Name Change at the N-400 Stage

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

For all of you who are considering changing their name when becoming a US citizen, here's how easy this works.

At the interview, the I.O. will fill out this form in 3 copies, all of which you'll sign. When processing your N-400 after the interview, a judge signs the name change request, and when you pick up your Certificate of Naturalization after the Oath Ceremony, this very form is stapled to the back of it. You will have to submit it with the Certificate when you apply for a passport, and you'll also show it to the SSA employee as well as the DMV employee when applying for a new SSN card and a new driver license.

All in all, a piece of cake!

[mrs.sr 0]

Congratulations!!! and Thank you for sharing this information.

May the force be with you, Luke

[juliava 80]

That is very good to know, JustBob, as I am planning on doing the same thing whenever I become eligible for naturalization. Changing my name right now is a process I don't want to deal with as I know it might interfere with other upcoming immigration-related applications.

Congrats on your journey!You had a 19 years journey and you became a citizen on January 19. What a coincidence!

[leahandlucas 15]

Luke Skywalker hahahaha lol!!!! good one Bob!!!

WHEN are YOU going to share with us your naturalization ceremony day and what occured on that day!!! share it if you want!!! congrats yet again!!!

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

I live in San Buenaventura, an old and rather small mission town directly at the Pacific Ocean, about 30 minutes south of Santa Barbara. While it's Ventura country, all of my immigration was handled by Los Angeles county, and it has little to do with angels, more with nightmares. My oath ceremony was scheduled for 12:30 in Pomona, exactly 101 miles and about 1 hour 40 of driving time straight through the hell of Los Angeles right to "the other side."

I'm the most organized person you can imagine; the shirts in my closet are color-coded and that drives my wife as crazy as it drives me crazy when she leaves her stuff everywhere. My Green Card is inside my passport, and my passport is in an folder marked N-400 which is in a folder marked USCIS which is in a locked Steelcase cabinet in my garage.

Wednesday morning I got up early, got ready, walked into my garage, opened the steel cabinet, looked in the folder, and . . . . couldn't find my Green Card nor my passport! I freaked, wrecked my brain what could have happened, searched the center console and the trunk of my car, assuming that I forgot to take both out after the interview. Me!

After the second search, I found both, in that very folder, in the back pocket. Phhhhhh.

The freeway run to Pomona was smooth and fast, and we arrived 45 minutes early. But . . . a sheer stream of cars to the event caused us to take 40 minutes from the entrance to to parking spot. Another long line in front of the building took another 10 to 15 minutes and it was like a cattle drive.

Pomona processes 3,500 applicants plus their guests in the morning, and the same amount of people in the afternoon. I'd say about 8,000 cars and perhaps 15,000 people on one day. Makes you feel less "special." For comparison, Los Angeles also has the LA Convention Center, and there they do 6,000 people, twice a day, on one day. Just crazy!

Inside I filled out the back of my I-445; luckily I didn't get a speeding ticket on the way, and got in line. Well, there were 50 lines to be exact. At the front of each line was one Immigration employee who took your form, your Green Card, and asked you if anything had changed. The form was then marked with the number of the lane and an "okay" and, since I changed my name, another secret sign.

Guests had to stand on the side like pigs in a birdcage and we got to seat on cheap, white garden chairs. If you were over 150 lbs., you'd rub elbows with your neighbors. An endless 45 minutes passed until everybody was processed and seated. The judge was introduced, the Assistant Director held a speech, the judge asked us to swear to tell the truth, and we were instructed not to sign the voter's registration form until we were done as we were not US citizens yet. Then we had to get all up again and speak the Oath of Allegiance, following the judge's lead. I couldn't understand a word he was saying, but I memorized it anyway. Afterward a short movie presentation from the President and a country-and-western song of America the beautiful. Well, that was it.

My buttocks sour like I had sat for a day or two, it took another eternity until we were allowed to get up and move back to the line with the same number we were standing in when arriving. Once done, we turned in our N-445 form for the second time and got our Certificates of Naturalization. Outside I bought one of them fancy Certificate holders for $10.00 (cool actually!) from a vendor and we walked back to your car. An endless stream of 4000 or so cars heading for the exit, and we were finally on our way. We had an early bird dinner on the way back and were back home at 7:00 p.m thanks to a school shooting in Woodland Hills where they blocked all streets in a 7-mile radius.

[juliava 80]

Wow!!! What a day, JustBob, I'm sure you will never forget it!!!Congrats again!!!

[Janey13 0]

Hello, I'm applying for the N400 now. My question is this, my Green Card is in my married name.  I am still happily married.  However I wish to change my name BACK to the name on my birth certificate.  Should I be checking off yes to change legal name on question 4?  I'm really not legally changing my name, just asking to use the previous name so I can change my SSN etc to that name too. Thank you for any help you can provide.