My question involves name change laws in the State of: California
Here is my situation: I am an American citizen and have a minor child 10 years old whom was born in a Asian country by a resident of that country. The Mother and I were never married, but I was supporting the child in that country and living with the mother for the first 5 years of the child's life. According to the law of that country since the child was illegitimate my name was not automatically registered on the hospital records at the time of birth as the father. The both of us never followed up with having me acknowledge legally that I am the father. However, the Mother used my sir name for the child in all documents since the birth of the child such as, school registrations, hospital registration, etc. The Mother married another American and took the children to California with out my permission or notice. After the children were gone, I managed to have my name entered on a revised birth certificate and acknowledged the child as mine. This was allowed because according to the official government office of that country that records births and other statistical documents, the Mother did indeed recognize and acknowledge me as the father by using my name for the children while the children were in their country of birth. This was done by the government attorney attached to that office. After hiding the child from me initially in CA I was finally back in communication with them for the last 4 years and sending them support. The Mother is using the birth certificate she secured a few months before she took the children to Ca. This birth certificate did not have my name as the Father entered as she could have easily advised the issuer of such when she made application for the birth certificate. This agency told me that the mother should have done what was necessary to have my name entered on the certificate since she was using my last name for the child over the years. They therefore revised the certificate with my sir name as I previously said.
I have been pressing the mother to at least for starters to advise the school in Ca. the child is attending of their true sir names which she has not done. I believe the children are entitled to have their father’s last name and as I am also entitled to the same and for no other reason as it is the right thing to do especially for the child’s identity. As far as the official records in that Asian country, the first birth certificate issued to the mother is now considered void and the 2nd one that I had issued is now the one of record. I on my own advised the school of this that I will be sending certified copies of the birth certificate as well as a certified letter from the statistics office attesting to all I have said here. The school at first listened to me, but who knows what trash the mother has told them and they may seem to be reluctant to update their records to show me as the father and update their records with the revised birth certificate. The school excepted at face value the first birth certificate and I feel with all I have said here they should be obligated to except the new revised birth certificate. I do think the mother wants total control of the children or is just plain vindictive. I also want to mention I have custody of the child issued from the court of the country of birth although I realize it has not been recognized in Ca. yet. Can someone please give me an idea as to my rights here and what else I should do to make sure the school changes their records. I feel I have some rights here not just the mother. If the school fails to do this, I am of the mindset that they will be a party to the child’s identity not being properly recorded with all the documents I will send them. If they fail to take action I also feel the school will be fomenting and abetting as to our true and legally recognized relationship as father and child not being legitimate. Thank you.

