New Last Legal Name due to Marriage.

[sparky84]

Hello,

So my now wife, got her PR status back in 2011 and is now eligible to apply for citizenship. I am not sure about what to do about her new legal name. We got married last year and on her PR card it still shows her old legal name. We did apply for a change of name on the PR card, but it came back after 5 months due to one document missing.
Now I'm not sure if she could just leave the PR card on the side and apply for citizenship with the new name directly, instead of first updating her PR card with the new name, which again will take another 4-6 months, and then apply for the citizenship.

So in short, I'm not sure if she'll have problems if she applies for citizinship with a different last legal name than shown on her PR card?

Thanks!

 

[CCanadaa]

No, use the name as it's written on the PR card, because CIC has records only for that name, if you use the new last name they may return it... So just use the name as on PR card and PR confirmation, also add a cover letter with the application explaining the new last name and marriage.

 

[tgen]

I just applied on the form requesting my new name. There is an option for that. Sent all supporting documents and in my cover letter I explained the request for name change. They are processing my citizenship application under my changed name, not the one on my PR card.

 

[farid-]

Same here I provided my driving license and marriage certificate if they have any questions they will request more info but u will use name as it appear on pr card

 

[Genevieve13]

I applied for citizenship with my maiden name, which was indicated in all my document, except Health card. I didn't ask to change my name, but at an interview after citizenship test lady-officer asked me if I would like to change my last name. I had marriage certificate (there was a translation too, because it was not Canadian marriage certificate) with me, so she just made a copy of it for herself. Several days later I checked status of my application on-line using already my husband's name.
Your wife can just show marriage certificate to get new drivers licence. It will cost few dollars and it will not take long. After that she can apply for citizenship and ask in application to have your name on her citizenship certificate.
Good luck to your wife!

P.S. If your wife ever did legal name change in Canada, probably, to change her name now she will need to do legal name change again. Better to ask about that at the place, where she did it. Again, only if she did it.