You can change your name while going through naturalization by asking the court to do it at the same ceremony where you take the Oath of Allegiance. There’s no separate fee, and the new name appears on your Certificate of Naturalization. Changing your name during naturalization does come with one real cost: you have to attend a judicial oath ceremony instead of an administrative one, which can add weeks or months to your timeline depending on the court’s schedule.
The authority comes from 8 U.S.C. ยง 1447(e), which lets a court issue a decree changing your name at the moment it naturalizes you, provided the request is made in good faith.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1447 – Hearings on Denials of Applications for Naturalization You can change your first, middle, last name, or any combination. If naturalization is denied, the name change doesn’t take effect either.
How to Ask for the Name Change on Form N-400
The request lives on Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. Part 2, Item Number 3 asks whether you want the court to change your name at your ceremony. Select “Yes” and enter the full name exactly as you want it to appear on your legal documents, because that is what the certificate will read.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Application for Naturalization
The standard N-400 filing fee covers everything. That’s $760 on paper or $710 online, with a reduced fee of $380 for applicants who qualify by household income.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-400, Application for Naturalization A standalone name change through a state court has its own filing fees, court appearances, and sometimes newspaper publication requirements, so folding the change into naturalization is much simpler.
Missed the box on your form? You get a second chance. At your naturalization interview, tell the USCIS officer you want a name change. The officer records the request, has you sign a name change petition, and USCIS files it with the court before your oath ceremony.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Commonly Asked Questions About the Naturalization Process Come prepared with the exact spelling you want, because the petition becomes a court document.
You’ll Need a Judicial Oath Ceremony
This is the practical catch. USCIS officers can administer the Oath of Allegiance, but they cannot grant name changes. Only a judge can. So anyone requesting a name change must attend a judicial oath ceremony held by a federal or state court.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. href=”https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learn-about-citizenship/commonly-asked-questions-about-the-naturalization-process” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Commonly Asked Questions About the Naturalization Process
Administrative ceremonies run frequently and USCIS controls the calendar. Judicial ceremonies run on the court’s calendar, and some courts hold them only a few times a year. The wait between passing the interview and taking the oath can stretch from a couple of weeks to several months. If you’re working against a deadline like an upcoming election or planned international travel, weigh the delay before you check the box.
What the Court Reviews
After you pass the interview, USCIS prepares the petition and files it with the court. You usually sign it during the interview. The court holds the petition until your oath ceremony, where the judge decides whether to grant it.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Commonly Asked Questions About the Naturalization Process
The statute requires the request to be made in “bona fide” good faith.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1447 – Hearings on Denials of Applications for Naturalization Courts will deny a change that appears aimed at fraud, evading debts, or escaping a criminal record. Straightforward requests are almost always approved.
When You Don’t Need to Use This Process
If your name has already been legally changed through marriage, divorce, or a prior court order, you don’t need a court decree at naturalization. USCIS can issue your certificate in your current legal name based on the existing document.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Application for Naturalization Skipping the court petition also keeps you eligible for an administrative oath ceremony.
At the Ceremony and After
At the judicial ceremony, the judge administers the Oath of Allegiance and, if approved, the clerk issues a document confirming the name change.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 6 – Judicial and Expedited Oath Ceremonies Your Certificate of Naturalization is then printed in your new legal name.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Policy Manual Volume 12 Part K Chapter 3 – Certificate of Naturalization
That certificate is now your primary proof of both citizenship and the name change. Federal agencies accept it as sufficient evidence that the change occurred legally.8U.S. Department of State. 8 FAM 403.1 – Name Usage and Name Changes Keep the original somewhere safe and get certified copies before mailing it anywhere.
Updating Your Records in the Right Order
The order matters, because later steps usually rely on documents from earlier ones.
Social Security First
Start with the Social Security Administration. Most other agencies want SSA records to match your new name before they’ll update their own. Beginning with the April 2024 edition of Form N-400, you can authorize USCIS to send your information directly to SSA, which may eliminate a separate office visit.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. New Citizens Will Be Able to Seamlessly Request Social Security Updates If you didn’t select that option, apply for a corrected card online through your my Social Security account where available, or file Form SS-5 with your naturalization certificate as evidence of identity and the name change.10Social Security Administration. How Do I Change or Correct My Name on My Social Security Number Card
U.S. Passport
As a new citizen applying for your first passport, use Form DS-11 at a passport acceptance facility. The State Department accepts a naturalization certificate issued in the new name as standalone evidence of the change; no separate court order or marriage certificate is needed.8U.S. Department of State. 8 FAM 403.1 – Name Usage and Name Changes
Driver’s License or State ID
Bring your Certificate of Naturalization and updated Social Security card to your state motor vehicle agency. Fees typically run between $10 and $40. Some states will also ask for proof of residency.
Taxes
The IRS has no separate name change form. Your tax records update automatically once SSA processes the new name, and the name on your return must match the name on your Social Security card. If you file before SSA has processed the change, use your former name so the return isn’t held up. If a W-2 arrives in your old name after you’ve updated with SSA, ask your employer for a corrected Form W-2c. Income received under both names in the same year all goes on one return.11Internal Revenue Service. Name Changes and Social Security Number Matching Issues
Employer and Form I-9
Tell your employer so payroll and tax withholding reflect the new name. Your employer does not have to complete a new Form I-9. USCIS recommends recording the change in Supplement B (Reverification and Rehire) with your new legal name, dated and signed by the employer. The employer may ask for documentation, such as the new naturalization certificate, and keep a copy with the I-9.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 6.3 Recording Changes of Name and Other Identity Information for Current Employees
Banks and Credit Bureaus
Update your bank and financial accounts with the new certificate and updated ID. Contact each of the credit reporting agencies separately, submitting your new legal name with supporting documentation such as your court order or naturalization certificate, and allow up to 30 days for processing. A mismatch between your credit file and new applications can cause problems when you apply for loans or housing.