Name Change impact?
- Thread starter jasonb
- Start date
foureyesimmigra
Registered Users (C)
contact your local city/county courthouse to find out how much and how
long the name change process is. this is how I did it. after I became a
United States citizen, I went to my local courthouse and petitioned for a
name change.(first name only) The fee was only $39 and all I had to do
was submit a petition at the courthouse in person. Two weeks later, the
judge's clerk mailed me my official name change order. I took that and my
citizenship certificate and applied for my United States passport under my
new name.
if you do this as part of your naturalization process, it will more than likely
cause delay, because they have to schedule for oath in front of a federal
judge. in my district, the delay can be more than 6 weeks! even the USCIS
interviewer told me not to do it with the N400 process. Told me to do it locally.
The only problem with doing it this way is that you'll have to reapply and pay for a new naturalization certificate in order for your legal name to appear on it. Failing to do so can cause issues later when proof of American citizenship is required.
foureyesimmigra
Registered Users (C)
a naturalization certificate, when accompanied by an official name-chage
order from a judge, is just as good. At least that's what the US State
Department Passport Agency agent told me when I applied for my first
US passport in person after the name change.
same thing with the social security office that I went to... they took my
naturalization certificate and name-change order and said that was all
they needed to update my new citizenship status.
a naturalization certificate, when accompanied by an official name-chage
order from a judge, is just as good. At least that's what the US State
Department Passport Agency agent told me when I applied for my first
US passport in person after the name change.
same thing with the social security office that I went to... they took my
naturalization certificate and name-change order and said that was all
they needed to update my new citizenship status.
In that case it's a no brainer
. Why wait for the USCIS to schedule you for a federal oath if you can do it yourself.tigerinroc
Registered Users (C)
I requested a name change for both first & last name. A decision cannot be made at the interview & my case is subject to name check due to name change. I was told it would take up to 2-3 months. It has been a month now. I wonder if the name check is done on the old or new name? Any advice?
The name check is done on old name as any name change request on the application only becomes active at oath.
tigerinroc
Registered Users (C)
This makes perfect sense. Now, from what i understand, USCIS should only conduct an interview after the name check is done which, in my case, is my old name. So why did the IO put down name check as a reason of not approving my case and make me wait for the oath? Is it a wrong doing in my case?
There are instances where the interview is scheduled before the name check is complete.
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
However, a legal name change done separately after the oath usually is not free, and may involve additional nuisance steps depending on the jurisdiction (e.g. publishing the old & new name in the newspaper classifieds).In that case it's a no brainer
tigerinroc
Registered Users (C)
That is one way to explain it. However, the decision cannot be made because of the name change request, as I was told, not because of incompletion of name check (on the old name). Also, I compare my timeline with the others' here and we have relatively similar milestones. This made me to believe that my name check was done before the interview. This is really a puzzle for me. Thanks for your input, anyway.
In your original post you mentioned the reason for delay was due to name check, but now you mentioned it was due to name change. Which one is it?
tigerinroc
Registered Users (C)
The IO said because of the name change request, a name check is needed. Then she handed me the after-interview form, check the Cannot make a decision box, and write a note "name check" next to it. So, the reason of the delay is name check caused by name change request. Does it make sense? Note that I made the name change request when submitting the N400, not at the interview.
foureyesimmigra
Registered Users (C)
in my case, the interviewing office asked me: "you sure you want to request
a name change now? if you do, you won't take your oath for another 5 weeks.
if you don't, we'll schedule you for oath ceremony right here in this office
this afternoon at 2:00PM..." (her exact words, as best as I can remember)
Guess which option I chose?
tigerinroc
Registered Users (C)
No, the IO did not ask me to withdraw the request and I did not intend to.
Can you elaborate the further process you mentioned? If it is because of waiting for an oath with a judge, then it should not be A decision cant be made. If it is a name check on the new name it does not make sense as Bobsmyth responded earlier. If it is a name check on the old name, then It does not make sense either because name check should be done before the interview.
That is my dilemma trying to understand the situation. Any inputs are welcome.
That doesn't make much sense as you haven't legally changes your name yet. The name change is only legal at the oath. I wonder why they would tell you they need to perform check check for a name you haven't even legally been using yet.
tigerinroc
Registered Users (C)
There you go. Should i wait 2 months for an infopass as the IO estimated do it as soon as possible?
tigerinroc
Registered Users (C)
in my case, the interviewing office asked me: "you sure you want to request
a name change now? if you do, you won't take your oath for another 5 weeks.
if you don't, we'll schedule you for oath ceremony right here in this office
this afternoon at 2:00PM..." (her exact words, as best as I can remember)
Guess which option I chose?
The same day oath. Bingo!!!
Yours were nice. Mine was not. I would not mind to wait 5 weeks if it was a done deal. Instead, i got a confusing result.