Legal Question in International Law in California

Does the US recognize a name change in a foreign country?

If a permanent resident of the US go back to his home country and legally change his full name (without an US court order), does the US recognize such name change?

What if the name change is not made by the foreign court, but a government department of the foreign country (It is legally recognized in that foreign country.)? Would a passport of the foreign country with the new full name be enough to prove the name change?


Asked on 1/07/12, 1:08 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Francis R 'Francois' Favre, Esq. The International Lawyer

As a matter of US Jurisprudence, anyone may change is name for any reason without a court order except if the change name is used for fraudulent means or any other illegal purposes but it is always better to get a "name change court order". The simplest is to ask an Immigration or Consult officer what is office requirements, and when you get naturalized you can ask the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS, formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service) to change your name.

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Answered on 6/09/12, 8:21 pm


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