Job Discussion Forums

[naturegirl321]

As of yesterday my status is changingn too. In order to get Peruvian citizenship, I have to "unmarry", get a new maiden name, "un-unmarry" get a new married name.

The kicker? I've been told that this is perfectly logical by the people in immigration.

[MO39]

[Stephen Jones]

[naturegirl321]

[MO39]

As Stephen Jones has mentioned, it's the custom in Spanish-speaking countries to use both parents' surnames to form yours, especially in formal situations and for bureaucratic purposes. Here in Mexico I usually end up using both (when I told my mother that she was quite pleased!), though my FM3 only has my father's, no doubt because that's how my name appears on my passport. Anyway, I'm sorry that all of this is causing you such grief. It sounds like Peruviia red tape is even more of a hassle than it is here. Good luck!

[naturegirl321]

[MO39]

[naturegirl321]

YOu'd think, but they don't. I went to change my name, got grilled on WHY I was getting a new passport when it was still good for 6 years. Duh, didn't they notice a changed my last name?

As of now, I have two last names, my dad's, then the "de" then my husband's. Both my Peruvian and US docs are the same. Peru now wants me to add another last name, my mom's

[Stephen Jones]

The Peruvians seem to me to be perfectly logical. They're not asking you to change your name, merely to use the name you've always had.

If it were an Arabic country they'd expect your grandfather's first name.

[naturegirl321]

What? I was born with one last name, they want to give me another.

[Stephen Jones]

[Justin Trullinger]

[Guy Courchesne]

In Mexico (and most of Latin America), Stephen is correct in how surnames are processed legally and NG is correct in noting the bureaucracy in that many Latin American countries are so attuned to a paternal and maternal surname set up that it sometimes doesn't compute with governnment officials on doing it any other way. Sometimes it comes down to a simple software issue, where an application cannot be completed unless all fields are filled in.

I've also heard stories of Mexicans having gone to the US and having great difficulty with the bureaucracy there in processing their names. They most certainly do require than Latinos drop a surname when doing the paperwork. Ask a Latino there what his or her name is and you'll invariably get no more than 'Miguel Sanchez'.

My ex-wife (Mexican national) never took my last name, or even the 'de Courchesne' specifically for the difficulty in the documentation both here in Mexico and in Canada.

[MO39]

[naturegirl321]

I go back to Immigrations on thursday and I-ll figure out things there. If push comes to shove, I just might have to change my name. Though I will fight it for what it-s worth.

I have two last names now, why can-t they just consider my husband-s last name my mother-s? It-s not neceesary to change names upon marriage, there are tons of married women who only have two last names.

One thing that I will say. Is that the US govt didn-t give me any problems. I am Sharon C de H on my US passpoert and SS Card, no quqestions asked.

here too, people just say their first name and father-s last name.

Guy, why is it hard in Mexico to do the "de"?

Actually Justin, I changed my name two years ago, a year after we got married, all docs, both in Peru in the US, make me Sharon C de H. SO, I DO have two last names, just like Peruvians, now they want me to have three Still I just don-t want any probs trying to sell our flat with a new name. As it is, I get grilled just presenting my foreign ID.