Do you have to change your name?

No, you are not required to change your name when you become a U.S. citizen, although you may change it if you wish, and the naturalization process makes a name change unusually convenient. The right to keep or change one's name on naturalization is set out in 8 CFR section 338.5 and section 336 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Form N-400 includes a section asking whether the applicant wants to change his or her legal name as part of the naturalization process.

If the applicant requests a change, the new name is approved by the federal court at a court-administered oath ceremony or, in some districts, by USCIS following coordination with a local court; the new name is then reflected on the Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550) issued at the ceremony. The change is legally effective without a separate court order, saving the applicant the time and cost of a state court name-change proceeding.

Name changes during naturalization are voluntary and may be motivated by personal preference, marital status, anglicization for ease of pronunciation, return to a maiden name, or simply correcting spelling. Common reasons applicants do not change include preserving family identity, professional credentials, and connection to the country of origin.

If the applicant does not request a name change at the time of the N-400 application, the applicant may still legally change his or her name later through the usual state court procedures. The new citizen's existing name continues on all records (Social Security, driver's license, professional licenses) until the person updates them.