When you apply for an Indian passport, sometimes users do not enter their full name properly during application, or some do not have a family name on their documents, hence leave it blank. In such cases, such users may have their passport with their surname field as blank in the passport.
This could be a clerical or system error, but it can cost you a lot in the future, if not corrected. In this article will focus on the common issues around this ‘blank surname’ problem in the US and solutions to fix the same and work around what to enter in forms where the last name or family name is mandatory.
What is FNU? Why do I see FNU in First Name field in my US Visa?
In general, Surname, Family Name, or Last Name is the most important thing that identifies a person’s origin and it is used across everything as the primary identifier. If, due to some mistake or clerical error in your passport, you get a Blank Surname or Given Name in your passport, and if you do not get it fixed, the US consulate will issue your US Visa with the existing full name in your passport as the Last Name in US visa and the first name field will be written as FNU.
FNU stands for First Name Unknown(FNU). It is a common practice in the US immigration system to use FNU as the first name in such instances. Check US Embassy Website FAQs for FNU
Below is the screenshot of the guidance from the US Embassy:
Below are couple of examples :
This is how it would look on passport
Case I :
- Given Name: “ Vikas Nathan”
- Surname: “ “ ( Blank )
Case 2 :
- Given Name: “ “ ( Blank)
- Surname: “Vikas Nathan”
In both of the above cases, your US Visa in your passport would look like
- First Name : FNU
- Last Name : “Vikas Nathan”
Can I go to US with Blank Surname in Passport? Impact? Issues?
The fact is that you will be able to go to the US with a blank First name or blank Surname in your passport, but your life gets tough afterward. You will face issues in places like DMV(Department of Motor Vehicles), when you try to get a Driving License or at the SSA office, when you try to apply for a Social Security Number ( SSN).
Many US government officials may not be aware of what it means ‘FNU’. They will always try to verify your documents against your Passport and other identity verification documents…Unfortunately, there will be a mismatch as your prior certificates and passport does not have FNU.
You will be asked by the DMV and SSA office to get your passport and immigration documents corrected to issue a license. You will be in a complicated situation. To avoid such instances, please get your passport corrected before you proceed with anything like taking GRE or TOEFL, applying for US visa, etc.
How to fix if Surname is Blank in Passport?
Simple answer: Get your passport Corrected! Make sure your surname or family name corresponds to your actual family name or initial in your certificates and first name or given name matches with your given name.
If you are in India – Get your name in passport fixed
All you need to do is go to Passport Seva Kendra and apply for a re-issue of your Indian passport with the name change. It is fairly straightforward. The advantage of getting this corrected before your US move or Visa is that all your future documents will be perfect and you will be good.
How to fix FNU on US Visa, I-20, I-94 or I-797? Blank in Passport?
Because all your immigration documents have FNU as first name, your first job is get your passport fixed and then get your other documents fixed.
Step 1 : Get your names in the Passport fixed with the correct Surname and Given Name
Step 2 : Get your immigration documents like I-94, I-797, and I-20 Fixed
Process to get your Indian Passport with Blank Surname corrected in USA:
- You will need to go to the Indian Consulate Website that serves your state and check for the process to change your name.
- Depending on the type of name change you may end up in two scenarios
- Name Bifurcation or Split: If it is just a name bifurcation, means splitting your name into two. For instance, if your surname is blank and your Given name is “Vikas Nath” and you want to split it as Given Name: Vikas and Surname : Nath, it could be done at the Indian consulate by adding a small observation in the passport indicating the same. A sample would look like what you see in the below image. This depends on the Indian consulate officer you are interacting with and it depends on their discretion. They may ask you to follow the below name change process as well.
- Changes in Processes: Also, there are continuous process changes and it may or may not work as there may be need to publish the name in Gazette and then have it updated. So, always check with the Indian Embassy to ensure, what works best.
- Name Change in Passport: If you are going for a name change in your passport then, you will need to follow the below steps. It can vary by the consulate and you will need to follow their instructions.
- You will need to publish an Ad in a reputed US newspaper regarding your name change and submit the newspaper clipping to the Indian consulate with supporting documents like your residence proof, I-94, etc.
- You will also need to publish an Ad in a reputed Indian News paper regarding your name change and submit the newspaper clipping to the Indian consulate with supporting documents. Check with the Indian consulate for exact instructions.
- You can appear in person or mail the required documents to the Indian consulate. You will receive your passport with name change done.
How to Get your US Immigration Documents Corrected.
After you get your name corrected in your Passport, you need to check for your nearest USCIS office and schedule an appointment with USCIS immigration officer using InfoPass and get the system updated with your correct name in your passport. You will be asked by an immigration officer in USCIS to work with a CBP officer, probably in the same building, to get a new I-94 with your correct name on it.
In the past, one of our users reported that the CBP officer and USCIS appointment did not help with fixing the last name and they suggested going to their home country. I suggest you check with USCIS and CBP and plan for your travel before you make any plans to do the above changes.
Once these steps are completed, you can go to the DMV and get your Driving license and go to the SSN office and get the SSN with the correct information.
Do I have to go for a new US Visa Stamping after this Blank Surname Correction?
Typically, it is NOT required. You will need to carry your old passport and the new passport with an updated name. Also, supporting documentation like your visit to USCIS, Name change documents, Home country driving license or any other identity documents, if any like news paper Ad, etc, just to ensure that you are the right person. Immigration regulations keep changing, you SHOULD check with a USCIS Officer or any of the US Embassy to clarify the current requirements.
Can I US Visa Dropbox / Interview Waiver option to get new Visa?
If you are eligible for the general US Visa Dropbox/ Visa Interview Waiver requirements as listed on USTravelDocs Interview Waiver Requirements, you can use such option to submit your documents and get a US visa stamp on your new passport with the name corrected on it. Usually, if you meet all the general conditions, you should be able to use the Dropbox option.
FNU Name Correction Experience by M Ghiyas
I had similar problem but It got resolved recently with help of my Employer/Attorney. I followed below
Problem :
1. Surname was Blank on Indian Passport ( Still 3 more years valid)
2. Visa had FNU and Last Name as ABC’ ‘XYZ’ ( It will expire in 10 months 09/2xxx )
3. I-94 had FNU and Last Name as ABC’ ‘XYZ’
4. DMV issued US License with First Name as Blank and Last Name as ‘ABC’ ‘XYZ’
5. SSN office issued First Name as “Unknown” and Last Name as ABC’ ‘XYZ’
and list of problems started.
