock and stressed. Where can I get the form n-662 to download. Thanks

Hi, I have arrived in the US on my k1 visa and will be getting married soon, but I’ve heard the maiden name to married name change is confusing with all the forms. Is it possible to not change my maiden name to married name until after I get my green card? Will that make it easier so I can put all the forms in my maiden name, then just change my name more down the line, or will that look weird to imigration? Or is it easier to just change my maiden name to married name right after marriage? (Also I already have my SSN and it is in my maiden name. ) Thank you

I would like to enter the DV lottery based on the country of birth eligibility, but I have two passports with different last names. Which one should I enter in the lottery application? 1) Valid passport from Country of Birth (Country A) but it has my original maiden name. Country A is eligible for DV lottery. 2) Valid passport from Country of 2nd Citizenship (Country B) but it has my current last name (legal name changed through marriage). Country B is not eligible for DV lottery. I got married in Country B but never really got a legal name changed in Country A. I am currently in the US with a non-immigrant visa. I entered the US using passport from Country B. I feel that I should be entering the passport info from Country B because my name would be consistent. But does the DV lottery form look for the passport info that match the Country of Birth?

Hello. I moved to the US with a K1 visa a few years ago and my removal of conditions is coming up. I’m from the Philippines, where the law is that when a woman gets married, whatever their last name is becomes their middle name. Prior to marriage, our middle name is our mom’s maiden surname. However, when I got married in the US, I opted to keep my mom’s surname as my middle name. My Philippine passport reflects that (my mom’s maiden name = my middle name and my husband’s surname = my surname). My problem is that it might somehow cause an issue when I send in my docs for removal of conditions, since my name in the Philippines is legally different from my name in the US. Could this cause an issue? If so, what should I do? Hope that wasn’t too convoluted of an explanation lol. Thanks.

Hi All! My wife recently emigrated to the US to Florida specifically. At our Clerk of Court we were only given to option to execute our marriage license/certificate using our original legal names, with no means to change her name on the license or certificate. We are getting a lot of conflicting information about how to move forward with the name change and continue with the AOS documentation. The Clerk of Courts tells us we need to visit the Social Security office but all of them are closed and impossible to get appointments in our area. We have heard that it is possible to complete the name change by executing the I-485 (and other AOS related documents) with the name we want to change to and list her legal name as other names used. We've also heard that we would receive her Social Security card in her new name and work permit etc. in her new name. Can anyone verify if this is accurate for the state of Florida? As mentioned, the Clerk is telling us to go to Social Security, but everyone else is stating they did their name change through these other methods. Thanks for any help you can provide!

Hello everyone! I was wondering if anyone knows when in the K1/AOS process can the fiance change their name. My fiance wants to use his middle name as his first name in the US, since its easier to say. Does anyone know when or how this can be done? Thank you!

Hi guys! So my husband is filing the I-130 for me, he is the US Citizen and I am Canadian. After we got married I changed my last name to my married name. I got my driver's license and health card and debit/credit cards changed. I have yet to change my passport because I am anticipating a trip soon and will need it. I have a few questions regarding this name change: 1. Do I (the beneficiary) need to submit a scan of my passport in the I-130 application? If I do, can we submit the application under my married name but my passport in my maiden name? (The reason I wouldn't want to submit the passport with my new name is because it will put off submitting the application until I get my passport which can take awhile because I will be using it in April and won't be able to change it until May and than will have to wait for it to come in) 2. What would be examples of documents I can submit to prove proof of my legal name change?