Since there are so many questions posted about name change issues I wanted to post how to officially change your name in case you did not during naturalization as a US citizen and now its causing issues with OCI.
1. First check the county that has jurisdiction over your place of residence and find out which court would process a name change. In most county's probate courts would process a name change. Call the probate court and ask for the steps/forms for an Adult or minor name change. Also most courts would allow a name change petition only if you have lived there for over a year.
2. Fill out the form provided by the court office and provide reasons for the name change. Reasons can be as simple as I want a new name to as complex as the old name is causing issues when processing a visa to your birth country.
3. Attach necessary documentation. Drivers license to prove residence of over a year, Any documentation showing old name(birth country passport), new name (naturalization certificate or US passport) etc.,
4. File the petition at the probate court with the necessary filing fee. Some courts will publish your name change in a newspaper of general circulation. Many courts will ask you to take the filing information and go to the newspaper office to pay for the name change ad. This has to be done 30 days before the hearing.
5. Once you know the date of the publication (make sure its 30 days before the hearing date) call the newspaper and make sure they provided the proof of publication to the court without that the court will not hear the application for name change. Also verify that the court got the proof of publication/affidavit of publication a week before the hearing date.
6. On the date of the hearing dress up and go to the court office and ask for the room where the hearing will be held. Let the clerk know that you are there for the hearing. They will call you in when the judge is ready to hear the case. Judge may just verify the information on the application and ask you again for the reasons to change the name. Once the judge is satisfied he will sign the name change petition. Go back to the courts office and get your certified copy of the name change. This would be your official proof of name change. Now you can use that for OCI or any other place that needs it.
If you have questions let me know and I can try to answer as best as I can.
1. First check the county that has jurisdiction over your place of residence and find out which court would process a name change. In most county's probate courts would process a name change. Call the probate court and ask for the steps/forms for an Adult or minor name change. Also most courts would allow a name change petition only if you have lived there for over a year.
2. Fill out the form provided by the court office and provide reasons for the name change. Reasons can be as simple as I want a new name to as complex as the old name is causing issues when processing a visa to your birth country.
3. Attach necessary documentation. Drivers license to prove residence of over a year, Any documentation showing old name(birth country passport), new name (naturalization certificate or US passport) etc.,
4. File the petition at the probate court with the necessary filing fee. Some courts will publish your name change in a newspaper of general circulation. Many courts will ask you to take the filing information and go to the newspaper office to pay for the name change ad. This has to be done 30 days before the hearing.
5. Once you know the date of the publication (make sure its 30 days before the hearing date) call the newspaper and make sure they provided the proof of publication to the court without that the court will not hear the application for name change. Also verify that the court got the proof of publication/affidavit of publication a week before the hearing date.
6. On the date of the hearing dress up and go to the court office and ask for the room where the hearing will be held. Let the clerk know that you are there for the hearing. They will call you in when the judge is ready to hear the case. Judge may just verify the information on the application and ask you again for the reasons to change the name. Once the judge is satisfied he will sign the name change petition. Go back to the courts office and get your certified copy of the name change. This would be your official proof of name change. Now you can use that for OCI or any other place that needs it.
If you have questions let me know and I can try to answer as best as I can.