Name on the visa forms... Put the

[whatsthehaps]

My SO has been online again!

 

She is saying people are having problems filling in the middle name location on the forms. Chinese don't have middle names. So I split her first name into 2 and put the second half of her first name in the middle name spot.

 

Does anyone see a problem with this and should we correct it for the P4 forms or keep everything the same?

[Kalli and Greg Oveson]

I think you would be better off to put the whole first name in the first name box and then either "none" or "n/a" in the box for the middle name. Otherwise you are liable to find out that you have given away the last part of her name--they do not always list first and middle names on everything. Just my opinion, Greg

[tywy_99]

I agree with Greg.

 

Leave her first name full and in the appropriate box. Put "none" or "N/A" in the middle name box. You could even leave it blank. I don't think they are that much of a stickler about it, I mean, I left it blank on some of the forms. But better to be on the safe side and put "none" or "N/A" or some variety of that.

[ameriken]

I think you would be better off to put the whole first name in the first name box and then either "none" or "n/a" in the box for the middle name.  Otherwise you are liable to find out that you have given away the last part of her name--they do not always list first and middle names on everything.  Just my opinion, Greg

201829[/snapback]

Agree with both posts, we put her family name in last, and surname in first, and n/a in middle. If she has a two part first or last name, just put it as such in the appropriate box, and n/a in the middle

Edited March 25, 2006 by ameriken (see edit history)

[david_dawei]

This issue has produced as varied an outcome as interview experiences...

 

- Some report no issue through the process by splitting the name, and even attempting a change at some point.

- Some report filling in the two character names as one name and it got split into a first and middle name by GUZ !

- Some report attempts to fix it by changing what they did on one form to another and got stuck in a second name check since the name is different !

- Some report getting two A#'s and causing delays at AOS because of not being consistent and trying to change it at the AOS.

 

----

 

Consistency is an important issue and deviations from that can cause problems sometimes.. my guess is that the problems are far fewer than more.

 

---

 

For your case, look at her passport and does it have her given name as one or two?

 

Do you want to be consistent with the passport or simply want the visa to be the correct way?

 

---

 

Technically, your visa application has now been sent in (P3 docs)... You really can't change it on the P4s to cause it to change to anything else.

 

Why not just email GUZ and ask them if you can clarify the name and ensure it is not reflecting a middle name.. and if you should do that with resending P3s (which I don't recommend), apply it to P4 docs or at the interview...

 

---

 

What everyone needs to do is have a best practice, if you want to avoid any middle name being assigned.. here's my suggestion and what we did:

 

1) On all forms, combine the two characters as one name

2) Once the two are joined, don't capitalize the second character, just leave it as one name with a leading capital

3) Anywhere it asks for middle name, put NONE.

4) When your SO gets her passport, make sure she gives her two character name as a single name with no middle name.

---this one is often overlooked and therefore the passport name gets out of sync with paperwork and visa

---Later, some might move the family name into the middle name position...

[Joanne]

Yes. Being consistant is the key. It is better to combine the last two characters as a single given name. And, like David said, ask your SO to make sure that her Chinese passport shows her name in the same way.

[Guest pushbrk]

Yes.  Being consistant is the key.  It is better to combine the last two characters as a single given name.  And, like David said, ask your SO to make sure that her Chinese passport shows her name in the same way.

201842[/snapback]

I agree. Further the consistency CAN be applied all the way back to ANY translations, like notarial birth certificates or divorce decrees.

 

Fortunately all my wife's official translated documents treat her name itentically.

[cosmiclobster]

On all of Amy's Chinese documents, she has her 2 character first name in one box and family name in the other.

But on all of her US documents, we split her first name into first and middle.

She was a bit worried about haviing her name "Americanized" by adding the middle name, but it hasn't been a problem, and all of her US ID has her with 3 names.

Going back to China, her passport and Chinese ID have her name in Chinese format and coming back to the US, she has her CA ID and Green Card in US format. Her passport has the same 3 names in roman letters so it shouldn't be a problem.

[LeeFisher3]

My SO has been online again!

