A legal name change after receiving Citizenship Certificate

[eeprofilehelp]

@eeprofilehelp @GokulGuruprasad @iMayflower @gprasanna31 and others who can share their actual experience or thoughts.

My family will be doing their oath ceremony at the end of January 2023. Following the advice of some of us here, we have decided to NOT change their names until after they have completed the Canadian citizenship application process. Now that they are close to completion, I'd like to ask you for your experience and timeline. In principle, we want to do the same as what you have done:

1. Go through the Oath ceremony
2. Do a legal name change (actually, it is just a name order correction. they currently have no first name, and all parts of their names are assigned as their last name, anyway, just details here and won't affect your response to this question)
3. Get a new Canadian citizenship certificate under the new name - yes, understand it may not be required at all, but it's symbolic and nice to just have one that correctly reflects their names
4. Wait for new citizenship certificate, and issue the first Canadian passport with the correct names.

Questions:
A. Did you go through the same steps above and what was your timeline?
B. In hindsight, do you think it might be better to just inform the clerk or whoever is in the Oath Ceremony virtual call about this situation and tell them not to issue the Canadian citizenship certificate under their current names. Allow us time to get the legal name change and then send all paperwork back to IRCC so they can issue the first citizenship certificate with the "new" and correct names the first time?
C. In hindsight, was there anything you think you could have done differently with regards to the legal name change?

We are Calgary based.

Hoping to hear your experience.

Thanks a lot!

You don't have to wait until you receive you new CC (Update new name). You can use the one that you get now and use the NCC to get passport. Also, apply for new CC if you wish to have it.

 

[armoured]

1. Go through the Oath ceremony
2. Do a legal name change (actually, it is just a name order correction. they currently have no first name, and all parts of their names are assigned as their last name, anyway, just details here and won't affect your response to this question)
3. Get a new Canadian citizenship certificate under the new name - yes, understand it may not be required at all, but it's symbolic and nice to just have one that correctly reflects their names
4. Wait for new citizenship certificate, and issue the first Canadian passport with the correct names.

No. Strongly recommend simple following order, because getting a new citizenship certificate may take a long time. And since you must submit the old citizenship certificate to change the name, you will be stuck unable to get a passport until you get it. Yes, this has happened to some people.

1. Oath/get citizenship certificate.
2. Change name legally. (You could probably do this safely after doing the oath, but just in case)
3. Apply for passport in new name using existing (old name) citizenship cert + change of name documents. Yes, they will accept this and issue in new name. (If you can show other ID like updated driver's license or health card, may be easier.)
4. Once you get passport (month or two), apply for new citizenship certificate. It'll take some time but you will get it.

 

[limhockkiong]

You don't have to wait until you receive you new CC (Update new name). You can use the one that you get now and use the NCC to get passport. Also, apply for new CC if you wish to have it.

Thanks @eeprofilehelp

Did you complete your Oath ceremony and only after that, you did your legal name change and apply for a new citizenship certificate? And you used the NCC to apply for your first passport? Was that what you did? And how much time did it take between those steps?

 

[eeprofilehelp]

Thanks @eeprofilehelp

Did you complete your Oath ceremony and only after that, you did your legal name change and apply for a new citizenship certificate? And you used the NCC to apply for your first passport? Was that what you did? And how much time did it take between those steps?

Yes. Oath ceremony → received CC (2 weeks) → Applied for name change → Received NCC (6-8 weeks) → Updated DL and Health Card (a couple of weeks to get it in mail) → Applied for Canadian passport (using new IDs, NCC and CC) → received Canadian passport with new name → haven't applied for new CC (for new name yet, but I will soon).

 

[limhockkiong]

Yes. Oath ceremony → received CC (2 weeks) → Applied for name change → Received NCC (6-8 weeks) → Updated DL and Health Card (a couple of weeks to get it in mail) → Applied for Canadian passport (using new IDs, NCC and CC) → received Canadian passport with new name → haven't applied for new CC (for new name yet, but I will soon).

When you said you received NCC 6-8 weeks I thought you meant you received your New Citizenship Certificate (new name) until I saw you said you haven't applied for new CC, which you will soon.

What did you mean by NCC ?

 

[limhockkiong]

No. Strongly recommend simple following order, because getting a new citizenship certificate may take a long time. And since you must submit the old citizenship certificate to change the name, you will be stuck unable to get a passport until you get it. Yes, this has happened to some people.

1. Oath/get citizenship certificate.
2. Change name legally. (You could probably do this safely after doing the oath, but just in case)
3. Apply for passport in new name using existing (old name) citizenship cert + change of name documents. Yes, they will accept this and issue in new name. (If you can show other ID like updated driver's license or health card, may be easier.)
4. Once you get passport (month or two), apply for new citizenship certificate. It'll take some time but you will get it.

Very clear. Thanks @armoured

 

[limhockkiong]

When you said you received NCC 6-8 weeks I thought you meant you received your New Citizenship Certificate (new name) until I saw you said you haven't applied for new CC, which you will soon.

What did you mean by NCC ?

@eeprofilehelp NCC = Name Change Certificate and not New Citizenship Certificate?

 

[eeprofilehelp]

When you said you received NCC 6-8 weeks I thought you meant you received your New Citizenship Certificate (new name) until I saw you said you haven't applied for new CC, which you will soon.

What did you mean by NCC ?

@eeprofilehelp NCC = Name Change Certificate and not New Citizenship Certificate?

Sorry for the confusion but i did mention that I haven't applied for new name Citizenship Certificate yet & NCC is after applying for Name Chnage so it is Name Change Certificate.

