clyde@reed.UUCP (Clyde Bryja) (10/01/85)
*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE *** Help! My wife and I are trying to adopt a new family name (one that neither of us bear at present). The problem is heavily complicated by a number of factors. Here is a list of the relevant information: -When we married, we each kept our original last names (Bryan and Jackson), but had in mind to form a new name (Bryja) as soon as possible. (We thought that the easiest thing to do would be for one of us to get a regular name change and the other then to also assume that name as the spouse of the former.) -I am a citizen of Canada and a permanent resident of the province of Alberta (also born there). -She is a citizen of the U.S.A. and a permanent resident of the state of Hawaii (but born in Pennsylvania). -For the last 2+ years, we have been continuously residing in an apartment in Portland, Oregon. We were also married there (yes-- in that very apartment) by an Oregon judge. Now, as far as we can make out, the barriers to our name change are these: -We are not permanent residents of Oregon. Therefore, we are not allowed to have the procedure done here (or so we are told). -In Hawaii, there is no legal procedure for a name change that is recognized outside of the state (never mind Canada). -In Alberta, the process takes six weeks, and one must appear in person at both ends of that six week interval. The problem here is that I don't forsee ever again returning to the province for that length of time. (Eventually, we will change our residencies, but we don't know where to.) In addition, we still don't know (ie. no-one has been able to tell us) how a legally obtained name change in one nation will be accepted by the other nation. Furthermore, the many people that we have talked to (mostly over the phone) never quite seem to agree on things-- so we're not sure about anything, really. Can somebody please help us out-- information, suggestions, etc.? We have considered having my wife switch to being a permanent Oregon resident (that way, she could get a nationally (U.S.) recognizable name change), but we can't seem to find out if I could then simply declare myself as her spouse and follow suit (and, *sigh*, who knows what the Canadian authorities would say). I am posting this to net.women because of the recent heavy discussion on the issue of name changes, and to net.legal for obvious reasons. Blessings upon all who take the time to consider our plight. -- +++++++++++ "For Easter Day is Christmas time, Clyde Bryja And far away is near, Box 21, Reed College And two and two is more than four, Portland, OR 97202 And over there is here."