[lghtnlovly]

Hello, I am looking for some free legal info. I was born in Canada in 1968 and adopted to the USA by American Citizens. I have just been informed that my current status is Canadian Resident and that I must change my current last name back to my birth name. Can someone please assist me with some info? Thank you for taking the time to read this post.

[lyndalou]

Hi, If you were adopted, doesn't that give you American citizen status as the child of your A'parents? I can understand that you hold dual citizenship, but who expects this & why should you have to change your name? I gave birth & relinquished my son in Mass. I am a Canadian & we are reunited. He is now a dual citizen. I know our situation differs from yours as he wasn't born in Canada, but I'm curious.....

[lghtnlovly]

I too thought I was an American Citizen. It all started when I had to go to court for something. They told me that my adoptive last name is not legal and that I should have legally had changed it when I was 19. I told the court that I had no knowledge of this. Unfortunately I can not afford legal fees so I figured maybe someone can give me some free legal advice. The funny thing is, that I have an American Flag tattooed on my arm. Cheez to find out I'm not an American.

[lyndalou]

Hi, If your A'parents are still alive, I'd suggest going to them for answers. When my son was adopted, there was a legal "Name Decree" where his birth name was changed to the name his Adoptive parents had chosen for him. I know this only because in the process of establishing his Canadian citizenship, he had to get this document & his original Birth Certificate from the courts. You can't change a name without it being done legally. What does your birth certificate say?

[lghtnlovly]

Thanks for replying. My birth certificate has my adopted last name on it. As far as the legal degree goes, my a parents didn't have anything in there file. They are still alive.