Please Help - Signature Part 11 on N400

GCHELP4

Registered Users (C)
Gurus,

The instructions for PART11 - YOUR SIGNATURE states

"You should sign your full name without abbreviating it or using initials. The signature must be legible"

My signature that I use all the time is a scrawl which has initials(A.----) and
you can't really read my name. My question is do I need sign with my full name on PART11 now?

Thanks.
 
If your normal signature is just a scribble, then sign as you would a legal document such as a mortgage:full name in cursive writing.
 
If your normal signature is just a scribble, then sign as you would a legal document such as a mortgage:full name in cursive writing.

Isn't your normal signature scribble or not exactly what you would put on a legal document, mine never varies regardless of document.
 
My normal signature is not legible. Legal documents (such as mortgages) require the full legible signature to avoid confusion. If you still choose to use unlegible signature, my guess is it sets you up to possible complications later.
 
I don't choose to have two signatures. I simply follow instructions. For example, during my mortgage lease signing the lawyer made it very clear I must sign full name in cursive writing if my regular signature is not legible. The same logic applies for the instructions on N-400. The perogative is whether you choose to follow instructions or not. Obviously in your case you didn't (even if it didn't cause any issues).
 
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I don't choose to have two signatures. I simply follow instructions. For example, during my mortgage lease signing the lawyer made it very clear I must sign full name in cursive writing if my regular signature is not legible. The same logic applies for the instructions on N-400. The perogative is whether you choose to follow instructions or not. Obviously in your case you didn't (even if it didn't cause any issues).

Nonsense, I have never been instructed by anyone on how my signature should look, a signature is supposed to be individual and distinctive like a fingerprint.
If your lawyer advised you to "make up" something different to what you would normally use for checks etc I believe that you were badly advised.
The normal procedure if your signature cannot be made out is to print your name alongside not alter your signature.
 
I rather follow the advice of a legal professional and/or written instructions than rely on the anecdotal evidence of someone who has clearly made up on their own mind on the issue by not following written instructions. Checks are one thing, legal binding documents (including n-400) with clear instructions are another.

The question here is whether the OP should follow the instructions on the N-400 by signing their full legible name. Different documents have different signature guidelines. It's best to follow these guidelines rather than make up your own.
 
Perhaps the question should be what is legible?
An X is sufficient on the form if you can't write.
I maintain that a signature is a form of identification an altered signature is not.
I shall not alter mine for anyone you and others can do as you wish anyway this is going nowhere so I'm out.
 
Bobsmyth and McTavish, thank you for ur valuable replies. I am surprised other than you two, nobody jumped in. No one else has this issue :)

I signed my mortgage documents also using my normal scribble signature(nobody told me to do use my full name there like N400). I agree with Bobsmyth's since the instruction clearly says to use the full name. The only problem is as McTavish pointed out I need to maintain 2 signatures. Not sure
whether it will cause any issues in the future.
 
The only problem is as McTavish pointed out I need to maintain 2 signatures. Not sure
whether it will cause any issues in the future.

I don't see it as having to maintain 2 signatures. I use my regular scribble signature on just about every document (check, credit card, correspondence, applications) unless instructed otherwise. From McTavish's experience, it doesn't appear that USCIS enforces the signature instructions on N-400.
However, during my interview the IO stressed to sign the photo with my full name in legible cursive form.
 
I don't see it as having to maintain 2 signatures. I use my regular scribble signature on just about every document (check, credit card, correspondence, applications) unless instructed otherwise. From McTavish's experience, it doesn't appear that USCIS enforces the signature instructions on N-400.
However, during my interview the IO stressed to sign the photo with my full name in legible cursive form.

I just couldn't stay away :)
My IO just asked me to sign the photographs with no further instruction.
I've seen this issue discussed before not in regard to signing the N400 but signing the photos and citizenship document, with some people saying they were told to use legible cursive on the photo and having to recreate the same on the citizenship doc and others just signing as normal.
Seems like par for the USCIS course, it all depends on who you deal with and where you are.
 
Well that's interesting Bob, and dated months before you were instructed to sign legibly and in cursive, kind of negates our whole discussion when the rules are not adhered to.

"Round and round she goes where she stops nobody knows" :)
 
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