Follow below steps to get rid of problems
Step1 – Wait until you renew/extend your petition.
Step2 – Apply for Reissue of Passport with Split in Name ( You will get new passport with 10 years expiry)
Step3 – Apply for extension of petition with new passport with corrected name (Some where in I-129 you need to mention old names used as FNU ‘ABC’ ‘XYZ” this should be taken care by your employer/attorney while filing extension)
Step 4 – You will get I-797A with corrected name ( this will correct your will I-94 details too)
Step 5 – Goto SSN office , give your SSN card with new passport , I-797A. With few days you will get new SSN with corrected name then goto DMV and get name corrected.
PS: Then take deep breath.
Thanks to Ghiyas for sharing his experience.
—————————————————————————
What has been your experience with FNU ?
Were you questioned at the Port of Entry regarding FNU ?
References and Experiences of people with FNU and Surname Blank Issue
Dear Admin,
I am on the same boat as many others with FNU in USA documents.
Surname field is blank and the full name (First & Last) is written in the Given name field in my current passport.
Soon, I will apply for re-issue of Passport to split the name and possibly have First & Last Name in new passport.
But the problem is, my I797 is already approved with (FNU “ABC XYZ”). My attorney is not ready to file an amendment after I correct the name in passport. Rather, they are asking me to carry proof for name split/correction such as court document / passport annotation at the time of Visa Stamping.
I believe, Indian Embassy does not provide any evidence or name correction annotation in new passport anymore.
Is there a way I can get the evidence for name correction or how to get court document in USA for name split?
Fidhatoh,
I am not really sure, how it will work though…Check with Indian Embassy on this…
Hi, Iam on OPT extension and I am filing H1 this year. My Visa Name –
SurName : Nidhi Razdan
Given Name – FNU
and Passport has
Surname: ___________ (Blank)
Given Name: Nidhi Razdan
All my documents go with First name : FNU and Last Name : Nidhi Razdan
MY SSN, OPT EAD cards.
Banks, and employer pay slips has First Name : Nidhi and Last Name : Razdan.
What should I do . I have very less time as the deadline for H1 application is march 20. If I start the process is it possible to get everything right in 15 days. If not will that be an issue for H1 Application?
For more clarity my
Visa Name matched with OPT Ead card, I20 and I94.
Its just with passport.
Nidhi,
There is an option in the H1B registration tool, to specify that there is no first name. Check H1B registration tool screens You can follow the same like what is in your SSN and other places.
Hi
if there are only two TABS in DS 160 (& if on someones passport there is “No surname” and given as: “abc efg xyz” then what to fill in DS 160)
In my country ds160 form has only two tabs 1) surname & 2)given name
Passport condition:
Surname: —
Given name: abc de xyz
What to type: in ds 160
When you do not have surname in passport, enter your given name as Surname or last name in DS-160 and put in FNU in the first name part.
But, you should get your passport updated with correct name to avoid future issues. Read the above article again.
Urgent Urgent help……
We are going to start my H4 Extension ( along with my Husband H1b), H4 EAD in 3 months from now. But I have FNU issue all over. Now I am planning to do NAME SPLIT ( there is no name change, only split) on India passport. I have FNU in I-94, SSN, EAD Card. H4 Expire in Sept 2019 end.
Current Passport: First Name ( NEHA RANI), Last Name ( blank)
1. After we receive the new passport, can she keep working on current EAD card ? No need to update name on existing EAD ? Correct Name can be used when we apply for H4 + EAD renew.?
2. After we receive the new passport, we need to update SSN ( SSA Office). Right ? Will SSA Office do this name split? Not sure if they ask for correct I-94.
3. Is there any update need to be done for current I-94 ? Not sure if CBP will do this from airport.
Thanks
Neha
Neha,
Name split is not a small change…In documents, you are getting a new Last or Family Name…So, it can be tricky… Yes, you need to update Passport first, then SSN, then others…Your current EAD should be valid as they are tied to your same person, but you should check with your company’s attorney on this, if there are any issues with I-9 compliance… Yes, you should also update it with CBP, while you wait…If you are going to submit new details to USCIS, then you may get the new I-94 directly….This is slightly tricky situation with timing, I suggest you speak to an attorney on this….The simplest thing to do is apply for H4 stamping in India base on your spouse’s H1B, get H4 approval, enter and get new I-94 and then apply for H4 EAD, with this process, you do not have any gaps in timing, etc…again, talk to an attorney.
Thank you so much.
1. Typo mistake, our H4, H4 EAD, H1B are getting expired in Sept 2020.
2. Luckily, 3 days back CBP Office over the phone fixed I-94. Meaning now my first name ( NEHA) and Last Name ( RANI) on I-94. Yes, I-94 number is changed but he did name split for me.
3. So once i get new passport- then I can easily update SSN.
4. Only confusion was around H4 EAD which is valid until Sept 2020.
Thanks thanks again.
Neha,
I am not sure, how it was done and what CBP officer asked you as proof to change it.
You are yet to get new passport and your I-94 is changed…Frankly, I do not see it all in consistent state. Your passport is your base identification document. Not trying to scare you, but trying to make sure, you have it all covered for your compliance, check with your attorney. Do update. For the H4 EAD, you can also call USCIS and ask.
Hi Neha
when you were applying EAD first time, you applied with Last name with Blank only? How you have applied?
Im going to apply for EAD in feb 2020. In My passport Given Name = Lalitha Saraswathi and Last name is Blank. But in Visa, Given name is FNU and Sur Name is = Lalitha saraswathi.
How to enter the fields in EAD in this case? Should I enter the name as per VISA or as per in Passport? Please advise.
What is your name on EAD?
hello admin,
i am a new permanant resident in U.S. ( F43 Visa). I have the same blank surname problem in my passport and i want to do just the normal name splitting process. i am living in New York. i got my SSN last week. but i haven’t received my green card yet. It is on the way. My question is,
Can i go to Indian consulate for name splitting in my passport before i get my Green card in hand ?
I want to know how did u do name splitting process in ur passport at the Indian consulate with proper steps.
Should we go in person to the Indian consulate for this purpose or its totally online now ? i heard we need to submit Deed pool affidavit Sample for name splitting. how & from where we can get this affidavit ? Can u explain me in detail please..
what are the other documents we should prepare & submit for this name splitting process in passport ??
