G’day folks,
I was thinking to get my driving license renewed, but then my naturalization case officer called me saying the result would come out in the coming 2 weeks.
My question is, would it be better to get the driving renewed first and then (once naturalization is approved) get my name updated on the back. I read somewhere that it’s good to have an ID that shows both old and new legal names.
Or would it be better to get the driving license renewed once approval is out, but my new name only would be written there.
Thanks
3 comments
You can get your alias printed on it, so if you set your old name up as an alias you can just do that.
Out of curiosity, how long did it take from official submission to receiving the phone call from the case officer? And did you apply for naturalization in Tokyo?
Your choice, I suppose, as long as you report the change promptly, but your legal Japanese name will be the kanji/kana version you chose for yourself, and the next time you renew your license, that will get sole billing. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe Japanese citizens can register an alias (通称) on their jūminhyō — that’s meant as a convenience for noncitizens — so I don’t think you’ll have a choice when your next renewal comes around (maiden names of citizens can now be placed in the comments section on the back of the license, but I think that’s about it). On the other hand, citizens have no special restrictions on using pen names or other aliases in their daily lives; it’s just that they can’t be used on driver’s licenses, passports, or other official documents that require koseki/jūminhyō verification.
You can, however, apply for a passport with a naturally romanized version of your new legal name (which you then have to continue using on future passports). Credit cards can also be issued in your passport name.