Common names

[stacato]

I keep reading about common names and that if the petitioner and/or the SO have a common name then there might be some delays in the process. Well, is it the last name or both last and first. I mean, you can have a common last name but a relatively rare first name. For example: The name Smith is very common, but if you are a, lets say, Dumbadilo Smith, heck, not too many of those .

 

So how does it work? anyone knows?

Edited June 8, 2006 by stacato (see edit history)

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

I keep reading about common names and that if the petitioner and/or the SO have a common name then there might be some delays in the process. Well, is it the last name or both last and first. I mean, you can have a common last name but a relatively rare first name. For example: The name Smith is very common, but if you are a, lets say, Dumbadilo Smith, heck, not too many of those .

 

So how does it work? anyone knows?

222685[/snapback]

All searches that generate a "hit" must be resolved by confirming that the "hit" actually belongs to the person. Let's say your name is Joe Smith. Not only does the person that is doing the check enter the name as it's spelled, but other variations of the spelling, like:

 

Jo Smith

Joe Smithe

Jo Smithe

Joe Smythe

J. Smith

 

...etc....

 

Many of these search routines are performed using complex algorithms, which help speed the process, but still require a human being to confirm whether or not the hit belongs to the person. The verification process is quite complex, but if you think about it, makes sense.

 

They will be looking at things like addresses, places of employment, credit history, etc., to verify where Joe was living during a given period. After that a rule-in, and rule-out process is used. On the process goes.

 

Those that have been boy scouts all their lives and have uncommon names will likely sail through the process more quickly than those that don't.

[Mick]

My SO had a very common family name and given name. Our visa took 18 months, but that had nothing to do with the common name. We were in the Black Hole.

[ameriken]

I also think they combine the name with the DOB, so its first and last name with birthday

[david_dawei]

There are some comments in the P3 FAQ on namechecks.. and a collection in L&R...

 

Here's one older post I thought worth showing:

 

Recently someone asked me a question offline about the Namecheck.  I believe that it has been covered earlier, but this is a summary as I understand what is happening.

 

Here are some notes that I scribbled together....  Sorry that I don't have any good references now.

 

-------------------

 

Unfortunately the USA has been extremely secretive about the immigration process.  They say that there are several agencies involved with the visa processing at the NVC.  However, the only agency that the INS will identify is the FBI.

 

I doubt that most of the people answering the phones at the NVC or DOS even know the full extent of the processing in general, or specifically about the cases.

 

Anyway, the FBI does what is called a name check.  Basically they are supposed to look at the immigrant's history to see if there is anything that would preclude the USA from issuing a visa.  They use the fiancee's or spouse's name, city, and birth date to try to determine whether there are potential issues. 

 

Some things they would look for is whether or not you have committed a crime in the USA, whether you have had a visa to the USA and committed "visa fraud" or "overstayed the visa".  They would also look for anything else that might cause concern with the visa process.

 

The majority of the cases are supposed to be resolved within a few days, and something like 98% are supposed to be resolved within 120 days (I think).  However, if there is concern about a case, then it has to be hand evaluated and the time to do so can be considerable.  It is usually nothing that the applicant has done, but the problem occur based on someone else with a similar name.

 

Ummm, apparently the FBI doesn't like repeat namechecks.  Thus, if an identical request follows one that was completed a short time before, rather than reconfirming the previous answer, they often just ignore the second request for information.  Thus, sometimes the NVC or consulate will be waiting for a confirmation that will not come.  Perhaps there are other communication issues between the agencies involved too.

 

I haven't had any confirmation, but the process is not supposed to involve the US Citizen.

 

Now, in general, a single "Name Check" should suffice.  However, if the consulate has any concern, or a reason to believe that the initial name check was incomplete, then they can trigger a second name check (this apparently happened in Irina's and my case).  For example, if you fill out your DS-230 and spell your name slightly differently on the new form (put in a space or leave it out), then it automatically triggers a secondary name check.  Sometimes a foul up with a maiden name can also trigger one. 