Anyone can reply me with the updated right information. I would be very grateful for u guys. Thank You. My email address is ashakjoice@gmail.com. Do reply me.
Admin Sir, could u please reply me as early as possible. It’s urgent.
Ashak,
Name splitting may not be considered a minor correction… As you already have all of your documents approved and have your Green Card on the way, now it is slightly bad timing. It may not be a bad idea to wait until you get your green card and then proceed with the name change.
You need to call the Indian Embassy on this and get instructions on the process.
Ok Admin Sir. So your opinion in my case is to wait for the green card to reach in my hand ( maybe around 2-3 weeks i guess) & then apply for the re-issuing of the passport for name splitting ? i have SSN with me now. is there any use of that ? Is there any chance of changing my passport name before getting my green card in hand ? I wanted to change my passport name urgently, that is why i am asking u, sir. Give me your advice sir. thank u soo much sir. 🙂
Ashak,
Well, that’s what I think is a logical path to avoid all confusions. Once you change your passport, everything has to reflect that and you need to work on getting them corrected. I suggest you speak to Indian embassy, then speak to SSN office, then to USCIS on the process. If needed, talk to an attorney.
You may try to do it before getting green card. But, it can create confusions, if there is an emergency as documents may be in mismatched…at lest, if you do one by one after your old documents are set, then it makes logical sense for you to even explain to anyone, if you run into issues. You should talk to an attorney, if you are really confused and not sure…
ok Kumar sir. Thank you. So after i get my green card in hand & get my passport changed, reissued , i should change my green card first ( from USCIS office) & then SSN card ( from SSN office) respectively. Isn’t it sir ??? Because thats what i heard. Please correct me.
Ashak,
Yes, that sounds good option.
hello Kumar Sir,
There is a new situation now. I need ur opinion sir. After i get my green card ( which has FNU problem too) in hand ( say like within 2-3 weeks) , i have another reason to go to india & stay there for 5 months. So, when i go to india, shall i do this name splitting there ? And bring back the 2 passports , green card, SSN with me when i come back to to New York after 5 months ? Is this a good idea ? how safe am i when i come back to U.S clearing immigrations at the NYC aiport with these 2 passports ? Please do give ur opinion sir.
Thank you. 🙂
Ashak,
I am not sure, if that is a safe idea. The better thing to do is get everything corrected after you are back in US, when you are in the country. It gives you more flexibility, if something takes long and you would avoid any issues at port of entry. You can write to CBP office and get their advice as well.
Ok Kumar sir.. I will check with someone. Thank you for your valuable feedbacks sir. ??
Hello Kumar Sir,
I received my green card yesterday( with FNU) & i already have SSN. And i am going to india next week & will stay there for 4 months. I am still in big doubt & confusion about doing my name splitting in my passport at india or not. I am living in New York. Sir, Do u have contacts with anyone who can give me a guaranteed reply for my doubt ? Bcz its very easy to do name splitting in India. So, if there is no risk involved when i am coming back with 2 passports to the port of entry at NYC, i will correct my passport in india itself. Also, how to contact with the CBP office regarding this issue, sir ? (via email?? what is their email or phone number sir? ) Or is there any other people there who i can ask opinion from ?? Thank you sir!
Ashak,
No, I do not have any contacts. You can email CBP, go to their website and find email. You can call Indian embassy and inquire.
It is your discretion, you can always check with an attorney and get it clarified.
ok Kumar sir. Point noted. Thank you. I will give u follow-ups
Hello Kumar Sir,
I emailed & checked with a CBP officer of New York about this thing, he just checked with one of the immigration experts & replied that I am good to travel with my old, corrected new passport, my green card & I will not meet any issues at the U.S. port of entry. I asked him twice & he confirmed it again.
Ashak,
That’s great. Please take a print out of the email and carry that email copy with you. In case, you face issue, you can ask them to refer to the email confirmation.
Thanks for the update here, it helps community !
I came to USA and was studying at Boston then I shifted to San Francisco
At Boston I got my bank account, SSN . My Surname is Blank and my given name is ABC DEF GHI
When I tried to apply for California State ID in San Francisco, they said that since my surname is blank I cannot get it.
My I-94 has the same issue as the Visa. I have to apply for OPT in Jan 2020. Does the present status quo effect affect my chances ?
Please give me the best possible solution. Can I split it as Surname DEF GHI and Given Name as ABC. What is the best procedure please advice
Thanks
John,
It is a pain, when you have it blank…If you do any changes, you have to start from your passport and then start to do other based on that…If you can get it done, it will be helpful for you in the long run.
Best possible solution is to update your passport with your surname as last name and then start from there…It will take time, but worth it…
Does that mean I have to go back to US consulate Mumbai with the passport . Thanks for your time
John,
When you step out of the country, you may need to leverage the dropbox option to get a new visa, so that it is all fixed. May or may not need visa interview…
Approx hiw many days does it take . I will have to go in between my study breaks. Thus is very important to know.
Thank you Mr. Kumar
John,
If everything goes well, it could be around week to 10 days, that’s the estimate, but again, we do not know for sure as US Visa stamping is subject to its own processing time..
Hi,
In my H1b petition my surname is verma and on passport is also same. Now I have changed my surname on my passport as varma. replaced e with a in surname. My current h1b visa is expired and one of the employer wants to hire me under H1b cap exempt. So does it create problem while filing my H1b petition as I have changed my spelling of surname?
Did anyone faced similar problem?
Yog verma,
It should not, as long as you provide proofs of the same. Indicate the old passport details, change in name and other proof, so that they do not question it.
I had the same issue and I am currently on an F1 visa here in the US.
Passport-
Given NAME : XXXXXXXX
Surname: BLANK
I94 and Visa
Given Name: FNU
Surname: XXXXXXXX
After months of running around DMV, SSA, etc. I got both my SSN and DL with FNU as First Name and My whole name as LastName.
Next Step for me is to get a new passport with the “Name Split” correction.
After that, I will get my SSN and my DL names updated to reflect my correct (and updated) passport name.
Even though I will have to travel with both my new and old passport (because I94 will still have FNU), since my latest passport will be updated, future petitions should use the correct names and resolve the FNU problem.
My advice to students who are here with this issue is to get this resolved while you are in school as there are fewer documents to take care of. Once you start working, more legal work will keep piling up making it cumbersome.
