Name change under PR prior to citizenship

[thoreau911]

Hello,

I am about to start the citizenship process as a current permanent resident. I would like to change my surname to something more practical for Canada.

Does the regular citizenship application process allow for this? If not, what is the best way to approach this? Change name before starting citizenship process, for instance?

Thanks

 

[spyfy]

Hello,

I am about to start the citizenship process as a current permanent resident. I would like to change my surname to something more practical for Canada.

Does the regular citizenship application process allow for this? If not, what is the best way to approach this? Change name before starting citizenship process, for instance?

Thanks

You can either change your name BEFORE your application or AFTER your application.

You can't change your name as part of your citizenship application.

Note that if you change your name after becoming a citizen, you might have to apply for another citizenship certificate with the updated name, which will cost more money and will need months to be processed.

So it might be better to change your name before applying for citizenship.

But whatever you do, do not change your name WHILE your citizenship application is in process. Doing so woul make everything a paperwar nightmare.

 

[thoreau911]

You can either change your name BEFORE your application or AFTER your application.

You can't change your name as part of your citizenship application.

Note that if you change your name after becoming a citizen, you might have to apply for another citizenship certificate with the updated name, which will cost more money and will need months to be processed.

So it might be better to change your name before applying for citizenship.

But whatever you do, do not change your name WHILE your citizenship application is in process. Doing so woul make everything a paperwar nightmare.

Thanks. So the steps would be to 1) file all the name change paperwork with the province and 2) subsequently get a new PR card ahead of applying for citizenship? Or can both 1 and 2 be done simultaneously?

 

[k300k3]

Thanks. So the steps would be to 1) file all the name change paperwork with the province and 2) subsequently get a new PR card ahead of applying for citizenship? Or can both 1 and 2 be done simultaneously?

Check with your province first. Here in Quebec, we cannot change our names until we become Canadian citizens.

 

[yanesrahn]

Thanks. So the steps would be to 1) file all the name change paperwork with the province and 2) subsequently get a new PR card ahead of applying for citizenship? Or can both 1 and 2 be done simultaneously?

Better option to don't have delays..
1. Legal name change in province (Ontario is like 2 month processing time)
2. Apply new PR, asking for a name change.. for me was a regular processing time
3. Apply to citizenship.
I did it simultaneously and delay my application.. 14+ months an a the moment of the interview my name in the citizenship application was the old one the officer asked me for original certificate to process my name in the citizenship certificate even though in the system i was with my new name. Hope it helps good luck

 

[spyfy]

Thanks. So the steps would be to 1) file all the name change paperwork with the province and 2) subsequently get a new PR card ahead of applying for citizenship? Or can both 1 and 2 be done simultaneously?

You have to do 1 and then 2. However, you can skip 2 if you want, since technically you don't need a PR card to apply for citizenship. But it's complicated without one. So I recommend doing 2.

There is no clear cut answer if it's better to change the name before or after the citizenship application, it depends on a lot of things.
Note, however, that Quebec doesn't allow name changes of non-citizens, see above. It all depends on the province. So if you live in Quebec you have no choice but to wait until after your citizenship ceremony.

As said before, the most important thing is: Do NOT do name change and citizenship application in parallel. You might think this saves time, but it will do the opposite. It's a nightmare to change the name during a citizenship application.