Do first name hyphens show up on the Certificate of Naturalization? Experiences...

[crisppian]

Greetings,

In my country the concept of middle names is blurry so we just have multiple given first names (e.g. First Name First Name Last Name) A **** *al hyphen appears on birth certificates where there's more than one first name, or more than one last name.

My birth certificate shows my First Name-First Name with a hyphen, my passport does not have it (not because I didn't want it, that's how the computer showed the name, I heard that if I were to renew the passport in a few years I'll get back the hyphen). The hyphen law keeps going back and forth. There was a window just a couple of years ago when the government banned the hyphen between first names. How crazy is that? Then months later they reintroduced it.

Anyhow ever since I came to US more than 12 years ago, as a student, I tried to keep all my US documents just like the name in my passport, no hyphen. Of course each state had different rules on what they make of hyphens and how important they are so it was an adventure to get my second first name not considered a middle, or half of a first name.

On N400 I plan to list my first name just like in my passport and just like I have done before on my adjustment of status and removal of conditions, no hyphen between the two first names.

At the N400 interview do they usually ask for the birth certificate to compare the names? Will the sudden appearance of the hyphen on the birth certificate drive them crazy? I guess it depends on the officer. Would I have to ask for a name change to remove the hyphen or does the Certificate of naturalization come without hyphens no matter what you put on the application? That would be great as it would save entering the vicious circle of Social Security Office, DMV trips, etc.

One thing is certain if I ever become a father I'll make sure the kid will get a three or four letter first name, no more and that's that. No reason to throw the poor being in this world with a bunch of hyphens and names that computers and manbots will scratch their heads at.

How did your Certificate of Naturalization list your hyphenated given/first names?
Thanks,

[rayb]

My experience has led me to conclude that in the U.S. hyphens are not taken very seriously on U.S. government documents, are not thought of as part of a name (first or last), but as affectations which are kept on or dropped off at whim of government employee who generate a particular document.

In answer to your question, it is most likely that one's naturalization certificate will be generated the way you show your legal name on the N-400 (Part 2, #1), is not considered a legal name-change request (to add or delete the hyphen), since the hyphen is not considered a legitimate part of the name.

I've had "hands-on" experience with names and name changes through marriage of Mexican and Ecuador persons, the latter of whom probably lead all Latin countries in use of multiple nodes in first and last names, with and without hyphens. Many of these clients have requested a simplifying of their names on U.S. documents (dropping of multiple nodes and hyphens), and the Green Cards and Naturalization certs have generally followed what we put on forms I-130, I-485 and N-400.

--Ray B

Greetings,

In my country the concept of middle names is blurry so we just have multiple given first names (e.g. First Name First Name Last Name) A **** *al hyphen appears on birth certificates where there's more than one first name, or more than one last name.

My birth certificate shows my First Name-First Name with a hyphen, my passport does not have it (not because I didn't want it, that's how the computer showed the name, I heard that if I were to renew the passport in a few years I'll get back the hyphen). The hyphen law keeps going back and forth. There was a window just a couple of years ago when the government banned the hyphen between first names. How crazy is that? Then months later they reintroduced it.

Anyhow ever since I came to US more than 12 years ago, as a student, I tried to keep all my US documents just like the name in my passport, no hyphen. Of course each state had different rules on what they make of hyphens and how important they are so it was an adventure to get my second first name not considered a middle, or half of a first name.

On N400 I plan to list my first name just like in my passport and just like I have done before on my adjustment of status and removal of conditions, no hyphen between the two first names.

At the N400 interview do they usually ask for the birth certificate to compare the names? Will the sudden appearance of the hyphen on the birth certificate drive them crazy? I guess it depends on the officer. Would I have to ask for a name change to remove the hyphen or does the Certificate of naturalization come without hyphens no matter what you put on the application? That would be great as it would save entering the vicious circle of Social Security Office, DMV trips, etc.

One thing is certain if I ever become a father I'll make sure the kid will get a three or four letter first name, no more and that's that. No reason to throw the poor being in this world with a bunch of hyphens and names that computers and manbots will scratch their heads at.

How did your Certificate of Naturalization list your hyphenated given/first names?
Thanks,

[crisppian]

Thank you for the clarification. This tiny hyphen has been considered 'legitimate' enough by a few DMVs and social security office overzealous employees and that's why I've been stressing about it.

My experience has led me to conclude that in the U.S. hyphens are not taken very seriously on U.S. government documents, are not thought of as part of a name (first or last), but as affectations which are kept on or dropped off at whim of government employee who generate a particular document.

In answer to your question, it is most likely that one's naturalization certificate will be generated the way you show your legal name on the N-400 (Part 2, #1), is not considered a legal name-change request (to add or delete the hyphen), since the hyphen is not considered a legitimate part of the name.

I've had "hands-on" experience with names and name changes through marriage of Mexican and Ecuador persons, the latter of whom probably lead all Latin countries in use of multiple nodes in first and last names, with and without hyphens. Many of these clients have requested a simplifying of their names on U.S. documents (dropping of multiple nodes and hyphens), and the Green Cards and Naturalization certs have generally followed what we put on forms I-130, I-485 and N-400.

--Ray B

[crisppian]

Moving part of first name to middle name

Greetings again,

In your experience as a lawyer does moving the second first name to a middle name constitute a name change for USCIS/Court purposes? In other words would this action require the certificate to come with a court order/name change attached or is it just something that the IO just fixes in the computer since the order of the names would technically be the same.
Not sure if to fill Part 2.1 with first name e.g. John Michael and ask for a name change below, moving Michael to a middle.


Many thanks,

My experience has led me to conclude that in the U.S. hyphens are not taken very seriously on U.S. government documents, are not thought of as part of a name (first or last), but as affectations which are kept on or dropped off at whim of government employee who generate a particular document.

In answer to your question, it is most likely that one's naturalization certificate will be generated the way you show your legal name on the N-400 (Part 2, #1), is not considered a legal name-change request (to add or delete the hyphen), since the hyphen is not considered a legitimate part of the name.

I've had "hands-on" experience with names and name changes through marriage of Mexican and Ecuador persons, the latter of whom probably lead all Latin countries in use of multiple nodes in first and last names, with and without hyphens. Many of these clients have requested a simplifying of their names on U.S. documents (dropping of multiple nodes and hyphens), and the Green Cards and Naturalization certs have generally followed what we put on forms I-130, I-485 and N-400.

--Ray B

[rayb]

Crisppian,

I'm not an attorney, but we work with most immigration procedures excepting actual hearing representation.

But in answer to your question, there is no set rule about rotating parts of first name to middle, etc. USCIS staff routinely do it with names of immigrants on an ad hoc basis.

--Ray B

QUOTE=crisppian;358049]Greetings again,

In your experience as a lawyer does moving the second first name to a middle name constitute a name change for USCIS/Court purposes? In other words would this action require the certificate to come with a court order/name change attached or is it just something that the IO just fixes in the computer since the order of the names would technically be the same.
Not sure if to fill Part 2.1 with first name e.g. John Michael and ask for a name change below, moving Michael to a middle.


Many thanks,[/QUOTE]