Help Please - Citizenship through N-600

[powerof1]

I'm from the former USSR.
I'm 21 years old.
My parents became naturalized citizens before I became 18. Would I by extension be a citizen now?

I have had a permanent resident card since 2006, since I was 16 years old.

I would like to get the citizenship certificate.
Would filling out and submitting the N-600 file be the best way?

Also, I would like to change my first and last name and drop my middle name. How would I do this?

 

[sanjoseaug20]

You have 3 different issues. Let's take them one by one.

#1. Naturalization. Based on the limited data, it seems you already are a citizen. The requirement for naturalization through parents is that you should have a GC, should be admitted legally, your parents naturalize before you turn 18 and you be living in their custody at the time they naturalized (temporary absences are ok). As long you meet all of these, you should be ok.

#2. Certificate. An easier way to get this certified is to apply for a US passport. You can do either N600 or Passport depending on whether there is any urgency in doing this. Some people can live by only a passport, but a certificate of citizenship is non-expiring and can help prove your citizenship if the passport is lost, or during a time 20-30 years down the line when a clerk wants to look at how you got your citizenship.

#3. Name change. You will need to go to your local county court for this. Think through whether you will do it before or after getting the US ID (passport or naturalization certificate). Doing name change before N600 will require you to fix all your accounts and drivers license, but going forward you need to just show the certificate of citizenship or passport. Name change after N600 will require you to attach the name change document also. These matter only when you are doing activities requiring your birth / naturalization certificate too often ( job change maybe, opening accounts ) ... it may not matter much in daily life. But make a call after thinking through.

 

[Jackolantern]

#1. Naturalization. Based on the limited data, it seems you already are a citizen. The requirement for naturalization through parents is that you should have a GC, should be admitted legally, your parents naturalize before you turn 18 and you be living in their custody at the time they naturalized (temporary absences are ok). As long you meet all of these, you should be ok.

Or to be more precise, as long as you meet all of these and have the evidence to prove it. There are many people out there who met the criteria but can't prove it, especially if they're over 30.

Doing name change before N600 will require you to fix all your accounts and drivers license, but going forward you need to just show the certificate of citizenship or passport.

The advantage of doing the name change before N-600 and passport is that the new name would be on those documents ... but whether the name change is done before or after the N-600, it will still be necessary to show the name change document to change accounts, driver's license, Social Security card etc.