Golden Bridge Translation & Notarization Copywriting
Why is it necessary to apply for authentication of a U.S. name change document?
Name change documents are mostly issued by the U.S. Immigration Service (USIS) or provided as court judgments from state courts. In either case, as long as the document clearly proves your previous name and your changed name, it can be authenticated as valid.
In the United States, changing one's name is relatively easy. Many people change their names upon marriage or when becoming U.S. citizens. In most cases, simply filling out a new name on the relevant forms, such as a marriage registration form or a naturalization application, completes the name change. However, many Chinese individuals may not have properly preserved their name change documents, which could lead to complications in the following situations:
- Issues may arise when applying for a Chinese visa.
- When needing to prove that the current name and the original name belong to the same person within China, a name change document may be required.
In the United States, name changes typically occur in the following three scenarios:
- The marriage certificate records your name before and after marriage.
- If a new name is filled out on the naturalization application, the staff may provide a court-issued name change document when issuing the Certificate of Citizenship.
- When applying for a name change through the court, the court will issue a name change document.
Required materials for name change document authentication:
- A completed "Application for Notarization and Authentication" form.
- A copy of the name change document.
- A name change declaration.
- A copy of the applicant's passport (Chinese citizens also need to provide the original and a copy of their legal U.S. residency proof, such as a green card, I-20, H1B, etc.).
Process for authenticating a U.S. name change document:
- Draft a name change declaration and have it notarized by a local notary public.
- Authentication by the Secretary of State.
- Documents under the jurisdiction of the Washington D.C. embassy require authentication by the U.S. Department of State.
- Submit the authenticated documents to the Chinese Consulate or Embassy in the United States for final authentication. Phone: 518-956-5673
