How Can I Find Out What My Legal Name Is
However, non-Latin letters are transliterated into Latin letters (A-Z) for use (or given a new name) by people and organisations in the UK. There are no legal restrictions on punctuation allowed in a name. The official name is the name used to sign legal documents, deeds or contracts. Generally, the official name of a person born in the United States is the name given on their U.S. birth certificate (including hyphens and apostrophes), unless the person`s name has changed due to certain events, such as a marriage or a valid court order for a name change. The concept of a legal name dates back centuries, but it was not until the Middle Ages in England that the idea was established as part of the common law. In the English legal system, these names were formal but malleable, as it was common for people of all classes to adopt legal “first names” of their choice. This article was written by Tamra K Waltemath of Tamra K. Waltemath, P.C. This information is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific questions, you should consult a qualified lawyer. Tamra K. Waltemath is a senior lawyer specializing in wills, trusts, administration of estates and trusts, estate and non-estate transfers, guardianship and conservatories.
She can be contacted at: Tamra K. Waltemath, P.C., 3843 West 73rd Avenue, Westminster, CO 80030; 303-657-0360; or visit their website at www.WaltemathLawOffice.com. When issuing immigration documents, the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security generally issue them in the person`s legal name. The legal name is usually also the name under which the foreign passport was issued. The law does not explicitly say that all names are possible, but the law does not impose any restrictions on possible names. The Civil Code of Québec stipulates that “every person exercises his civil rights under the name assigned to him and indicated on his act of birth”[2] and that the spouses retain their legal name at the time of marriage. [3] They can only be modified at the time of registration under the prescribed conditions and only if the person is a Canadian citizen and has resided in Quebec for at least one year. [4] [5] Call the Department of Motor Vehicles.
If someone has changed their name, they have ten days to change their name with the DMV. The DMV has these documents on file and can verify if this is a legal name change. The DMV does not allow a person to change their name without legal documents such as a divorce decree, marriage certificate, or court document showing that the change was made. In fact, the DMV has done all the verification work for you. Name changes are usually made through inquests of the acts, which are either registered with the High Court of Justice[10] or the College of Arms[11] with a notice in the London Gazette. Changes can also be made through a Royal Licence purchased through the College of Arms with a similar notice. [11] These registration, authorisation and publication procedures are useful for making the new name appear in official documents. [12] Post-nominal titles such as “VC” or “OBE” are not part of your official name. (See “Other titles” below.) There may be events outside the United States that are considered by foreign governments or U.S.
agencies (e.g., the Department of State) when issuing immigration documents with a person`s legal name. If the person has only one name, refer to RM 10205.130B for instructions on how to enter the name on the immigration document in the “Other name used by number holder” field. Legally, your “first name” actually consists of all your first names together. If you change your name, it doesn`t matter what type of document (e.g. certificate, marriage certificate) you use as proof of the name change – and in fact, it`s possible (and perfectly legal) to change your name by “using” no document at all. There is no law that requires a person to have a surname in the UK, even though most people have a surname. Because a person`s middle name or suffix is not considered part of the legal name by SSA, a middle name that appears in the first name, or a suffix that appears in the last name, may be omitted or entered in the middle name and suffix fields of the census system. If the applicant has a multi-part first name and does not claim to have a middle name, the multiple parts must be entered as a first name. Non-Latin letters in names are not prohibited by any law. In fact, a person born in China, Japan or Russia, for example, may be given a name (at birth) that includes non-Latin letters or characters – even if they are of British nationality. Most states in the United States follow common law, which allows name changes for non-fraudulent purposes.
This is actually the most common method, as most women who marry do not go to court according to the method prescribed by law, but simply use a new name (usually that of the husband, a custom that began under the theory of obscurcation, where a woman lost her identity and most of her rights when she married). [17] “Officially recognised” British titles are considered part of a legal name in the UK. Titles that are not considered part of your name are: In the United Kingdom, companies operating under names other than those of the owner or a legal person must provide the name of the owner and an address on which documents can be served, or the name and registration number of the company and its registered address.