Last time i checked the processing time to get new name Citizenship Certificate was more then 6 months.

 

[gprasanna31]

@eeprofilehelp @GokulGuruprasad @iMayflower @gprasanna31 and others who can share their actual experience or thoughts.

My family will be doing their oath ceremony at the end of January 2023. Following the advice of some of us here, we have decided to NOT change their names until after they have completed the Canadian citizenship application process. Now that they are close to completion, I'd like to ask you for your experience and timeline. In principle, we want to do the same as what you have done:

1. Go through the Oath ceremony
2. Do a legal name change (actually, it is just a name order correction. they currently have no first name, and all parts of their names are assigned as their last name, anyway, just details here and won't affect your response to this question)
3. Get a new Canadian citizenship certificate under the new name - yes, understand it may not be required at all, but it's symbolic and nice to just have one that correctly reflects their names
4. Wait for new citizenship certificate, and issue the first Canadian passport with the correct names.

Questions:
A. Did you go through the same steps above and what was your timeline?
B. In hindsight, do you think it might be better to just inform the clerk or whoever is in the Oath Ceremony virtual call about this situation and tell them not to issue the Canadian citizenship certificate under their current names. Allow us time to get the legal name change and then send all paperwork back to IRCC so they can issue the first citizenship certificate with the "new" and correct names the first time?
C. In hindsight, was there anything you think you could have done differently with regards to the legal name change?

We are Calgary based.

Hoping to hear your experience.

Thanks a lot!

Hi

Sorry for the delay response. Till date i havent applied for New citizenship certificate. My order were as follows:

Oath ceremony → received Citizenship certificate (within 2 weeks) → Applied for name change → Received Name Change Document (6 weeks) → Updated names in Driving License, Health Card and SIN document (witnin15 days new ID's were issued) → Applied for Canadian passport (using new IDs, Name Change Document and Citizenship Certificate ) → received Canadian passport with new name.

Used the same new IDs, Name Change document and citizenship certificate to get visa for home country.

No questions asked nor flagged anywhere why citizenship certificate is not reflecting new name.

Hope this helps.

Regards
Prasanna

 

[jnam]

When you said you received NCC 6-8 weeks I thought you meant you received your New Citizenship Certificate (new name) until I saw you said you haven't applied for new CC, which you will soon.

What did you mean by NCC ?

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Hi ,
i am also in simikar name chnage situation.

I recently did a legal change of name, while my citizenship application being in process. My BG and citizenship test has been completed as of Nov 10, 2022.
I uploaded my Legal name change certificate via IRCC online webform on Dec 10, 2022. Received acknowledgement of document received via email on Dec 21,2022.

will it gonna make my application as a non routine application and i have to wait longer than normal for the oath ceremony.

is anybody in the same situation like me ??

 

[armoured]

will it gonna make my application as a non routine application and i have to wait longer than normal for the oath ceremony.

is anybody in the same situation like me ??

This is why I've counselled AGAINST doing the change of name during the process and only doing it before or after.

IRCC seems bad at reacting to webforms and dealing with them. No-one knows whether it's going to slow things down, whether they'll update the name, or issue the citizenship certificate in the old name.

You'll just have to wait. Note that if you get citizenship certificate in the old name, I don't think it'll cause a problem. Update one or two other eg provincial IDs, apply for passport in new name, and only after all that apply for revised cit cert (if you wish to).

 

[jnam]

This is why I've counselled AGAINST doing the change of name during the process and only doing it before or after.

IRCC seems bad at reacting to webforms and dealing with them. No-one knows whether it's going to slow things down, whether they'll update the name, or issue the citizenship certificate in the old name.

You'll just have to wait. Note that if you get citizenship certificate in the old name, I don't think it'll cause a problem. Update one or two other eg provincial IDs, apply for passport in new name, and only after all that apply for revised cit cert (if you wish to).

i have already changed my name on all ID's ( such as DL , health card, banking , credit bureau etc.)

I changed my name while my application is in process after consulting ircc website. (See this link)

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=907&top=5

i don't mind waiting if i am getting citizenship with new name, most of the March 20222 applications are getting invitation for oath whereas mine is still under processing.

means they are working on name change?

Is filling out the webform enough ?
or
Should i also send them a email ?

 

[armoured]

means they are working on name change?

Is filling out the webform enough ?
or
Should i also send them a email ?

No way to know. You can try email - probably goes in the same pile as webmails.

 

[Syed1989]

Hello, i am currently waiting for my citizenship oath. All my steps are complete:test, background, prohibition, physical presence, language. Just ceremony has not started.

While i wait for my oath, can i go ahead and apply for name change in ontario? Same issue of no last name in passport... or should i wait until i get my oath letter? Or should i wait until i get my citizenship certificate?

Thanks
Syed

 

[jnam]

Hello, i am currently waiting for my citizenship oath. All my steps are complete:test, background, prohibition, physical presence, language. Just ceremony has not started.

While i wait for my oath, can i go ahead and apply for name change in ontario? Same issue of no last name in passport... or should i wait until i get my oath letter? Or should i wait until i get my citizenship certificate?

Thanks
Syed

Name change process will take couple of months.(6-8 weeks)

you have two options

Wait for the citizenship certificate to arrive.
Once you get the citizenship certificate than apply for the name change,
once your name change is complete than apply for Canadian passport with new name.
once you get the passport than apply to IRCC for the name correction/ change on citizenship certificate.

Or

apply for name change, if it arrives before your oath, than submit the name change certificate to IRCC via webform.
It will delay your citizenship application by couple of months, but you will get citizenship certificate with new name

since you are so close i will advise to go with the first option.