Marriage certificate - space in the name - Any comments appreciated !

J

jd_in

Registered Users (C)
Hello,
I am a GC holder married to a US citizen. We married in India and have a marriage certificate. However, there is a space in my name in the marriage certificate. Like instead of last name being 'lastname' it is 'last name'. For example, 'Chandersingh' being 'Chander Singh'.
Would it cause any problems? I am filling out my naturalization application and want to make sure that everything is correct.

Thanks for any suggestions or comments !
 
Are you applying based on 3 years of marriage to a US citizen, or are you applying with the regular 5 year rule? If you're applying with the 5 year rule, a minor discrepancy on the marriage certificate probably won't be an issue.
 
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In that case the marriage certificate will be of greater importance and you should try to get a corrected one before applying, or at least before the interview. Otherwise the IO could insist on using the incorrect name for the naturalization certificate, which would make it difficult for you to get other documents such as your US passport with your correct last name.

However, if you are female and the incorrect name on the certificate is your maiden name, and you have since taken your husband's last name, it won't be an issue because you've stopped using that name.

But in any case you should still write the last name with the space in the "other names used" section of page 1 of the N-400, so that name will be included in your name check from day 1, otherwise the IO could insist on ordering a new name check after the interview with the space-embedded last name, resulting in delays.
 
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Jackolantern said:
In that case the marriage certificate will be of greater importance and you should try to get a corrected one before applying, or at least before the interview. Otherwise the IO could insist on using the incorrect name for the naturalization certificate, which would make it difficult for you to get other documents such as your US passport with your correct last name.
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If changing a foreign marriage certificate is hard, and if USCIS will go by the printed name ... could not the OP just go for a name change before N400? Or as part of N400?
 
sanjoseaug20 said:
If changing a foreign marriage certificate is hard, and if USCIS will go by the printed name ... could not the OP just go for a name change before N400? Or as part of N400?
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Yes, but a name change before the N-400 would cost money and take a month or two, and a name change with the N-400 process would require a judicial oath which could be 1 to 3 months later than a regular administrative oath (unless it's a jurisdiction where all oaths are judicial oaths). So if the marriage certificate can't be fixed before the interview, it's better to just go ahead with it as is, and deal with any issues if/when they come up.
 
Jackolantern said:
Yes, but a name change before the N-400 would cost money and take a month or two, and a name change with the N-400 process would require a judicial oath which could be 1 to 3 months later than a regular administrative oath (unless it's a jurisdiction where all oaths are judicial oaths). So if the marriage certificate can't be fixed before the interview, it's better to just go ahead with it as is, and deal with any issues if/when they come up.
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Fixing a foreign marriage certificate ... and that too from India ... you are talking a couple of hundred dollars in bribe (maybe much more) plus time (if family can't go then the OP has to go). Either way, choose the best option for the situation, but best is to make sure naturalization certificate has the name you want ... everything will eventually flow from there.
 
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