All the best to everyone.
http://harshabanavara(dot)blogspot(dot)com/2011/07/im-updating-my-blog-after-hiatus-of.html
Though old, found this blog useful.
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Hi All ,
I need suggestion, I have First Name with Surname and Surname is Blank in Indian Passport. In I 797 and I94 Family Name is First Name and surname and First Name Given in No name Given.
I am renewing my passport as going to expired.
Could you please advise If I can go for split name in passport First and Last Name. I am on H4 Visa here , is it require to change in I 797 and I94 as my Visa going to expire in 6 month and need to travel back to India , it will be problem if I will travel with new Passport with Split name and I797 is having Family Name is First Name and surname and First Name Given in No name Given.
Please advise asap.
Hi , splitting your name on Indian passport will not help if you traveling outside of US. You will need to narrate whole story at every corner since your passport will have correct name but your US documents doesn’t.Unfortunately We will be not able change our details in I797 and I-94 until we renewing or amending our petition. Hope that helps, not an expert but went through similar situation.
My Given Name in Passport is AAA BBB. Surname is empty. My Visa is now, Surname: AAA BBB and the given name is: FNU. I am planning to get my name corrected in the passport to Given name: AAA and surname: BBB. If I do this, will I have a problem during immigration due to name correction discrepancy(If I don’t get my visa changed)?
Hey Aishwarya even i have the same issue can. Can I know whether your problem is solved?
How would I book my travel ticket.
Passport Given Name: AAA BBB
Passport Surname: none
I have been issued a tourist visa with FNU. Now how should I fill in the first and last name while booking the air ticket?
This is slightly tricky. Couple of options that are acceptable are to use FNU in the first name and the full name AAA BBB in the last name. The second one that airlines recommend is to use AAA BBB in both first and last name and the third option is to use the salutation like MR in the first name…So, it is an airline thing and I suggest you check with the airline before you book the ticket.
hi,
i am in USA on J1 visa.
my given name in passport is : AAAA BBBB
my surname and middle name in passport are blank.
all my USA documents including SSN, DL, visa etc. have given/first name: AAAA last name : BBBB
i need to apply for NORI from india and considering applying for H1 visa in future.
should i get my name split in the passport before starting the NORI process ? or should i proceed with the current passport and documents?
will the single given name in passport cause any problems down the lane?
Hi Kuar,
I have same kind of problem
My name on passport is as below
Given Name: TINU Sharma
Last Name: Blank
I recently received my US visit visa and and on that i found
Given name: Tinu
Last name: Sharma
will this cause me a problem while entering in to US
I am just going there for holidays
Thanks a lot for answering
I have no plans to stay or live there in future…
I have same issue with my son name, His given name was AJITESH, by mistake of registrar in india or lil bit from our side too we forget to put surname SHARMA with his name, So when we applied for PP with his BC, his PP came with Given Name -AJITESH and in SURNAME they left blank, when he got US Visa they reflected his name as FNU, AJITESH. Later on we corrected his name in BC and other documents in India, but because PP was having VISA stamp so we did not change his PP, and think that we will change this at the time of renewing PP, now his passport is going to expire and I want to correct that mistake, but now we are in US and we can not go back india to correct this, so i have to correct this from by applying on CKGS site, they have option of change name and I talked with them and they told me to apply under this category, but in that category i have to give advertisement in 2 newspaper, 1 in india from the district where i belong, and 1 here in the local news paper of are where i am leaving. the problem is that both are asking some kind of deed pool affidavit, I donot know whether i have to submit same affidavit or different one, i donot have the format for that, Can someone guide me on this and if possible provide me the copy of this deed pool sworn certificate which can be accepted. My son is minor he is 9 year old,
It is nothing but an affidavit, check sample here at https://www.cgiistanbul.gov.in/docs/1536054610AnnexureE.pdf
Hello Admin,
Me and my wife reside in Michigan since August 2017
I have a situation with my wife regarding FNU in her L2 (Spose of L1) VISA
In her Passport
Surname: BLANK
Given Name: Mariyajjanavara Vidyavathi
In her VISA, i94, EAD and Bank Accounts its
First Name/Given Name: FNU
Surname/Last name/Family name: Mariyajjanavara Vidyavathi
In her SSN, and Driver’s License (TIP) its
First Name/Given Name: UNKNOWN
Surname/Last name/Family name: Mariyajjanavara Vidyavathi
If i understood well, first thing we have to do is to correct it in PASSPORT, and subsequently in all US documents, by visiting first to nearest USCIS
I have several questions
01. My wife got her EAD recently and fortunately she got a job here in US shortly she will join, my question is, If we start changing the name in all US documents, during this process she can still work right?
02. I understand that SSN and DMV related documents can be done only after changing in USCIS documents How long it takes to change the name in USCIS related documents?
03. Are there any other USCIS documents apart from her I-94 and EAD?
I really need to correct this, your advice with steps to to get this done would really help me.
Awaiting your reply
Thank you
1. It is an amendment and the same person as you are correcting the issue, so should be fine to work in my view. You can double check with your immigration attorney.
2. Yes…Well, USCIS document changes can take few months anywhere from 3 to 5 months.
3. That’s all I can think of…check with your immigration attorney.
Dear Admin,
My name is Ranganath. Recently my wife got H1B Visa. We are yet to go for Stamping. But the Problem is I do not have a Surname. My wife’s passport has my name without a surname.
If now I change my Name before Stamping and apply for re-issue of the passport will there be an issue getting H4 dependent Visa for me and our Child since my wife’s passport has only Given name and no Surname?
What are the best possible options for getting my H4 Visa and possibly work there on Dependent Visa?
Regards,
Ranganath
change your passport adding proper surname. if your wife has something in her last name on her passport she should be good . then you and she can go for stamping on new passport. if your wife has last name blank change her passport as well before stamping. fill the ds160 per new passport and you should be all set
Well, it is best to get all of them corrected before stamping. It hardly takes two weeks to get a new Passport now a days and you can even go for Tatkaal. There can be more issues once you land in US with blank Surname and getting your visa and other things corrected later can be tricky.
