Use Italian version of american names

[rgaetano]

I feel that this is highly unlikely, but I'm wondering if it is possible, when you register as an Italian citizen, to use the italian forms of an english name.

for example, if your middle name is john (and john on all US certificates), can you have your italian records and passport be "giovanni" instead of john (without amending/changing any of the US documents)?

again, i realize the answer to this is probably no, especially since consulates give so much trouble when names of descendants change in this manner as they integrated into the US, but i thought i'd ask... grazie mille

[johnnyonthespot]

You will be registered under the name exactly as it appears on your US birth certificate. This is not optional.

Now, if you had your US birth certificate amended in advance to reflect your preferred name...

[rgaetano]

thanks carmine,
that's what i figured....i'll think about it. any idea of how difficult it is to amend your BC in NYS (not NYC)? does that mean you will have to get a new US passport and drivers license after you amend it?

[sceaminmonkey]

In nys if you want a name change as a legal change ( not error on certificate) you must get a court order and order and present your case before a judge explaining why ( just need to say because you want to) then you must publish the change in a news paper.


http://www.lawny.org/index.php/family-s ... lf-help-58


Hope it helps.

[mler]

You can easily change your name, but you will have to request the change through the courts and then have the name change published in the newpaper before the change is finalized. After that, changing your birth certificate should not be difficult. But keep in mind that this becomes your new legal name. You will have to change all of your US records as well--credit cards, social security, driver's license . . .

[johnnyonthespot]

The other option would be after citizenship is granted under the name "John", file a petition for legal name change to "Giovanni" in the Italian courts. If granted, this would have effect only in Italy thus getting around the need to update all of your US documents.

I have read that Italian courts usually require substantial "good cause" to approve a name change, but have no details on the likelihood of success nor the cost.

[beauac]

Publish it in a newspaper, stand before a judge? Glad I live in CT where you basically pay, fill out a form and then thats the end of it, they give you the court order with the new name.

[mler]

That's the way it is done is all states, I believe. You don't need to stand before a judge. You simply complete the form, and send the already composed newspaper blurb to the local paper (I believe this is required to ensure that that name change is not to avoid legal obligations). The court order comes in the mail. No big deal anywhere.

[rgaetano]

thanks everybody. maybe going through the italian courts is the way to go, albeit probably significantly more confusing....