I recently had a legal name change through a local court because I became a naturalized American citizen. However, I will not be able to change the name on my social security card until early March.
My FAFSA has my old name because it is linked to my social security number, while the CSS and all other application and financial aid forms bear my new legal name. I used the same social security number throughout the entire process, and my parents told me not to worry about it because my new name has my old name in it (so universities will correlate the two with the same person), but I’m still a little uneasy. I don’t want any problems with my applications or financial aid.
What do you guys think? Should I email every college I applied to and let them know of the change?
I’m pretty sure your application will hit a ‘mismatch’ at some point. If you applied for FA as a citizen but your number with SSA doesn’t show that, I doubt it will go through. That’s a problem a lot of adopted kids have who first had their SSN issued under a green card or another name. Citizenship and name change went through years ago but nothing got changed at the SSA. As soon as they start working, try to get a driver’s license, or apply for FA, the mismatch is discovered and the job/license/FA is denied.
Be prepared to show the FA office at your university proof of citizenship (they have to see the original Certificate of Naturalization/Citizenship or a passport).
Did you get a FSA ID? Did that go through as a non-citizen?
I have an FSA ID that is registered with my new legal name (the one that I applied to universities with) that says is matched with my SSN. I’m not sure how “official” the name on my FSA ID is and whether or not that name is required to match the name on my SSN.
Aside from that, I’m not sure how to check whether or not it went through as a non-citizen? I know that when I tried to apply for the FAFSA the first time with my new legal name, I had to change it to my old name in order for it to be matched with SSN and get processed. Currently, my FAFSA is through my old name and displays that I have not been confirmed as a U.S. citizen.
Some universities I have applied to have asked for a picture of my passport (with my new legal name) as proof of citizenship, but others have not, and I’m planning on contacting the ones that have not. I’m very concerned over financial aid however, as I will likely not be able to attend a costly university without some.
Sorry about the late response!! I will try to be more prompt if you reply again Thank you for your insight by the way!
Some universities I have applied to have asked for a picture of my passport (with my new legal name) <<
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They can do that to get started on your application, but they have to, HAVE TO, see the original to confirm you are a citizen once the SSA cannot confirm your status, and cannot release federal aid until they do that confirmation.
You have me a little confused. Do you have a SSN in your ‘new name’ that has you listed as a citizen? How you confirm that is to go to the SSA and ask. SSA doesn’t change your status until you go there with either a passport in your new name or a certificate of citizenship/naturalization. They cannot change the status without a document from either USCIS (certificate) or the State Dept (passport). It doesn’t happen automatically when you become a citizen.
If you changed your citizenship status after getting your FSA ID, it will have you as a non-citizen. That’s fine, the college can change it AFTER they see your proof of citizenship but at this point will probably have you as a non-citizen. If your status before citizenship was legal resident, it might mean your financial aid will remain the same.
I don’t think the school with connect your FAFSA with the CSS by your name but by your SSN, and it will have you as a non-citizen. Just keep on top of it all. I don’t understand why you can’t change your status with SSA until March if you already have a new passport.
Schools have to document that you are the person who filed the FAFSA. So if you have a different name than the one you used on your FAFSA, you will need to prove your identity to the school where you will get your aid before they can pay it out. I encourage you to contact the financial aid department (each school where you applied) now with an explanation so that they can match things up & collect any required documentation from you Being proactive in this situation is best.
Probably wasn’t the best time, but my passport is tied up in my visa application. My family and I were planning to visit a foreign country where many of my relatives live next week, and processing my visa took MUCH longer than we expected. We were hoping it would have been finalized and returned to me in January, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen. At this rate, I don’t expect I will be able to get ahold of my passport and have it processed through the SSA (I read on their website a name change takes about a week to process) until March, hence the “deadline” I gave.
I plan on calling (or would email be better?) each of the financial aid offices of the schools I applied to as soon as possible. For most schools, their financial aid offices aren’t open until Monday, Feb 12th. Will my schools with Feb 1st financial aid deadlines be impacted by this? I submitted all the required documents before the deadline, but (naively) trusted my parents when they said to not worry about the legal stuff.
Just to clarify: I have a FSA ID with my SSN that still has my old name (I am pretty positive my SSN still holds my old name because I have not filed papers with the SSA). My FAFSA and CSS have my SSN - the SNN has my old name. I AM a legal resident but a non-citizen according to my SSN.
Thank you for everybody’s comments! They are very appreciated.
Also, side note for anybody in my situation: For whatever reason, if you become a naturalized citizen (I did through my dad because he’s a U.S. citizen and I was born in a foreign country) and you change your name when you apply for a U.S. passport, you MUST petition for a legal name change document that certifies your name change. I did this through my local probate court, as instructed by my local SSA office. After you have a legal certification recognizing your new name, only then can you visit the SSA and have your SSN’s name changed.
You don’t need to worry - this sort of thing does happen. I had a student a couple years ago who had mismatched names both years she was at our school. I just had to be able to match her information & document that it really was her. But I work at a very small school, and I am in constant contact with applicants. She let me know that the FAFSA would be under the other name, and I was able to make sure I awarded her properly.
You should probably email. Email is answered by professional staff, most likely. When you call, you might get a student worker. If you don’t get a response to the email, you can call.
The SSA will not change your name until you show them proof that you have legally changed your name. You bring the order from the court to them (or a marriage license, or an adoption certificate). In order to change your status to citizen, you need to show them either the certificate of citizenship/naturalization or a US passport. You don’t need both, just one. They will not keep the c of c or the passport, they just need to see the document (and probably make a copy). It might take them a week to make the change.
If you filed FAFSA and other paperwork by the deadline, then you are good, except keep following up to make sure everything meshes at some point or they won’t release your aid next fall.
If you have turned 18, YOU have to do it all and can’t send your parents. Welcome to adulthood.
Thank you for your insight by the way!