A few months ago, I entered in the USA on J-1 VISA. My surname is blank in my Indian passport and given name is written as Xxxxx Yyyyy Zzzzz (example). But in my US VISA, Given name: FNU and Surname: Xxxxx Yyyyy Zzzzz. In my DS-2019, Given name: …………(blank) and Surname/primary name: Xxxxx Yyyyy Zzzzz. In my I-94, First(given) name: FNU and Last/surname name: Xxxxx Yyyyy Zzzzz.
I have applied for social security number by using the same documents. My passport is about to expire in 1 year, but VISA and DS-2019 are for five years. Now I am planning to apply for passport renewal in the USA. So kindly suggest me should I split my name at this point when my visa has FNU in it? If I do split my name, will that impact the status of my visa and traveling to India and other countries? What would be the right decision?
Om,
In general, it should not impact you…but you need to make sure you fix all the documents step by step, including getting new visa on passport using dropbox, so that you can re-enter US.
Hi,
I have the same problem.
1) Visa has Fnu
2) i94 has lnu
3) SSN has unknown
My question is, is it ok to get passport corrected ( name split ) in India during winter break?
-Will that effect my immigration later on during my port of entry?
– I still have to carry old passport for valid Visa, right?
Yes, you should consider getting it fixed from passport and then proceed with next steps. If you are not sure, you can go for visa stamping using dropbox as well to get your visa stamped in new passport. You will always have to carry your old passport. Check with CBP or US Consulate office to make sure, you do’nt need new stamping.
Correcting informationin Indian Passport will not correct your information in USCIS (I am assuming you still have old information on your petition), my take is they will ask you to correct your information on USCIS first. Not a legal advise.
Well, USCIS will require a proof for change of details…So, first step is to fix your passport, then USCIS, that’s the logical change.
Hi,
I have the same problem. First name : FNU and Surname is Aswathy Sheena in my visa. I visited USA as a dependent , hence I didn’t face much issues with this “FNU” and already returned back from USA last year . Now I am planning to go again and planning to get a job there. So I need to correct my name in the visa. What I understood from this article is,
I have to correct my name in passport from India.Then have to take old and new passport and related documents to the visa interview. Because I have to get visa stamped before my next travel.My doubt is,
since I already done my visa stamping with different name will it be a problem during visa interview or immigration?
Thanks,
Aswathy
It should not create problems with visa interview. You will just need to show and submit old and new documents indicating the change. You are getting your documents corrected, that’s it, should not create issue. Check, if you may be eligible for dropbox option.
Hi,
Thank you for your response.
One more query to add on.. Will i get my new visa stamped with the name as per the corrected passport? Do I need to do any more paper work after reaching U SA?
Yes, that’s the estimated outcome, assuming your documents from USCIS are also same. If not, check with your attorney.
Hi
My given name as per Indian passport is XXX YYY and surname is blank. When I filled DS 160 I filled first Name as FNU and Last name as XXX YYY.
But when I got my visa it states First Name as XXX and last name as YYY.
What should I do? Can I travel to USA
what happen to your case Monika
Hi,
I have the same problem that in my passport name section as below:
Given Name: yyy
Surname :
In my visa it is mentioned as
Given Name:FNU
Surname : XXX YYY
I am a new immigrant where i Got my SSN where it is same as a visa and will also get my green card soon as same as SSN and visa
how can i change please help
thank you
Ahamed, The above article describes the same. First get your passport fixed and then your visa documents.
sir but once i got green card visa document wont be valid which i will in 2 weeks as FNU how to change the name in Green card after changing in passport i have to go where
thank you,
ahamed, It is the same process, do step by step. First, you can take an infopass appointment with USCIS ( nearest USCIS office in your state ) and explain your case and then get suggestion on the process for correcting in Green Card or call USCIS help line.
hello ahamed,
i am actually exactly in ur same situation right now. i am living in New York. i got my SSN. but i haven’t received my green card yet. It is on the way. Can i go to Indian consulate for name splitting in my passport before i get my Green card in hand ? i want to know how did u do name splitting process in ur passport at the Indian consulate with proper steps. Should we go in person to the Indian consulate for this purpose or its totally online now ? i heard we need to submit Deed pool affidavit Sample for name splitting. how & from where we can get this affidavit ? what are the other documents we should prepare & submit for this name splitting process in passport ?? Anyone can reply me with the updated right information. Thank You.
Sir my sir name is not in all documents like passport, CDC,birth certificate etc. Then can I get us viza without problem, if I get problem then tell me the solution for this
Please state your question again, I do not get it.
wow , so many people have this problem , Indian passports are to blame , i have 3 names XX YY ZZ so how do i fill it in indian passport ?
Given Name:xx yy
Surname:zz
or
Given Name:xx yy zz
Surname:zz
or
Given Name:xx
Surname:zz
(Just Give up my Middle name)
I have a slightly different issue.
My passport says : given name: T***** N****** and surname is blank.
Then visa and i 94 says: FNU and T***** N***** as the surname
However, I came to US as an international student and my i 20 has T***** as my first name and N***** as my last name.
I used my i-20 to create all other documents like SSN and state id. So both my SSN and state id has T***** as my first name and N***** as my last name.
I recently applied for my work permit through OPT and got it. But on there, they put my first name as “No name given” which is similar to FNU and put T***** N***** as my surname. It matches with my i-94 and visa. But it doesn’t match with my SSN. What can I do about it. I am guessing my employers would want the name on my work permit to match with SSN.
You have two options, either to update SSN reflecting FNU status or update every other record with your correct surname and first name. While, your current situation with FNU seems like an easy fix to just update SSN, consider changing everything to reflect your real last name and first name.
Hello,
Thanks for the information. I have the same problem where my given name in passport is kajol and surname is blank. I have my US visa as FNU kajol and MY drivers license and SSN as well. My H1B visa also says FNU Kajol. If i get name change on passport, how can i change on h1b visa ? Do i need to go for stamping again after that and all.
Thanks
When will your visa expires ??
My main problem is I don’t have a Surname.
I’m yet to get my passport. My name is Kshitiz .I was just planning to get my passport and got to know that being without surname can be a problem. I’m registered with this name only in all of my documents whether it’s AADHAR card or my name in 10th boards or 12th boards.
As someone who has plans to go to the united states in fututre, how big a problem is it? and how to tackle it.
Thanks in advance.
Well, it is a problem as you will have FNU as your first name. You must at least have initial right ? You should get your last name with your initial expanded. But, if you do not have anything like initial and it is just one word, maybe your case is unique and you just live with it as FNU.
