N-400 Name Change: How to Change Your Name During Naturalization

Becoming a U.S. citizen is one of the few times you can get a legal name change without filing a separate court petition or paying extra fees. If you're filing Form N-400, you can request a first name, middle name, or last name change right on the application. But there's a catch most people don't learn until it's too late: only a court can approve your name change, and that means you need a judicial oath ceremony, not an administrative one. If your local area primarily schedules administrative ceremonies, requesting a name change may require a judicial ceremony and could affect how quickly you get scheduled.

This guide explains exactly how the N-400 name change process works, what it costs compared to other options, and what to watch out for so you don't get caught off guard.

How to request a name change on Form N-400

The name change request is in Part 2 of Form N-400 ("Information About You"), at Item Number 3 (Name Change (Optional)). You select "Yes" and write the full new name you want on your Certificate of Naturalization.

You can change your first name, middle name, last name, or any combination. You don't need to provide a reason. Common changes include taking a spouse's last name, reverting to a maiden name after divorce, dropping or adding a middle name, or Americanizing a name's spelling.

A few things to know when filling this out:

• If you already changed your name legally through marriage or a court order, you don't need to use this section. Your current legal name is already what USCIS will put on your certificate.
• If you forgot to check "Yes" on the form, you can still request a name change at your N-400 interview. The USCIS officer can add the request at that point.
• Military members naturalizing while stationed overseas should confirm name-change logistics in advance, because a court-administered (judicial) oath ceremony is required for an N-400 name change request, and judicial ceremony scheduling can vary by location.

If you're preparing your application, make sure your document checklist includes any supporting records like a marriage certificate or divorce decree, even if you're requesting the change through the form rather than through a prior court order.

Judicial vs. administrative oath ceremonies: the key distinction

This is the most important thing to understand about name changes during naturalization. USCIS does not have the legal authority to decree a legal name change as part of naturalization. A name change request made through the N-400 process is decided by a court as part of a court-administered (judicial) Oath of Allegiance (INA § 336(e) / 8 U.S.C. § 1447(e)).

That means your name change can only happen at a judicial oath ceremony, where a federal or state judge presides. At an administrative oath ceremony, run by a USCIS officer, no name change can be processed (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part J, Ch. 5).

Here's what USCIS says directly: "All name change requests facilitated through USCIS will require you to take the Oath of Allegiance at a judicial ceremony, rather than an administrative one because USCIS is not authorized to make name changes" (USCIS FAQ).

Here's the good news: in some areas, the court has exclusive authority to administer the Oath of Allegiance, meaning applicants take the oath in a judicial ceremony. In those areas, requesting a name change may be less likely to change which type of ceremony you attend, but scheduling still depends on the local court's ceremony calendar.

If you're unsure what type of ceremonies your local USCIS office holds, ask the officer at your citizenship interview. They can tell you whether your ceremony will be judicial or administrative based on your name change request.

Will a name change delay your oath ceremony?

It depends on where you live. In districts where all ceremonies are already judicial (the ~44+ exclusive jurisdiction districts), there's no additional delay. Your ceremony timeline is the same whether or not you request a name change.

In other districts, requesting a name change routes you to a judicial ceremony instead of an administrative one. Judicial ceremonies may be scheduled less frequently than administrative ceremonies, and USCIS has little control over the judicial ceremony calendar — so requesting a name change can add time in some locations.

Current N-400 processing times vary significantly by field office and change over time, so check USCIS's Processing Times tool for the most up-to-date estimate for your local office. If you request a name change, any additional wait generally happens after your interview and approval because you must be scheduled for a judicial oath ceremony.

Important: You cannot reverse a name change decision after your oath ceremony. If you change your mind post-ceremony, you'll need to file a separate state court name change petition, which costs $150 to $500 or more depending on your state.

Cost comparison: name change options

One of the biggest advantages of changing your name during naturalization is the price: $0 additional. Here's how it compares to other paths:

• During naturalization (N-400): No additional fee beyond your standard N-400 filing fee ($710 online, $760 paper). If you are requesting a reduced fee or filing a fee waiver, you cannot file Form N-400 online and must file by mail (paper). The name change (if approved) is handled through the court as part of a judicial oath ceremony.
• State court petition: $150 to $500+ depending on the state, plus publication requirements in some jurisdictions. Takes 1 to 3 months.
• After naturalization (Form N-565): The filing fee depends on how you file — $505 if filing Form N-565 online or $555 if filing by mail (paper) under the current USCIS fee rule. Processing times vary, so check USCIS's Processing Times tool for the most current estimate for Form N-565.

If you know you want a name change and you're in a district with judicial ceremonies, doing it during naturalization is the clear financial winner.

Common name change scenarios

Taking your spouse's last name: If you have a marriage certificate showing the new name, you may not even need the judicial ceremony path. Some offices treat a marriage-based name change as already legally established. Bring your marriage certificate to the interview.

Reverting to a maiden name after divorce: If your divorce decree restored your maiden name, no judicial ceremony is needed. If it didn't, you'll need to request the change through the N-400. If you're filing N-400 after divorce, discuss this with the USCIS officer at your interview.

Adding or dropping a middle name: This requires the full judicial ceremony process, since it's a change to your legal name that hasn't been made by any prior court order.

Hyphenating your last name: This is a known pain point. USCIS systems have historically had trouble with hyphens, sometimes dropping them or splitting compound names incorrectly. If you want a hyphenated name, confirm the exact formatting at your interview and double-check your certificate before leaving the ceremony.

Correcting a spelling error from your green card: If your green card has a misspelled name and you have supporting documents (birth certificate, passport) showing the correct spelling, this may be treated as a correction rather than a name change, potentially avoiding the judicial ceremony requirement.

What happens at the oath ceremony

At your interview, the USCIS officer records your name change request and has you sign a petition, which USCIS then files with a court. At the judicial oath ceremony, the judge reviews and approves the petition as part of the naturalization process (8 CFR § 337.4).

After the oath, your Certificate of Naturalization (8 CFR § 338) is issued in your new name. You should also receive the court's name change petition as a separate document.

Warning: Keep both your naturalization certificate and your name change petition. Some agencies and institutions may ask for the separate court document as proof of the name change, not just the certificate. Replacements are extremely difficult to obtain later.

After the ceremony, you'll need to update your Social Security card, driver's license, passport, and other documents in your new name. Your A-Number stays the same. If you checked "Yes" on the N-400 to notify Social Security, USCIS sends the updated name to SSA automatically, though you may still need to visit SSA in person.

Official sources

This guide is based on current USCIS policy and federal regulations. All information was verified against these official sources as of February 2026:

USCIS resources

• USCIS Form N-400 Official Page
• Form N-400 Instructions
• USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part K, Ch. 3 (Certificate of Naturalization)
• USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12, Part J, Ch. 6 (Oath ceremonies)
• USCIS Naturalization FAQ
• USCIS Fee Schedule
• USCIS Processing Times
• Form N-565 (Replacement Certificate)

Federal regulations

• 8 CFR § 338 (Certificate of Naturalization)
• 8 CFR § 337 (Oath of Allegiance)

Immigration and Nationality Act

• INA § 336(e) / 8 U.S.C. § 1447(e) (Authority for name change at naturalization)

State court resources

• California Courts: Name Change at Citizenship
• Northern District of Texas: Naturalization
• Texas State Law Library: Naturalization Name Changes

Immigration law changes frequently. We monitor USCIS policy updates and revise this guide when regulations change.