 

She is saying people are having problems filling in the middle name location on the forms.  Chinese don't have middle names.  So I split her first name into 2 and put the second half of her first name in the middle name spot.

 

Does anyone see a problem with this and should we correct it for the P4 forms or keep everything the same?

201826[/snapback]

I did the exact same thing and we corrected it on the P4 stuff without any question. But the name on the visa was exactly as the I-129F and we fixed it when filing for AOS and there has been no issue with AP or EAD by doing this.

 

The only place we had a problem was the State ID and the lovely lady told me the name on her visa was her ONLY TRUE NAME, in spite of me pointing out the name in the passport. But since our marriage license and I-797 did not have the space she accepted that as proof.

 

If she is asked, she can easily explain it as you did not understand Chinese names. Nothing to get too worked up about.

[frank1538]

I agree with the others - whole name is preferable.

[whatsthehaps]

Thanks everyone.

 

Her application form from GUZ listed her name correctly. I also thought it would be best to be consistant.

 

I think it would be better to be consistant with the passport. I will double check the pinyin to see if it is actually one or two words. Right now this looks good so I didn't know if we should mess with things at this stage.

[LeeFisher3]

Thanks everyone.

 

Her application form from GUZ listed her name correctly.  I also thought it would be best to be consistant. 

 

I think it would be better to be consistant with the passport.  I will double check the pinyin to see if it is actually one or two words.  Right now this looks good so I didn't know if we should mess with things at this stage.

201948[/snapback]

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[C4Racer]

Thanks everyone.

 

Her application form from GUZ listed her name correctly.  I also thought it would be best to be consistant. 

 

I think it would be better to be consistant with the passport.  I will double check the pinyin to see if it is actually one or two words.  Right now this looks good so I didn't know if we should mess with things at this stage.

201948[/snapback]

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

201961[/snapback]

Can't agree with you more. This is a visa process and names are very important to be consistant with the passport. Those who deal with China understand the problems and issues that come up with no middle name, so problems can be overcome but why if you can avoid them in the first place. GUZ has lots of experience with this issue, doesn't surprise me they have listed the name correct, no matter how they received it on the app.

[miker32us]

Thanks everyone.

 

Her application form from GUZ listed her name correctly.  I also thought it would be best to be consistant. 

 

I think it would be better to be consistant with the passport.  I will double check the pinyin to see if it is actually one or two words.  Right now this looks good so I didn't know if we should mess with things at this stage.

201948[/snapback]

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

201961[/snapback]

Can't agree with you more. This is a visa process and names are very important to be consistant with the passport. Those who deal with China understand the problems and issues that come up with no middle name, so problems can be overcome but why if you can avoid them in the first place. GUZ has lots of experience with this issue, doesn't surprise me they have listed the name correct, no matter how they received it on the app.

201989[/snapback]

It gets even more complicated when the SO takes an English name as a lot of women in Taiwan have done. Some even have these names on their passports in (). When booking airline tickets they always tell me to use my wife's full Chinese name and not her English name.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

I think you would be better off to put the whole first name in the first name box and then either "none" or "n/a" in the box for the middle name.  Otherwise you are liable to find out that you have given away the last part of her name--they do not always list first and middle names on everything.  Just my opinion, Greg

201829[/snapback]

Agree with both posts, we put her family name in last, and surname in first, and n/a in middle. If she has a two part first or last name, just put it as such in the appropriate box, and n/a in the middle

201832[/snapback]

Yes, Chinese do NOT have middle names, or at least most do not. Put the entire first name in the appropriate field, and the surname in the last name.

 

Also, it's important to understand the distinction between using N/A and None. N/A of course means "not applicable" and none, means none. Use these as they apply as they are not interchangeable. Will it make a difference if you use them incorrectly? Unlikely, as most do not understand the difference and use them incorrectly.

 

Never leave a space blank, but in the case of a middle name when there is NO middle name; write NONE

 

If a question asks if someone has ever travelled outside their country, and the answer is "NO," any follow-up questions relating to this travel would be appropriately answered using "N/A."