Signature on Certificate of Naturalization

K

karkri

Registered Users (C)
I have seen many threads on this topic, but could not find a definitive answer.

Today I took the oath and received the Certificate of Naturalization. Now, as I was about to sign it, I thought I'd check this forum for instructions. I found several thoughts, but I still have the question.

During the ceremony, they said sign just your normal signature. In the forums, some said sign your full name in cursive, some said sign exactly like it is on the picture. Well, on my picture, the IO during the interview made me PRINT my name on the picture. So do I PRINT my name on the Cert of Naturalization? Or write it in cursor? I sign my usual (regular) signature?

Would someone please settle this once and for all?:confused:
 
I don't know about you, but at our oath ceremony we were told to write the full name in cursive, which is what we had been instructed for photos during our IV also. In fact our oath papers had an example copy with the name "John Jay Smith" written in cursive. So we wrote our names basically, did not print in block letter or did not scrawl like we normally sign.
 
karkri said:
I have seen many threads on this topic, but could not find a definitive answer.

Today I took the oath and received the Certificate of Naturalization. Now, as I was about to sign it, I thought I'd check this forum for instructions. I found several thoughts, but I still have the question.

During the ceremony, they said sign just your normal signature. In the forums, some said sign your full name in cursive, some said sign exactly like it is on the picture. Well, on my picture, the IO during the interview made me PRINT my name on the picture. So do I PRINT my name on the Cert of Naturalization? Or write it in cursor? I sign my usual (regular) signature?

Would someone please settle this once and for all?:confused:
Click to expand...

No, unfortunately it cannot be settled once and for all, since there is no clear instruction on USCIS website or forms.

By far, the people have suggested it has to MATCH the photo. I know someone personally who wrote CAPITAL letters PRINT on photo, and has "signed" the natz certificate exactly same - CAPITAL letters PRINT in 'place of signature'. He got passport ok, no issues.

MATCH the photo is what I heard most say that Immigration officers tell them.
 
aabbcc11 said:
I don't know about you, but at our oath ceremony we were told to write the full name in cursive, which is what we had been instructed for photos during our IV also. In fact our oath papers had an example copy with the name "John Jay Smith" written in cursive. So we wrote our names basically, did not print in block letter or did not scrawl like we normally sign.
Click to expand...

Wow - did they mail that to u? There was no such thing in mine.

One of my irritation is the lack of clarity around such things. Why dont they clearly state things?

Anyways, looks like most folks write it like its on the photo, and thats ok as "an accepted practice" in lieu of well written rules/instructions.
 
One of my irritation is the lack of clarity around such things. Why dont they clearly state things?
Click to expand...
Because there is only one legal requirement - the signature should be yours.
 
Cross,
That ex signature was in packet of stuff we got during our oath ceremony. It had some welcome messages and a voter reg form I think besides a small US flag and a pen.At least there was no ambiguity in the insturctions once we saw the sample.
 
I appreciate all the prompt responses.

After all this, my take is that they leave this 'unclear' for the reason that it doesn't really matter how it is signed, as long as the named person signs it. If it really mattered, they would have made it clear.

I've heard from different people who signed it differently. I've not heard of anyone getting into issues because they signed it one way or the other.

This process is full of inconsistencies. My wife and I were interviewed on the same day by 2 different officers. What they made us do (incl. signatures) was different. My IO made me PRINT (in CAPITALS) everywhere, including on N400, on Parts 13 & 14 where it asks for complete signature. On part 14, it asks for Printed name in one box and Complete signature in another box, she made me PRINT my name in both. I asked again and she insisted PRINT in CAPITALS. Now, my wife's IO made her sign her full name in cursive where it says signature. My wife's IO asked to see the passport(s) and mine did not ask for anything other than Greencard.

One thing common though, neither of them cared about Traffic (speeding) tickets. My wife & I had one each from a long time ago and did not mention them on N400. When we tried to mention those, my wife's IO said "oh, let's not worry about those" and mine just said "pch..." with the corner of her mouth and shrugged.
 
