# N-400



## irok (Jan 10, 2008)

Hi,

This is a really dumb question, considering I have filled in heaps of INS papers.
I am filling in the N-400 (Naturalization) Part 8, and it asks for my current (and previous spouse) "Spouse's Family Name (Last Name)", do they mean their maiden name?

thanks
Paul


----------



## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

irok said:


> do they mean their maiden name?


No.

(And some pointless garble added because the message must be at least 10 characters long.)


----------



## irok (Jan 10, 2008)

Fatbrit said:


> No.
> 
> (And some pointless garble added because the message must be at least 10 characters long.)


thanks, because sometimes they require their maiden name...
So my current spouse plus my previous 2 spouses I would put my last name Deppeler for ALL of them. I know on my initail K1 app I had to list maiden names..I wish they would be consistent.


----------



## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

irok said:


> thanks, because sometimes they require their maiden name...
> So my current spouse plus my previous 2 spouses I would put my last name Deppeler for ALL of them. I know on my initail K1 app I had to list maiden names..I wish they would be consistent.


If I were you I'd write:

Deppeler (Clinton)
Deppeler (Bush)

though you might find it doesn't fit if the names are long and you're using the fillable pdf. In this case, just write it in with ink after you've printed them out.

The other big "catch-ya" on the N400 is the need to list your citations = speeding tickets and motoring offenses.


----------



## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

If youf former spouses changed their names since your divorce, wouldn't you put whatever they use now? So if the maiden name is Smith, and wife 1 has remarried and now goes by Brown, would they want Brown?


----------



## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

synthia said:


> If youf former spouses changed their names since your divorce, wouldn't you put whatever they use now? So if the maiden name is Smith, and wife 1 has remarried and now goes by Brown, would they want Brown?


I think the important thing is to identify the person. As long as you make a good faith attempt at that, they're unlikely to baulk.


----------



## irok (Jan 10, 2008)

thanks for all your help, I wrote Deppeler (Clinton) etc.


----------



## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

irok said:


> thanks for all your help, I wrote Deppeler (Clinton) etc.


In the unlikely occurrence they don't like at the interview, they'll take a red pen (just like teacher), cross it out and write whatever they want in. Then they get you to initial it. Things like these are no harm, no foul.


----------

