FNU in the first or last name in US VISA

If you have FNU in your first or last name, it takes some effort to have the records set straight. 

Relax, it is not a big deal, but you still need to jump some hoops. 

My experience made me crazy for want of information, so I thought I would put it all together for others in the same boat. So, read along!

The following is a detailed version of how to get records changed in the US if you have FNU in your US VISA (in 3 easy steps)!

1) Change your name in your Indian Passport to separate your first name and last name. 

From:

Given Names: Adithya Vikram  

Surname:blank

To:
Given Names: Adithya
Surname: Vikram

• Go to the website of the Indian Consulate (that covers your location) and fill out the Online form to get your name changed.
• Find your US Consulate Page here: http://www.cgisf.org/contact/consulates.html 
• Instructions about how to fill the form: http://www.cgisf.org/passport/onlineapplication.html
• The above page has the following Online form link (https://passport.gov.in/nri/OnlineRegistration.jsp?pocode=USAS) (NOTE: This is for SFO only, check your area consulate website for your link)
• The Online form will ask you for your details and how you want your name to appear in your new passport; Fill it and at the end you will get an auto-generated appointment date
• You have the choice of either appearing before a Consular officer in person on the auto-generated appointment date or mailing your documents
• Note: If you wish to mail your documents to (your area) Passport cell, then you have to notarize all the documents (except Passport, because you have to send the original) that you send them, including your photos pasted on the Application Form.

Documents I submitted (along with Photocopy of all):

• Original Passport

• Ad in US Newspaper

Format in which ad was published:

"Notice is hereby given that Adithya Vikram of is the same as First name: Adithya Last name: Vikram"

After publishing the ad, the newspaper guys sent me an affidavit with the Original clipping of the ad which is what I submitted.

(Please note that this format worked for me without having to submit a notarized Affidavit to the newspaper in the US, but the format can vary in your case. Please check your consulate website for it)

• Ad in Indian Newspaper

Indian local newspaper required a notarized affidavit to publish my advertisement.

So, I downloaded this: http://www.cgisf.org/Forms/SPECIMEN%20AFFIDAVIT.pdf and notarized it (in USA) and sent it to my folks back in India by scanning and emailing it.

They got the ad published in a local English newspaper in the following format:

"I, Adithya Vikram, s\o of (father's name) residing at have changed my name from Adithya Vikram to First Name: Adithya, Last Name: Vikram before notary... "

• Proof of status

        I94 satisfied this requirement for me

• Proof of residence

          US Driver's License

• 2 photographs (Standard clear Passport photos - No instant poloroids accepted)
• Fees - $40 for processing and $20 to mail your old + new passport back to you. (You can go and collect them personally on the date mentioned on your acknowledgement)

Note: Your Visa on the old passport will still be valid, they just cancel the old passport and will return both, so you will be using both passports until all Visas in the old passport expire.

Once you get your passport,

2) Schedule an appointment with USCIS to update your records:

       https://infopass.uscis.gov/infopass.php

This is a simple step in that you just need to carry your Passports (old and new) to your local USCIS office and they will update their records and return your Passports at the same time (There was no form filling hassle here for me and it was over in about 45 minutes)

3) Go to your local SSA office after two weeks to get the records updated.

Find your local office here: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/fo001.jsp

(I couldn't find an Online appointment link for this, so I went on a Friday at 3:40 hoping to see less people and finished this job in under 15 minutes, again, no filling forms here either!)

Finally, I got my updated SS Card in less than 10 days after my SSA office visit.

Please note that the sole purpose of this publication is to only share my personal experience about how I addressed the issue. You may use this information only at your own risk.

-Vikram