Using English name

[hfinkel]

If moving to Canada as a Chinese citizen with a Chinese name, when is the easiest way to change to an English name for Canadian ID documents during the immigration process? How would this be done? Is a legal name change with the Province the only way to do this?

Same question but with regard to changing from maiden name to married last name?
Can she present a foreign marriage certificate in English that bears the married English last name to adopt it on ID documents? When is the best time to do this? During PR application? Citizenship application?

Thanks.

 

[bellaluna]

I would think it would happen after PR is activated because the PR application process will definitely follow the names written in your passports--unless you already find ways to change the names in your passport.

Eligibility then would depend on the province you reside in. If you can do it right after PR and before applying for all your Canadian IDs, that would be the case.

If someone can correct my assumption, that would be great.

 

[EstherBarros]

Are they already in Canada? Are they already a PR?

I did a legal name change after I became a PR, then changed all of my documents (PR card, provincial IDs, care card, birth country passport), and then applied for citizenship.

The only way to change the Chinese name as it appears on the original travel document, to my knowledge, is to do a legal name change

 

[hfinkel]

Are they already in Canada? Are they already a PR?

I did a legal name change after I became a PR, then changed all of my documents (PR card, provincial IDs, care card, birth country passport), and then applied for citizenship.

The only way to change the Chinese name as it appears on the original travel document, to my knowledge, is to do a legal name change

Already in Canada as a PR, in process to become citizen.

 

[EstherBarros]

Already in Canada as a PR, in process to become citizen.

I was a PR when I did my legal name change. As I said above, I did the legal name change, then updated all of my documents, then applied for citizenship (and sent them a copy of my name change certificate, as per the application guide).

 

[hfinkel]

I was a PR when I did my legal name change. As I said above, I did the legal name change, then updated all of my documents, then applied for citizenship (and sent them a copy of my name change certificate, as per the application guide).

You did the name change through the province?
How long did it take?
Do you think it would be OK to file the application for name change a few weeks before taking the citizenship oath without effecting the completion of the citizenship process?

 

[EstherBarros]

You did the name change through the province?
How long did it take?
Do you think it would be OK to file the application for name change a few weeks before taking the citizenship oath without effecting the completion of the citizenship process?

It did not take long, 3-4 weeks maybe? Here is the page for BC:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/...nges-of-name/legal-change-of-name-application
I think it is "ok", it really just depends on the name you want on your certificate of citizenship. I want my new name on it, that is why I made sure all of my documents were switched before I applied. I *think* the only way of having a new name on the certificate of citizenship is either providing a name change certificate or marriage certificate with your application, at least as I understand it!