First Name Change on N-400

H

Holding Hands

New Member
Hi All,

I requested to change my first name on the N-400 and I was wondering what is the process? Will this come up on the Citizenship interview and would it delay the process in anyway?

Thanks,
Sue.
 
I read this in one of the books, might be helpful to you:

The name change service is available only at USCIS offices where the swearing-in ceremonies are held in a courtroom, presided over by a judge, not a USCIS officer. In some regions, ceremonies presided over by a judge are held only a few times a year, so asking for a name change will result in your waiting longer than most people to receive citizenship.
 
Oh, boy. Is there a better way to do it to avoid delays? Maybe ask the officer at the interview to diregard this part and request it after the swearing-in ceremony...
 
Holding Hands said:
Oh, boy. Is there a better way to do it to avoid delays? Maybe ask the officer at the interview to diregard this part and request it after the swearing-in ceremony...
Click to expand...
There might be a 1-3 month delay, rarely more. It's not like a name check delay that goes on and on and on.

And in some jurisdictions there is no delay at all, because in those areas the judicial oath is the standard for everybody, not just the people doing name changes. If you tell us your location somebody here may know how often the judicial oaths with name changes are held.

If you do the name change after your oath, independently of naturalization, you'll have to navigate the process on your own with the court or City Hall in your town; you probably will have to pay another fee, and your naturalization certificate won't have your new name on it.

Changing your name before the oath would result in them having to do another name check for your new name, and that could lead to serious delays.
 
from my experience, i changed my first name at my interview, i signed the form" petition for name change" and at my OD i received the copy of that form with the court seal on the back to proof that i legally changed my name, it is free of charge.
 
Holding Hands said:
I requested to change my first name on the N-400 and I was wondering what is the process? Will this come up on the Citizenship interview and would it delay the process in anyway?
Click to expand...

There could be a delay, but it will depend in part on which area you reside in. You might want to check posts from people belonging to the same District Office as you. The primary factor would be the frequency of oath ceremonies in your area - both judicial as well as USCIS-conducted.

FYI, I have read on this board that the San Jose, CA office does not allow names changes to be done as part of the N-400 process, even though it is offered as an option on the N-400.
 
nycjordankix said:
from my experience, i changed my first name at my interview, i signed the form" petition for name change" and at my OD i received the copy of that form with the court seal on the back to proof that i legally changed my name, it is free of charge.
Click to expand...
Your name wasn't legally changed at the interview; you only did the paperwork for the name change at that time. The actual name change took effect on the oath date.

When I mentioned name changes before the oath, I was referring to changes done outside of the naturalization process. To have a name change that becomes legally recognized before the oath, you have to do it separately from naturalization, paying a separate fee (if a fee is required in your jurisdiction) and filling out separate paperwork.
 
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