Hi
I have applied for IR-1 visa I have been issued interview letter mentioned as a surname as FNU can I change my passport now before going to interview will that be a problem because all the documents have be submitted my interview date is on 6/4/2018 or is easy
Hello Everyone,
Here is my issue,
I was born in Doha , Qatar . My birth certificate has my given name as Hamed and my surname is blank .
I am in USA now working on OPT ( Green card is in process ).
My Indian passport , 10th degree(INDIA), under-grad degree(INDIA), Masters degree(USA), all of them have Hamed as the name.
My visa , I-20, SSN, I-94 has “FNU” in it and the state ID has NO NAME GIVEN in it .
I want to add a name so that I can get rid of FNU before my marriage. It’s just because in future my kids would have the problem keeping FNU.
So how daunting is the process of adding a name,
EXAMPLE- given name as Hamed and last/family name as ALI So my new name being HAMED ALI .
Where should i start from ?
Which country should i start from ?
Can anyone please please explain me in depth how i can get this done .
My passport is valid till 2023 , opt is valid till Dec 2019
Hi I have a different visa category bit i am hoping to get clarification by you guys. I will appreciate it.
I have applied for k1 visa and i am done with my medical. However i noticed the FNU written before my name on the NVC letter that i received so therefore i have not scheduled a visa interview at the embassy yet.
I am thinking of splitting my name before i schedule the visa interview.
My entire name is written in given name column and Surname is blank in my passport.
Also i recently got my medical done so do i have to get the medical done again with new passport details.. as passport number will change when i get my name fixed..??
Please help..
If yes then… then can i just leave it as it is on my passport and travel to US and get my FNU problem fixed in USA as discussed above in the article
Which will be better option? Getting correction done here in India or US?
Please reply
Thank you so much
You need not get your name corrected for this problem. I got SSN, Bank Account, State ID, DMV etc without having to get my name changed or corrected in my Passport although my First Name was FNU in my US VISA.
Check this link for more details :
http://firstusvisit.blogspot.com/
Prasad,
While you can get many of these stuff done with FNU in your passport, it is always not the ideal thing to have on your passport. Having proper surname gives you proper identity. Just imagine someone has FNU for last name and have same first name as you in context of security clearance — That could get tricky with security screenings, etc. It is better to have your documents corrected with proper last name. Of course, it is your discretion !
hello
I had my interview on 10th october .I had applied for F1 visa and got my visa approved but they have misprinted the visa type as BI /B2 intead of F1 . I had sumbitted all my documents to Consulate for visa correction . how long it usually takes . will I have to give a interview again ?
Hi All ,
Needed help . I hold an Indian Passport with a valid US – B1/B2
In my passport
Surname is null
Given Name is present
In US visa B1/B2
Surname – Present
Given Name FNU
I need to apply for a new passport as old one is expiring. Along with it want to give my correct by given name & surname in passport ,what implication will it have on valid US visa?
Could you please help me with my query?
Hey Sudarshan,
I am in the same position my passport is expiring, can we apply for split name and renewal at the same time?
Hello Bhuvnesh,
I am in the exactly similar situation as you were . Did you happen to get a solution for it mate?? If yes, can you please help me with the procedure?? I would highly appreciate if you can drop me the details into my email mmusthafa777@gmail.com. TIA.
Best,
M.Musthafa
Experience moved to article.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Hello Everyone,
I have been through the same problem but now I fixed my Indian passport and moving forward for the correction of i-94 and sevis number on i-20. I wanted to get information on how can we change or update the f-1 visa with correct name, I tried reaching everyone but none has the answer on correcting name on f-1 visa. Please, provide me an information if you know the process of updating name on f-1 visa because I am worried that this may cause problem in opt.
Thanks,
Regards,
Ghayasuddin Mohammed
+1 313 358 5331
Hi,
My name is Shama Anjum. My passport has blank surname and given name: Shama Anjum. I came to US in 2015.
My US visa, DMV license have First name:FNU LastName: Shama Anjum
I did not face any issues with travel or SSN or Driver’s license till now.
I am planning to take GRE. Will I be restricted to take the test with surname: blank in passport? Do I need to add my surname to passport before taking my test?
Need suggestion.
Thanks,
Shama.
It wont be a problem, you can leave it as it is or else you can split
First /given name as shama
Last or surname as anjum.
Shama,
It is better to get these documents corrected. Your GRE will be valid for 5 years, so it is good to get it corrected before you even apply. I would start with fixing the passport first and then visa, then GRE application. It can be painful process, but you need to fix these at somepoint.
Hi,
Did anyone use the dropbox facility to get your visa corrected in India recently? If so, could you please tell me how long it took for you to get your passport back with visa stamped after submitting your documents? This would help me to plan my travel accordingly. Appreciate the help.
Thank you for your revert on my post. I am now interested in getting more info on this particular process because even I plan on going back to India and getting my Visa corrected.
Can you please forward me any information you receive on this.
My contact details are:
Arjun.bdwj@gmail.com
If possible, can you share your email ID, if I find something regarding this I shall forward it to you as well.
Hi,
On my passport, surname is blank and given name is Yashmita. I’ve got admitted in a university in US. I have received my I-20 with surname as Yashmita and given name blank. Now, I’m in the process of applying for study visa with all my documents carrying this name. Can I change my name to Yashmita Bhalla on passport by getting my last name added as “Bhalla” at this stage? I’m scared that the change will conflict with my I-20 as at the time of issuance of I-20, my passport had Yashmita on it and when I will go for visa interview, it will have Yashmita Bhalla and I-20 will bear Yashmita. What to do at this stage? Please suggest.
My parents just received their US travel visa and have booked tickets to visit us June end this year. My mom’s passport has her given name as “Radha Harindran” and Surname blank. In her visa it is FNU under Given name and surname is “Radha Harindran.”
Since they are only visiting, my concern is whether there would be issues with entry or issues during their travels due to this. Would there be any problems in this regard?
Hey PM,
Your parents will have no issues visiting USA. Having FNU as first name and given name on passport as the Last Name on VISA is a known and valid scenario. I have it on my passport and I have visited USA on business visa and on H1B several times without any issue.
Thanks & Regards,
Patralekh Satyam
Patralekh,
Quick question, so despite having the FNU on your visa, did you ever get your name corrected on your passport, or renewed it with correct credentials. If so, then were you able to still travel back and forth with
Visa having FNU
passport now having correct credentials.
