A USCIS name change means filing the form that matches the document you need corrected and attaching certified proof of your new legal name. For a Green Card, that is Form I-90. For a Certificate of Naturalization, Form N-565. For an Employment Authorization Document, a new Form I-765. In every case, USCIS wants a certified copy of the marriage certificate, divorce decree, adoption decree, or court order that authorized the change; personal preference and informal use are not enough.
Which form you file, what you pay, and how long you wait all depend on your document and on whether the error is yours or the agency’s. The sections below walk through each situation.
Proof USCIS Will Accept
USCIS will only update a name based on a certified copy of one of these records showing both the old and the new name:
- A marriage certificate from the vital records office where the marriage took place.
- A divorce decree, but only if it explicitly restores a former name.
- A court order from a state or federal court granting the name change.
- An adoption decree.
Notarized photocopies and uncertified duplicates are not accepted. If the document is in any language other than English, include a full English translation with a signed certification from the translator stating that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate from that language.1eCFR. 8 CFR 103.2 – Submission and Adjudication of Benefit Requests The certification needs the translator’s printed name, signature, address, and date. You cannot translate your own document, but the translator does not have to be a professional service.
If Your Name Changes While an Application Is Pending
If your name changes while a case like Form I-485 or Form N-400 is still being processed, notify USCIS as soon as you can and send in the supporting documents.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Commonly Asked Questions About the Naturalization Process Getting this on the record before USCIS prints your Green Card or certificate means the document arrives correct the first time, and you avoid a separate replacement filing and its fee.
If your case is linked to a USCIS online account, upload the certified name change document as new evidence with a short letter explaining the change.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigration Documents and How to Correct, Update, or Replace Them Paper-filed cases can often still be added to an online account using the receipt number and the Online Access Code from your Account Access Notice.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How to Create a USCIS Online Account Otherwise, call the USCIS Contact Center for mailing instructions. If you already have an interview notice or a Request for Evidence, bring the certified document and an explanatory letter to the interview or include them in your RFE response.
Updating the Name on Your Green Card
If you already have a Green Card and your name has legally changed, file Form I-90 to replace it.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-90 Instructions for Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card In Part 2, select category 2.e. or 3.e., which covers a legal change of name or other biographic information since the card was issued, and attach a certified copy of the authorizing document.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigration Documents and How to Correct, Update, or Replace Them
Filing online costs $415. Filing on paper costs $465.6USCIS. G-1055 Fee Schedule The online option lets you pay electronically, track status, and respond to any request for evidence through your account.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-90 Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) You cannot file online if you are requesting a fee waiver.
USCIS may schedule a biometrics appointment for fingerprints and a photograph. As of early 2026, the median processing time for an I-90 replacement is roughly 9.2 months.8U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Historic Processing Times File as soon as your name change is final rather than waiting.
Updating a Certificate of Naturalization
Naturalized citizens use Form N-565 to replace a Certificate of Naturalization.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-565 Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document Timing matters, because the fee turns on whether the change happened before or after you took the oath.
You can ask for a legal name change as part of the naturalization process itself. The court administering the Oath of Allegiance can grant it, and the certificate is issued in the new name.10USCIS. Chapter 3 – Certificate of Naturalization If you requested the change on Form N-400, the court approved it, but the printed certificate still shows the wrong name, file Form N-565 with Part 5 completed for a clerical error correction. Because the error is the agency’s, the filing fee is waived.
If your name changes after you naturalized, through marriage, divorce, or a separate court order, file Form N-565 and complete Part 6. Surrender the original certificate and include a certified copy of the legal document authorizing the change.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form N-565 Instructions for Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document This version carries the standard filing fee: $505 online or $555 by paper.6USCIS. G-1055 Fee Schedule USCIS will only change a name on a Certificate of Naturalization if the legal change happened after you naturalized, not before.
Replacing an Employment Authorization Document
To update the name on an EAD after a legal change, file a new Form I-765 with the applicable filing fee, a certified copy of the name change document, and the category selection for renewing or replacing an existing EAD.
Do this promptly. Employers are required to re-verify work authorization using the name and document information you give them, and a mismatch with USCIS records can trigger a Tentative Nonconfirmation in E-Verify. You are allowed to keep working while a TNC is resolved, but the paperwork is avoidable.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How to Correct Your Records With E-Verify
When USCIS Misprinted Your Name
If USCIS misspelled your name or printed incorrect information on a document it just issued, you should not have to pay to fix it. This is separate from a legal name change.
For a Green Card typo, file Form I-90 and select the category for a card with incorrect data due to a Department of Homeland Security error. The filing fee is waived. Return the incorrect card with your application and include evidence of the correct name.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigration Documents and How to Correct, Update, or Replace Them
For a Naturalization Certificate typo, file Form N-565 with Part 5 completed for clerical error corrections. The fee is waived when USCIS caused the mistake, and you must surrender the original incorrect certificate.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form N-565 Instructions for Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document
The distinction matters: fee waivers apply only when USCIS caused the error. If the wrong information came from your own application or supporting documents, you pay the standard fee.
Update Your Social Security Record Next
Once your updated immigration document is in hand, update your Social Security record. File Form SS-5 with the Social Security Administration and bring original or certified copies proving your identity, the name change, and your current lawful immigration status.13Social Security Administration. Application for a Social Security Card For non-citizens, that means a current, unexpired DHS document such as your Green Card, EAD, or Form I-94. SSA will not accept a receipt showing you applied for a replacement, so wait until the updated card or certificate arrives before you go.
A mismatch between your Social Security name and your immigration documents can cause cascading problems with tax filings, payroll, and benefits. Do not skip this step.
Traveling While You Wait for the New Card
With I-90 processing times past nine months, international travel is a real concern. U.S. Customs and Border Protection allows lawful permanent residents to travel using a Green Card in the prior name, as long as they carry proof of the name change, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.14U.S. Customs and Border Protection. US Citizens/Lawful Permanent Residents Name Does Not Match Documents
Mismatched documents still slow border crossings. Check the entry requirements for any country you plan to visit, since foreign governments may be less forgiving. Contact the Transportation Security Administration about Secure Flight requirements too, because TSA screening depends on the name in your airline reservation matching your ID. Keep the certified name change document in your carry-on, not your checked luggage.