In some regions of the United States, ceremonies presided over by a judge are held only a few times per year, so asking for a name change will result in your waiting longer than most people to receive citizenship. USCIS would probably approve a correction to "Janedoa Maxwell" if the father's last name on the birth certificate was Maxwell. This site provides general information on some commonly encountered immigration matters only and was created to allow you to more simply navigate your completion of immigration paperwork using online software. This process can be difficult to pin down because of differences between state laws. You should provide the required documents when filing the citizenship certificate replacement application. Please send a written request to the US District Court Clerk's Office, attn: Naturalization, 517 E. Wisconsin Ave, Rm. A judge can legally change your name at your oath ceremony. This is usually mailed separately (if not provided at the time of naturalization ceremony). How do I reschedule? The Court is unable to provide a copy of your naturalization certificate or any other documentation that certifies your citizenship. If you dont see it, disable any pop-up/ad blockers on your browser. USCIS does not offer the option of a name change with the Certificate of Citizenship. UNITED KINGDOM. You can also legally change your name when you naturalize. The interviewer may ask for proof of your current legal name. 2). If I fail a portion of the naturalization test, when will I be retested? [3] In addition, an applicant who has legally changed his or her gender may apply for a replacement certificate reflecting the new gender. (Unfortunately, you cannot pick and choose which USCIS office to attend your interview at. The attorneys at Scott D. Pollock & Associates P.C. The U.S. State Department is responsible for issuing passports. However, both approaches are nuanced, with small details that are critical to the process. If you are able to file your form online, you will be able to pay your fee, check your case status, and be updated on your case all in your online account. A naturalized citizen may choose to change their name at the time of naturalization, or they may go through the name change process at a state court level after naturalization. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Filling Out USCIS Form N-400 Application for Naturalization, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. London TW1 1JT Consulting one can be well worth the expense. You can legally change your name after filing your application for naturalization with USCIS. Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. Expect to have to correspond several times with USCIS before it agrees to make the correction. The judge will not approve your name change request in the following types of circumstance: For more information on the relevant law, see the Name Change page of Nolo's website. Experienced immigration attorneys are accustomed to dealing with the various paperwork and bureaucratic requirements associated with applying for U.S. citizenship as well as name changes. This means that you will change your name after becoming a United States citizen rather than during your citizenship process. To obtain a status of your application, please contact USCIS directly at www.uscis.gov or call (800) 375-5283. If you cannot persuade USCIS to change or correct your name, you can pursue a separate court proceeding in a state or local court. Once the application is filed and you are granted citizenship, one needs to swear their oath of allegiance before a judge. Proof of Termination of Your Previous Marriage (s) 3. At the heart of our firm is a focus on client relationships, responsiveness, and our deep commitment to helping you or your corporation achieve the goal of living or working in the U.S. 4299 MacArthur Boulevard As you study for the test, make sure you know the most current answers to these questions. You can request to change your name on a citizenship certificate using Form N-600. Suite 202 362, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Does USCIS publish the naturalization test questions? Are a naturalized citizen seeking a special certificate of naturalization for the purpose of a foreign country recognizing you as a citizen of the United States. However, USCIS officers do not have the legal authority to swear in someone who is changing their name. have several decades of combined experience. If you file this petition, to legally change your name, you will be issued a naturalization certificate that bears your new name. If he had not naturalized, his Bonus family descendants generations from now would be at quite a loss to explain the origin of their name. If you do not go through a naturalization ceremony in court, USCIS can use the correct name on the Certificate of Naturalization, but you will not be able to change your legal name unless you go to court. Ask at your USCIS interview if your ceremony can be held in front of a judge. Certain applicants, because of age and time as a lawful permanent resident, are exempt from the English requirements for naturalization and may take the civics test in the language of their choice. If you can't afford the fee, you can ask the court to waive it. [4] During your swearing-in ceremony, you will be given a certificate proving your name has been legally changed. Learn how to contact each agency where you might need to update your records. You want to change your name for fraudulent reasons, such as to escape capture for a crime or to avoid paying a debt. So at theinterview, it's very flexible.From what I've seen, I've never had a problem.You just say, \"Oh I want to go back and not changeit. If you are approved for citizenship, a USCIS official will schedule an oath ceremony. To request a legal name change through the naturalization process, fill out the name change section of the N400. Depending on the cause of the error, however, you might have to pay for the correction. But remember that you can change your name at the time of applying for U.S. citizenship, only if the oath ceremony takes place in a court and if a judge administers the oath as the U.S. district courts are authorized to change the names of the applicants who are applying for U.S. citizenship, while they take the oath. Corrections and Name Change During Naturalization Process: What To Do After Your Citizenship Oath. Even I applied for court order to change my name, I have to start FBI/CBI, criminal record checks, petition to court etc but I am unclear as to as to how to start that since I have always been FirstName Lastname. Assuming you have not yet become a U.S. citizen, you might be able to deal with a previously misspelled or wrong name when applying for naturalization. To illustrate, let's say the full name on a girl's birth certificate was "Jane Doa," but she considered her true name to be "Janedoe Maxwell." Speak with your immigration and naturalization lawyer about the best approach to correcting or changing your name during your naturalization process. Commonly Asked Questions About the Naturalization Process. The forms that can be completed using our software can be obtained for free from the U.S. But in a place likeSan Francisco, they don't, even though the form says you couldchange your name.Once you go to the interview, they'll say, \"Actually, we don'tdo name changes here.