This would clear a lot of my confusion.
Regards,
Arjun
Hi,
I’m in the US on my L2 visa and am facing the same FNU issue. My visa and I-94 has FNU as my given name since I didn’t have a surname in my passport. I got my passport corrected now by splitting my name into first and surnames. Then I took an Infopass appointment to see a USCIS official to get my visa updated. But she told me they cannot do that. I’ll have to get it done in India itself, she said. I checked with a CBP officer later regarding the I-94 correction but he said unless the visa gets fixed they cannot correct the I-94 either. In your article it is mentioned, the system can be updated by visiting USCIS. Unfortunately, that didn’t work for me. Do you have any suggestion on how I can get this done in the US itself instead of travelling to India?
Chithra,
Sorry to hear that it did not work. I will update the article. It used to be possible as per users’ experiences shared with us. Well, I cannot think of anything else, you have tried USCIS and CBP. I guess you will have leave the country and get new stamping done either via dropbox or in person appointment. You may try writing to consulates in Mexico or Canada and get feedback, if it can be done without going to India.
Hi, Thanks for your reply! I would like to have one clarification though. In your article, it is mentioned they’ve updated the system with your correct name when you visited USCIS. Can you please tell me how exactly that was done? Did they reissue your visa?
Hello,
This is regarding your condition. I recently went through the same situation. Even I had my passport corrected but unfortunately I have not been able to get my VISA and the I-94 fixed via USCIS/ CBP. I am a student with F-1 visa status. This issue is for all visa types and apparently they suggested to get the VISA fixed first.
Did you manage to resolve the situation to get the VISA or the I-94 updated or were you able to find any other way around it ? Did you go back to India to get it fixed ?
Please you can also reach me at “arjun.bdwj@gmail.com”.
Your and everyone’s help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Arjun
Hi,
I’m planning to go back by the end of this year and get the visa corrected. If you only want to correct the name in your state IDs, a court order would suffice (as per some blogs). But ‘FNU’ in visa and I-94 will still remain. The link below has details regarding visa correction process in India, dropbox facility etc. Hope this helps.
http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-niv-visarenew.asp#qualifications
HI Chitra,
Just want to check with you. Did you leave India to get your visa amd I 94 corrected.
OR
Can we do the change staying within US. Thanks.
The visa change cannot be done from within the US according to USCIS.
Hi Chithra, Kumar,
I too am in a similar situation.
My passport was corrected a week ago. However my employer mentioned its impossible to correct the visa. However, to correct i94, my employer asked me to step out & step in to US with new passport. Wanted to understand how you are dealing with this presently. Please share if you found any leads to update your legal immigration documents.
Dear chitra ,
I am on F1 visa and on opt .I am confused seeing ur case should u go name bifurcation becasue as u were saying my I94 cant get corrected and I have to move back to india for this .Can u tell what should be done in this case
Hi ,
I’m also facing the same problem. I corrected my passport and visited USCIS and CBP they both said they can’t update. To update the I94 Visa should be updated. Is any one travelled to India ? And if the issue is resolved please update.
Hey guys !
I don’t have a surname( actually I do but not on any documents )
I have my name as on visa as
Given name : FNU
Surname : P******
I came to USA with my visitor visa and got my visa changed and extended to F1 student visa , and now I wanted to get my driving license but I had to get my SSN before getting it .. but SS people said that I can’t get it cause of my name … as I don’t have a first name (FNU) and my last name is P*****
So what I’m suppose to do ? How can I get my name changed on all the documents ?
I have Given Name in my passport as ‘Balram’ and in US VISA Given Name as ‘FNU’ and Last name as ‘BALRAM’.
what is the process to add surname in passport.
Step 1: you need to get a new passport with the surname.
Step 2:use that passport an apply for a new visa. You will have to fill a new application form. You can probably use the Dropbox facility.
This is what I did to remove FNU from my visa.
Dear Jeff ,
I want to discuss with you more about this issue .My email is varunkumarmnnit@gmail.com .Can you drop me a message .any help will be highly appreciated .
Hey Jeff,
A few questions regarding this process.
When you say Dropbox option, can you explain it a bit here. It might help others aswell. The reason Why I ask is because, I got my passport corrected here in the U.S, now i need to understand how to get the visa re-stamping.
So do I have to go through the same process, i.e first the OFC and then this dropbox option.
And what all documents are required for this Dropbox Option and do we need to fix any appointment for this.
And lastly, when you were traveling, did this new visa create any issues at the port of entry.
I would really grateful to you for your support. You can also send me a revert on arjun.bdwj@gmail.com
Mr. jeff
I too have the same problem of FNU in US F1 visa. i want to apply for new passport with name bifurcation. after getting the new passport what i have to do. please inform me. i have only 25 days more to go to US.
please e mail to me personally my email is mvrls_rao@rediffmail.com. or call me at 9440090834
Hey!
Let me know if it worked for you and If yes then how ?
Hi, Admin
I don’t have last name/surname printed in my Indian Passport. I have my full name printed as given/first name. In 2015, I visited United States on J-1 visa and naturally I was having FNU as my first name and full name printed as last name in my visa.
My name in passport like Given name SK ABC XYZ
In my J-1 visa it was printed like this First name : FNU
Last name : SK ABC XYZ
Though I had some initial problem when opening a bank account, bank employees were confused and denied me opening an account. But I was later able to open an account in a different bank. I also have got my Social Security Card with same naming information as printed on my visa.
First name : FNU
Last name : SK ABC XYZ
Then I came back to India. I have been accepted as a PhD student for this Fall(Fall’17).I am planning to apply again for F-1 Visa. But I am thinking to correct my passport before I apply for visa again.
If I change my particulars on my passport, then I am planning to keep first two words (SK ABC) as my first name and XYZ as my last name. After making this correction, if I apply for F-1 visa, do I have to face any problem, given that I have already one previous visa(J-1) stamped with FNU.
If I apply for US visa simply putting my first name (SK ABC) and last name(XYZ) in DS-160 form, instead of correcting my passport, will it be a right and legal choice ?
Thanks
Sk
correct your passport to have both first name and last name sections somehow. ds 160 is based on that only
Dear Admin,
I’m staying in US and this is my 2nd extension and I do have the same FNU issue on Visa. I have a question I would like to clarify with you.
My name on docs are ABC XYZ
ABC is my family name which is first in all my documents.