 

What I don't understand is why they don't require the spouse or fiancee to come in early in the process for "biometrics" including finger prints.  I would assume that the more information that they have about an applicant, the easier it would be to determine if there was a security risk.  For example, if there are two Li Hong's born on the same day (or same year).  If they have the fingerprints from a previous court case that one of them was involved in, then they should be able to immediately exclude the second one based on different finger prints.

 

Anyway, I guess the INS wasn't meant to make any sense.

 

----- Clifford ------

60773[/snapback]

[obxtrainman]

I keep reading about common names and that if the petitioner and/or the SO have a common name then there might be some delays in the process. Well, is it the last name or both last and first. I mean, you can have a common last name but a relatively rare first name. For example: The name Smith is very common, but if you are a, lets say, Dumbadilo Smith, heck, not too many of those .

 

So how does it work? anyone knows?

222685[/snapback]

What's the old joke about,,,,,,,,How many Chins are there in a Chinese phone book?????? Not trying to be racial here, just realistic. B)

[IluvmyLi]

Someone mention name check? B)

[mercator]

I keep reading about common names and that if the petitioner and/or the SO have a common name then there might be some delays in the process. Well, is it the last name or both last and first. I mean, you can have a common last name but a relatively rare first name. For example: The name Smith is very common, but if you are a, lets say, Dumbadilo Smith, heck, not too many of those .

 

So how does it work? anyone knows?

222685[/snapback]

http://sun-bin.blogspot.com/2005/12/chines...mily-names.html

 

She may only share her name with 50 or so million others...

 

Compare that to smith, which might have 3 million in the US

 

http://www.jimwegryn.com/Names/CommonSurnames.htm

 

[mercator]

I keep reading about common names and that if the petitioner and/or the SO have a common name then there might be some delays in the process. Well, is it the last name or both last and first. I mean, you can have a common last name but a relatively rare first name. For example: The name Smith is very common, but if you are a, lets say, Dumbadilo Smith, heck, not too many of those .

 

So how does it work? anyone knows?

222685[/snapback]

What's the old joke about,,,,,,,,How many Chins are there in a Chinese phone book?????? Not trying to be racial here, just realistic. B)

222771[/snapback]

Chin might be a Taiwanese or Cantonese variant of Chen, but otherwise it may only be a million or less.

 

Now if you mean Zhang... wow that is a lot. Figure the equivalent of 1/3 the US population!

[stacato]

I keep reading about common names and that if the petitioner and/or the SO have a common name then there might be some delays in the process. Well, is it the last name or both last and first. I mean, you can have a common last name but a relatively rare first name. For example: The name Smith is very common, but if you are a, lets say, Dumbadilo Smith, heck, not too many of those .

 

So how does it work? anyone knows?

222685[/snapback]

http://sun-bin.blogspot.com/2005/12/chines...mily-names.html

 

She may only share her name with 50 or so million others...

 

Compare that to smith, which might have 3 million in the US

 

http://www.jimwegryn.com/Names/CommonSurnames.htm

 

222877[/snapback]

The last name is very common, however, the first name, from what I understand , like any other first name in China, is vary rare. Sort of the opposite of western names. Here we have a gazillion last names and much much less first names. I think the first name, and perhaps date of birth and other identifying information is how it's sorted out.

[MikeandRong]

Yes, adding the first name helps, but if they only use the pinyin spelling, again, it makes it common. However if they were to use the Chinese character (or as David suggested, the uni-code), then it would be much more specific when added to the birth date and Chinese ID number.

 

Do they use the Chinese characters for the name check? I do not know, but one would think it could help speed up the process (if the checker was completly fluent in reading Chinese characters for the correct computer input).

 

Using the uni-code would/should/could eliminate any error on the Chinese character input, as it would only be a set on numbers being entered.

[IluvmyLi]

Obviously the process if flawed. Worst part is that no one can help or give an answer as to why the delay. Same response from everyone. "Pending".