Change your name when you become a U.S. citizen
You can ask to change your name during multiple parts of the U.S. citizenship process. Then, during the Naturalization Oath Ceremony, a federal judge can legally change your name.
These are the basic steps to change your name during the citizenship (naturalization) process. It is informational only. Contact USCIS or an immigration attorney if you have more questions. If you don't want to or can't change your name during naturalization, you can change your name in a California court.
Name change during citizenship process
1. Ask to change your name in your application or interview
- You can ask to change your name in your Application for Naturalization (form N-400). Get more information on how to fill out the name change part in the Instructions for form N-400. (Both links open in a new tab)
- If you did not ask to change your name on your N-400, you can ask at your USCIS interview. The USCIS officer can have you sign a name change petition and file it with a court before the judicial oath ceremony.
2. USCIS schedules Oath Ceremony
- To change your name, your ceremony must be in front of a judge. Ask at your USCIS interview if your ceremony can be held in front of a judge.
- 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.
3. Get new name at Oath Ceremony
- A judge can legally change your name at your oath ceremony.
- Your new name will go on your Certificate of Naturalization. Once you get the documents changing your name, you can use it to change your name on other legal identity documents.
⚠️ Your records are not updated automatically with your new name.
You must take a copy of your Certificate of Naturalization to each government agency where you need to update your ID or record.
Get more information to update your records with every agency