\"So you got to look to see what your local office does.I'm not familiar with every procedure at every office, butmaybe contact local attorneys or whatever.But the reality is, you could change your name at the interview. Many states have a self-service legal center where you can get instruction on how to represent yourself in asking the court for a name change. Depending on where you live, your will follow your states legal name change procedures. You may be able to get your name partly corrected or changed to a form that is more similar to your actual name, even if it is not fully corrected. The extent of the correction may depend on the strength of your proof for the error. Even if you do not ask for a name change at this point, you can ask to file a Petition for Name Change at your USCIS interview. USCIS offersinteractive practice teststo help you prepare. We understand that having your name misspelled on legal documents can be frustrating. For information on obtaining a copy of your name change petition, contact the jury and naturalization office at 404-215-1640. If appropriate, you can supplement your request with an affidavit from a parent or guardian who can explain the mistake and corroborate the request. Naturalization Replacing a Lost Name Change Certificate The Southern District of Iowa can only provide certified copies of name change certificates. Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, Cancellation of Green Card After Citizenship Denial, Residency Requirement When Applying for Citizenship, Fingerprinting Requirement When Applying for Citizenship, Expediting Review of Citizenship Application, Applying for Citizenship as a Former Asylee or Refugee, Fee Waivers for Citizenship Application (Form N-400), Naturalization Interview When Seeking Citizenship, Second Chance Naturalization Interviews When Seeking Citizenship, Request for Hearing After Denial of Citizenship, Naturalization Ceremony After Citizenship Approval, CARRP Program and Delays for Muslim-Americans Seeking Citizenship, Name Corrections and Changes in the Citizenship Process, Birthright Citizenship and Acquisition or Derivation of Citizenship Through Parents, Military Service Members and Veterans Pursuing Citizenship, Children of Refugees Qualifying for Citizenship Through Derivation, Impact of Conditional Resident Status on Applying for Citizenship, Domestic Violence Victims Applying for Citizenship, Public Benefits and Applying for Citizenship, Extramarital Affairs, Divorce, and Citizenship, Voting Rights After Receiving Citizenship, Consular Interviews When Seeking a Visa or Green Card, VAWA Petitions for Foreign National Victims of Domestic Violence Seeking Immigration Status, How Children of Foreign National Domestic Violence Victims Can Obtain Immigration Status, Work Authorization for Foreign Nationals Without Green Cards, Temporary Protected Status for Foreign Nationals Unable to Return Home Safely, Humanitarian Parole for Foreign Nationals With Compelling Needs, Advance Parole for Foreign Nationals Living in the U.S. Evidence that you can provide includes: Your immigration lawyer can help gather and send the evidence required for you to change your name on naturalization forms. Provide as much evidence as possible to support your contention that your name was written incorrectly on the birth certificate or other documents. There are a few ways to go about a name change during naturalization. If you were naturalized in Des Moines, please contact the Clerk's Office at 515-284-6248. Get information about different ways to change your name in California, Get information about how to change your identity documents, This process does not happen in the California court system. If your Form N-648 is found to be sufficient, and the licensed medical professional who completed your Form N-648 indicated on the form that you were unable to comply with all of the educational requirements, the officer will conduct the eligibility interview in your language of choice with the use of an interpreter and will not test you on any of the educational requirements. Many oath ceremonies are not held in front a judges. 8 FAM 403.1-4(C) Change of Name by Marriage (CT:CITZ-64; 11-08-2021) If it can't or you don't want to wait until a judge is available, you will need to do a different process to change your name. Official Court Order for the change of first name or full name. Some different laws that may change from state to state can include: where you file for a name change, needing to provide a valid reason for a name change, who you must inform of the change, if you have to give a general notice of the change (posting in a newspaper), what criminal convicts are allowed to change their name, as well as several others. How will I know what the decision is on the Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions, I submitted? In the case of In re Application of Xiangjing Zhan, 424 N.J. Super. Contact USCIS or an immigration attorney if you have more questions. Proof of Official Name Change (s) (if any) 9 Additional Documents That You May Need. We are here to provide knowledge, support, and help for you during this time. - If I changed my whole name (first, middle, and last name) during my AOS: 1). If you have citizenship automatically through a U.S. citizen parent, you can ask for a Certificate of Citizenship to help you correct errors in how your name was spelled on certain official documents. Your name change will take effect immediately after the ceremony has ended. For example, some US states do not even require native US citizens to file with the government for a name change. Accordingly, an applicant may file the disability exception form during any part of the naturalization process, including after the application is filed but before the firstexamination, during the firstexamination, during the re-examination if the applicants firstexaminationwas rescheduled, and during the rehearing on a denied naturalization application. 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