Changing Your Last Name While Abroad
Hello.
I'm a US citizen living abroad for the past 20 years.
I realize that in order to change my name, I need to show up in court in the county I reside in, etc.
Is there any way to do this without having to be physically there?
I could travel over to do this, but it's practically impossible to arrange the necessary accommodations to whenever I get the court hearing date.
Surely there has to be a way.
I've called my local embassy and they just told me to call my local court directly. :wallbang:
Any ideas?
Thanks.
Re: Changing Your Last Name While Abroad
Laws vary by state. As you opted not to follow the instruction to identify your state, you will need to investigate the laws of the specific state at issue.
Odds are you will need to appear in court on one date; depending on the state and court you may be able to schedule that around your travel plans.
Re: Changing Your Last Name While Abroad
Quote:
Quoting
Mr. Knowitall
Laws vary by state. As you opted not to follow the instruction to identify your state, you will need to investigate the laws of the specific state at issue.
Odds are you will need to appear in court on one date; depending on the state and court you may be able to schedule that around your travel plans.
If the OP has been the resident of a foreign country for 20 years, wouldn't any name change take place in the OP's home country?
Re: Changing Your Last Name While Abroad
If they want to change their U.S. birth certificate, even assuming that they can get a name change order in their nation of residence, they will have to do so under the laws of the undisclosed state.
Re: Changing Your Last Name While Abroad
Quote:
Quoting
Mr. Knowitall
If they want to change their U.S. birth certificate, even assuming that they can get a name change order in their nation of residence, they will have to do so under the laws of the undisclosed state.
That makes sense, but I was thinking more along the lines of changing a last name due to marriage, and that of course does not result in a birth certificate change.
Re: Changing Your Last Name While Abroad
Quote:
Quoting
Mr. Knowitall
Laws vary by state. As you opted not to follow the instruction to identify your state, you will need to investigate the laws of the specific state at issue.
Odds are you will need to appear in court on one date; depending on the state and court you may be able to schedule that around your travel plans.
Thanks Mr. Knowitall.
State is California. I left that part out since I thought it didn't apply in this specific case.
That's where I was born and last state I lived in.
According to http://www.courts.ca.gov/22489.htm
"... you will get a court date between 6 and 12 weeks away."
Looking at form NC-100
"The petition for change of name must be filed in the superior court of the county where the person whose name is to be changed presently lives.".
I guess this means that I have to be currently living in the US in order to do this and show up for the court hearing in the US.
Quote:
Quoting
llworking
That makes sense, but I was thinking more along the lines of changing a last name due to marriage, and that of course does not result in a birth certificate change.
Hi llworking
Yeah, I want to change my last name on my birth certificate, social security, etc.
I'm doing this for personal reasons, not because of marriage.
Re: Changing Your Last Name While Abroad
Quote:
Quoting
Gabriel86
Thanks Mr. Knowitall.
State is California. I left that part out since I thought it didn't apply in this specific case.
That's where I was born and last state I lived in.
According to
http://www.courts.ca.gov/22489.htm
"... you will get a court date between 6 and 12 weeks away."
Looking at form NC-100
"The petition for change of name must be filed in the superior court of the county where the person whose name is to be changed presently lives.".
I guess this means that I have to be currently living in the US in order to do this and show up for the court hearing in the US.
Hi llworking
Yeah, I want to change my last name on my birth certificate, social security, etc.
I'm doing this for personal reasons, not because of marriage.
Then I think that you want to be consulting with a California attorney. An attorney should be able to manage it with the minimum necessary personal appearance from you.