Name Change Procedure for Indian Citizen living in USA – Answered

Are you an Indian Citizen currently living in the USA and do you want to legally change your name? Well, follow the below given procedure for getting your new name.

If you are an Indian citizen and have been living in the USA for quite some time for your profession or for any other reason then you may feel like to changing your name (your reasons may be anything like marriage, divorce and etc.) Very often it has been seen that the Americans find it difficult to pronounce Indian names and with each passing year the number of Indian immigrants is only increasing. Unfortunately many Indians face the problem with regards to their names. I believe this article will help all the Indian citizens who are living in the USA to have a basic idea about how to change their names legally.

The first step towards changing your name will be to apply for US citizenship which is handled by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). One thing has to be mentioned here that USCIS does not have the authority to change your name legally; it can only be done by the court. Therefore you have to be thorough with the legal procedures.

Steps

1) Download the form for Application for Naturalization from the USCIS website. You can also get the form from the USCIS office. Get the form and study the details. In case you are not sure about the formalities involved, it is best to take the help of a legal counselor. You will get various Indians in the profession, who will not only help you in the process, but being fellow Indians will also understand your requirements and feelings.

2) You need to fill up part one of this form very carefully. Please give the answers properly in the given options. You have to provide your old name, your new name and your middle name (if you have). Again a legal counselor can help you fill up the form by filling in all the parts as per norms.

3) After you are done with part one fill up the rest of the form and please follow the instructions carefully before filling. Complete the form and submit it along with the supporting documents that are asked and the application fees.

4) An interview will be scheduled for you; wait for the date of appointment with USCIS where you have to submit your fingerprints and other biometric records.

5) Once you successfully clear the interview they will arrange for a citizenship

Ceremony. Make sure that you attend the ceremony because here the court will legally change your name.

Your passport holds your identity so it should reflect your new name. So amend the passport from the embassy of your country (in this case Indian). There is a form called I-551(in case you are a permanent resident of USA). Get the form and complete it by filling all the mandatory fields and submit it to the embassy.

Throughout the process, you will need legal help and counseling, so ensure that you have a lawyer standing with you throughout the process. It is important because it is for sure that you will not be aware about the laws and formalities related to changing your name officially in a foreign country.