CrossHairs said:
Wow - did they mail that to u? There was no such thing in mine.

One of my irritation is the lack of clarity around such things. Why dont they clearly state things?

Anyways, looks like most folks write it like its on the photo, and thats ok as "an accepted practice" in lieu of well written rules/instructions.
Click to expand...

They had the same document in my packet at my oath ceremony as well. Which is why I decided to stick around at the end of the oath and ask the USCIS official who was present. I was asked to sign my application and photos as I normally do every day documents (eg. checks) - so I didn't want any issues. The USCIS Assistant Director told me that since this is what I did on the photo, it is best to match the signature on the certificate with that which is on the photo. So I ended up signing it using my regular signature and have not had any problems with using the certificate to obtain my passport and update my status with the SSA.
 
LolaLi said:
The USCIS Assistant Director told me that since this is what I did on the photo, it is best to match the signature on the certificate with that which is on the photo.
Click to expand...

I agree the key seems to be to "match the sign on certificate with that on photo"
 
On your naturalization certificate, you have to 'sign' your name by writing the full name in cursive. This is NOT your usual signature unless you usually sign by writing the FULL name in cursive (some people, like my wife, simply write their name for a signature).

However, in the passport application and in the passport itself, you sign your normal signature - as in a bank check or as in your driver's license.
 
ravi1985 said:
On your naturalization certificate, you have to 'sign' your name by writing the full name in cursive. This is NOT your usual signature unless you usually sign by writing the FULL name in cursive (some people, like my wife, simply write their name for a signature).

However, in the passport application and in the passport itself, you sign your normal signature - as in a bank check or as in your driver's license.
Click to expand...

ravi1985,

So you are saying we have to sign the full name in cursive, not necessarily what was on the photo? Because they made me PRINT my name in CAPITALS on the photo. Most of the other folks on this forum say the signature has to match whatever is on the photo.
 
i know someone who printed in caps on cert, to match photo. thats what he did, and got us passport. best to match.
 
My rule of thumb is match the signature on the photo. That should be the purpose of having the signature on the photo so someone can compare the signature on the photo, done in the presence of an IO and the signature on the certificate, done in the privacy of your own home ;)
 
Huracan said:
My rule of thumb is match the signature on the photo. That should be the purpose of having the signature on the photo so someone can compare the signature on the photo, done in the presence of an IO and the signature on the certificate, done in the privacy of your own home ;)
Click to expand...

However, we do need to admit, "that for all practical purposes", anyone can sign in block print on photo, and someone else can very easily imitate the block letters. Kind of useless :)
 
I agree. Signature on certificate has to match the one in photo. For me, I was asked to sign my name by writing it in cursive. If you wrote it bold, then do the same for the certificate too.
 
Ok, I waited for a couple days after I got my Cert. Yesterday, my wife had her oath and we specifically asked the USCIS guy about the signature. He said "the signature rule changed recently, but you may want to sign to match what's on the photo".

So, both my wife and I signed our Natz certificates in CAPITALS (to match the photo) and applied for passports.
 
karkri said:
Ok, I waited for a couple days after I got my Cert. Yesterday, my wife had her oath and we specifically asked the USCIS guy about the signature. He said "the signature rule changed recently, but you may want to sign to match what's on the photo".

So, both my wife and I signed our Natz certificates in CAPITALS (to match the photo) and applied for passports.
Click to expand...

For my wife (during interview, she did not have oath yet, since she is pending final verification still) - they said "signature rule recently changed".

For me, I had interview AFTER my wife (but I completed oath), they told me "rule has not changed"

Go figure! Strange are the ways of USCIS, same office tells different things!
 
The new signature twist

Here is the new twist, my photographs is signed with my signature which I use everywhere and I also wrote my full name below the signature, and I signed my Naturalization Certificate with my signature I use everywhere (not the full name). I guess in my case both are valid because my photograph have both.

At my interview, the officer asked me to put down both, so I guess they are aware of this problem and now they make you sign both, atleast in my case.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top