Correcting one's file

[PJ]

Hi everyone,

 

Okay, I called the USCIS national customer service line, trying to change my fiancee's name on the forms. As you recall, she has her last name, and then 2 characters as her first name. I split it into first name, middle name. Apparently this is incorrect, from what I've been told by numerous people who's opinions I trust.

 

Umm, if I post my fiancee's name, she'll be mad at me, so I'll take my Chinese given name as an example in Pinyin it is:

 

Shi Long

 

Apparently this is supposed to be ...

 

First name: Shilong

Middle Name: none

 

Instead of

 

First name: Shi

Middle name: Long

 

So I am trying to correct this now, without putting myself at the back of the line (and God knows it's a really long line with the TSC.

 

When I called the USCIS Customer service line, they said they couldn't access the actual files from there, and I'd have to send TSC a letter detailing this.

 

1. Has anyone ever done this, i.e. tried to modify / append to their file without receiving an RFE?

2. Any mishaps or confusion or being placed at the back of the line as a result?

 

Thanks,

 

P.J.

 

PS Yeah yeah go ahead and make fun of my name, I thought it looked funny when I spelled it out also.

[Mick]

We were very fortunate in that Li only has two names and two Chinese characters.

[se_lang]

OK I have no clue about what your asking but I am going to have some fun with your name

 

Shi=poem,verse, poetry,wet,damp,master,lion,lose,carry out,corpse,10,real,solid,know,recognize,stone,time,hour,food,eat,feces,shit,history,cause,make,begin,start,matter,affair,be,yes,room,city,market, type, style,try,show,indicate,see,watch,vow,power

 

Long=cage,deaf,deafness,dragon

 

OK the game goes like this combine 1 meaning from each word

eg....Shi Long=Stone Deaf

 

Or if you rather PJ we can take this to Ole 300 B)

[PJ]

very impressive ... out of over 50 words for "shi" you picked the right one. First character in my name means "stone".

 

At least you didn't pick 'feces' , i saw that on the list.

 

Missed out on the second one though ...

 

Seriously though, anyone who can provide insight on my question, it would be appreciated.

 

P.J.

[keelec]

P.J.

 

RFE's tend to be treated "relatively" quickly (I think).

 

For example, on my application (NSC), it took 5 1/2 months to issue the RFE (N/A for previous wives). NOA2 came out merely 1 month later.

 

I would hope that an "update" would be similar. Also, I am convinced that NSC did absolutely nothing to my application for the first 5 months. Why else would they have waited so long for a minor semantic error to generate an RFE? Thus, if you are quick, you could slip the change in before anybody even opened the application

 

If you do want to "fix" the problem, definately do it while your application is still at TSC.

 

The problem with a minor change in the name like that later (NVC or GZ) is that I presume it would automatically generate an additional Name Check, which would cause significant delays, headaches, and heartaches.

 

Of course, in theory a competent immigration agent would automatically run the name in both forms....

 

----- Clifford -----

[natrigon]

Seriously though, anyone who can provide insight on my question, it would be appreciated.

 

P.J.

I am far from an expert on your question so my suggestion is strictly from my experience. I was unfortunately assigned to the TSC. During the process I had an address change and submited it to the TSC. I got the confirmation letter form them and it was so ambiguous as to point to a petition "approval".

 

After all the dust settled our file was eventualy approved in a blazing 5 months, quite on target for the fine folks at the NVC.

 

Funny, when the NVC stalled on our case I decided to confirm the address change (that same change that was previously confirmed by the TSC). Guess what? The NVC had NO record of the address change.

 

Despite my grand experience I would suggest sooner is better than later.

[Guest hakkamike]

PJ, I would be very surprised if you can get TSC to do any corrections on your file. Your best bet would be just wait until your fiancée gets her packet 3 and when she sends it back send a formal letter in Chinese and English explaining what happened and I will be willing to bet that you will have a good chance in getting it corrected this way.. I also printed out copies or copy, I can't remember now which one I goofed up, the 129F and or G325A, circled what was wrong and noted it in the letter that I had done this. Like the dumb ass I am I messed up Lushengs birth date, which is 11-22 and I put it down as 10-22, I got past TSC without a RFE but as a lot of you know when you call GZ they ask for the birth date as one of there ways of pulling up the file.. Anyway I talked to GZ and they told me to send in the correction in the form of a letter atached to the packet 3 papers and they would take care of it which they did, when Lusheng had her interview it had been corrected.

Later, Michael Perez

[keelec]

PJ, I would be very surprised if you can get TSC to do any corrections on your file. Your best bet would be just wait until your fiancée gets her packet 3 and when she sends it back send a formal letter in Chinese and English explaining what happened and I will be willing to bet that you will have a good chance in getting it corrected this way.

P.J.

 

Yes, it may be more likely that the GZ Embassy can deal with the change better than TSC.

 

HOWEVER,

Any "significant" change to the name late in the process would likely start a second name-check that could cost you days, weeks, or months of time.

 

Perhaps it is best to just ignore the issue as it seems unlikely that the American Embassy Officials would know for certain that it is done incorrectly, and any changes now could potentially cause several months delay. You will just have to hope an astute Chinese Aid doesn't suggest a repeated namecheck. After your fiancee arrives in the USA, you could fix it later with the AOS (perhaps adding a complication, but she will at least be here).

 

----- Clifford -----

[Guest hakkamike]

Clifford is more than likely right, I would not mess with, one more thing that might make you fell better as I said my wifes name is Lusheng and GZ had it down as Lu Sheng so there you go,,,, on her Green Card it is spelled Lu Sheng too hey and on one of the twins her Green Card is spelled Ludman instead of Luoman, we filed to get Luomans name corrected but it they are behind so it will take a year to do this at TSC. We will get Lushengs name corrected when we File our I751(maybeeee?).

Later, Micahel Perez

[keelec]

P.J.

 

Does anybody call your fiancee by the first half of her name?

 

Can any of your coworkers, or your parents pronounce the whole name, or is it easier to introduce her by the first half?

 

Perhaps you did the right thing by "Americanizing" her name.

 

Of course, there are also a few Americans (generally women) who use both their first and middle names, almost as a single name. We have a Mary Ellen at work that doesn't like using just her first name. My mother, Betty Jean, also always uses her middle name.

 

----- Clifford -----

[PJ]

All,

 

Thanks for your advise and insight. I sent a letter to TSC requesting a name correction today. Not sure if they'll actually get around to it or not, but at least it will be on file. That way I'll have an easier time calling NVC and asking them to just change it, should TSC not get around to changing it.

 

Clifford,

 

Hmm... well to be honest, I can't even pronounce her name correctly in Cantonese. I say "correctly" because even though I've been studying Cantonese for like 2+ years now and my fiancee and I talk for hours in Cantonese, it's a really difficult to pronounce name. Plus when I address her, using her Chinese name, there's some less formal version of it or something. I don't understand the language semantics well enough. So I usually just call her "Candy" anyway, I can pronounce "Candy" just fine.

 

P.J.