My question to you is when I do name splitting in passport what should I give as surname. Ideally ABC is my surname, if I give this then my Visa will be XYZ ABC which will not match educational documents.
Please admin help me out or any guys can reply with their similar experience
SK,
I would suggest keeping first name as XYZ and last name as ABC. Education documents can continue to have ABC XYZ and I don’t think it will have much impact.
Most of the systems ask if you have ever been known by a different name. You can mention the old name in that field. Also check this w/ your H-1 attorney.
Hi ,
Can anyone guide me in this issue.
I will explain it in detail ,I am Nandi Prabu,living here United States in H4 Visa
my husband is in H1B visa with I 140 approved.
Our current extension ends in Dec 2017,we are planning to go vacation to India in May month
My concern is my old passport got expired in Last year and the problem in the passport is my Given name was typed as Nandi Prabu and Surname was blank.So accordingly all my visa stamping and other documents updated as last name as Nandi Prabu and first name as unknown.
So when I applied for the new passport in last year,I corrected this mistake by mentioning proper first name and last name, but my concern is when I am going for vacation to India ,planning to get this corrected by going for visa stamping with the new passport,I am worried of my visa stamping,will this be easy to handle in visa stamping and following port of entry,I just want to know how to handle this or do I need any other documents to visa stamping ? Please advise
Whta happened to your case? could you please let us know?
Dear Admin,
I’m staying in US and this is my 2nd extension and I do have the same FNU issue on Visa. I have a question I would like to clarify with you.
My name on docs are ABC XYZ
ABC is my family name which is first in all my documents.
My question to you is when I do name splitting in passport what should I give as surname. Ideally ABC is my surname, if I give this then my Visa will be XYZ ABC which will not match educational documents.
Please admin help me out or any guys can reply with their similar experience.
Dear Admin,
I’m staying in US and this is my 2nd extension and I do have the same FNU issue on Visa. I have a question I would like to clarify with you.
My name on docs are ABC XYZ
ABC is my family name which is first in all my documents.
My question to you is when I do name splitting in passport what should I give as surname. Ideally ABC is my surname, if I give this then my Visa will be XYZ ABC which will not match educational documents.
Please admin help me out or any guys can rely with their similar experience.
Sir ,
In my passport.the given is name only vikram.there is no sure name.so can i go america or not
Hi, I’ve recently gone through similar situation for my father and will share our experience in detail. This should definitely help.
2nd week of Feb2017
Location – New Delhi, India
o My Father had First Name = XXXX but no last name in his Indian Passport and applied for USA B2 Visa.
o His DS160 Form had First Name = XXXX, Last Name = LNU and booked the appointment. This was incorrect.
o On the day of OFC Appointment (Finger printing/Photo), Officer did not accept it because we filled up ‘LNU’ in the last name.
o They confirmed that correct way is to fill up First Name = FNU, Last Name = XXXX on the DS160. He asked to correct it and then come back.
o My Father came out of OFC center and I immediately filled up new DS160 form (since was not able to edit existing DS160 once its submitted) as suggested i.e. First Name = FNU, Last Name = XXXX. I submitted it online and then took the print out of this new DS160 confirmation page from an internet café outside.
o After 2 hours around, my father again went inside OFC office with new DS160 confirmation page and asked officer to replace the old DS160 number from the new DS160 number. He did the same and then OFC was completed successfully.
o Next day was Actual Visa interview in New Delhi Consulate, and it went successfully and Visa was approved and we received passport in 3 days.
o Issued Visa had First Name = FNU, Last Name = XXXX.
Therefore, for people who have last name blank in their Passport – put your First Name in the Last name while filling DS160 and In the first name just put FNU. Later we also found it on USTraveldocs site http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-gen-faq.asp#qlistgen18
Additionally, There seems to be just one visa category ‘B1/B2’ given regardless you choose B1 or B2 or B1/B2 while filling DS160. We selected Visa Category = ‘B2’ while filling up DS160, But were given “B1/B2” Visa on the passport.
Hope this helps, All the best!
– Ansh
Thanks for sharing !
I have got DS 2019 form where my given name and surname are seperately with that i paid sevis fee and my DS 160 or visa fee but then i realised that i dont have any surname in my passport. I have my visa appointment on 1 july. Will this create any problem. If yes how can i correct it. Please help it urgent.
My name is Ufaq Raheem. I’m travelling to USA next year as a F2/J2. But I am keen on getting my first name changed as my Turkish origin name is tricky to pronounce. My engineering college certificates, wedding certificate (nikah nama) and every possible document has old name.
Kindly advice if it’s advisable to take up this name change ? Will it result in visa or immigration complications?
Thanks in advance .
Ufaq,
I really do not think, you should change any name. It will create more complications for you if you try to change now. You can always use a nick name. Many of the Asians use a nick name, that should work fine.
I just got my F1 visa stamped.
My last name is blank on passport but on visa they didn’t mention FNU as my given name instead they split my name.
On passport:
Given name- P**** K***
Surname- blank
On visa:
Given Name- P****
Surname- K***
I asked ustraveldocs about the same and they said visa is correct as per US laws. Until now they used to put FNU for those with blank surname field.
Would there be any issue at POE with this mismatch in name on passport and visa. My i20 has blank first name and my full name in last name field.
Parneet,
I am not sure, if rules have changed now. Usually, it would say FNU in the first name field, if the surname is blank on passport. I suggest you write to the US embassy email address and have a written confirmation on the same and carry that along with you to PoE, to avoid any issues.
Dear Parneet,
I also have the same problem as you have mentioned. Did you receive any confirmation from the US embassy?
Thanks
Regards
Sukhvinder
Hi Parneet,
I have got same issue for my wife, We got our VISA stamped recently, She also does not have her last name on Passport
it is like
P***** K***** as given name on passport
“blank” surname in passport
but on VISA, it is like
P**** as first name
K**** as surname.
I have written an email to US travel docs and waiting for their reply.
Did you get any update from them.
Did you get any reply.
My mother has same issue.b1/b2 visa
her name in passport
given name:ripudaman kaur
last name:blank
but in visa it is
given name:ripudaman
last name:kaur
Should i get it corrected?
if US Travel Docs have told you, it means you will have no problem, besides i think there is also one person in this thread who is in US now and have had same problem..
I guess The problem is when you are going to apply for SSN and DL