No family name, how should i fill in the forms

[Kamaboko 0]

Dear all

in culture where i live, we do not include family name so my name only consists of 2 words, with no family name.

when i get to fill in the D-156k form, where should i put my last name? is it middle or family name??

Pls help!

[sydkym 0]

Your last name is your family name.

[Nagishkaw 510]

What does it say on your passport? Birth Certificate?

[pushbrk 12,230]

Your last name is your family name.

OP, please ignore. This poster hasn't understood your question. Obviously you just wrote you don't have a family name because they are not used in your culture.

It's actually a tough question and the answer should match your passport. If you don't have one, I would take the time to inquire locally as to how your name will appear on an Indonesian passport. My inclination is that you have a two word given name and that's all but your government does have a standardized way of dealing with this for passports.

The Chinese often run into a similar problem in that a two-syllable given name requires two characters to write in Chinese but appears on the passport as a single given name, such as in my wife's case. My daughter has a single syllable given name so no problem but neither has a "middle name" or "middle initial". What errantly happens quite often is the USC fiance or spouse doesn't understand this and writes the second syllable of the given name as a middle name. Of course the Chinese have family names. I explain this as an example of how things do differ by nationality but each country standardizes how the names appear on international documents like passports etc.

[nata1 0]

Hi,

I am Indonesian

Don't fill the family name, just put your first name and middle name ( if you have it ). Use your name as your passport. Waktu interview ( kalo di Indonesia embassy tidak akan ada masalah karena mereka sudah tahu ). Kalo ditempat lain just explain to them

Salam

Edited May 4, 2008 by nata1

[pushbrk 12,230]

What does it say on your passport? Birth Certificate?

I find this sort of thing very interesting so the answer has been bugging me.

A US Passport, other Western passport and even passports from Japan and China has a place for "surname" and then on the line below, a space for "given names" but I see the image of an Indonesian passport (see link below) just has one place for "Name/Full Name".

http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~stevenha/me/images/passport.png

So, if this is correct, I think you have a first and middle name, for the purposes of US Immigration. If you had only one name or a one word name, it would be your "first name".

[Kamaboko 0]

What does it say on your passport? Birth Certificate?

I find this sort of thing very interesting so the answer has been bugging me.

A US Passport, other Western passport and even passports from Japan and China has a place for "surname" and then on the line below, a space for "given names" but I see the image of an Indonesian passport (see link below) just has one place for "Name/Full Name".

http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~stevenha/me/images/passport.png

So, if this is correct, I think you have a first and middle name, for the purposes of US Immigration. If you had only one name or a one word name, it would be your "first name".

Hello

Many thanks for the response, I really appreciate that.

I look at my passport and they put my last name as 'surname', so to avoid any problem I will just put my last name in the family name column, if the embassy asks about this I am sure I will be able to explain to them.

What do u think guys?

[pushbrk 12,230]

What does it say on your passport? Birth Certificate?

I find this sort of thing very interesting so the answer has been bugging me.

A US Passport, other Western passport and even passports from Japan and China has a place for "surname" and then on the line below, a space for "given names" but I see the image of an Indonesian passport (see link below) just has one place for "Name/Full Name".

http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~stevenha/me/images/passport.png

So, if this is correct, I think you have a first and middle name, for the purposes of US Immigration. If you had only one name or a one word name, it would be your "first name".

Hello

Many thanks for the response, I really appreciate that.

I look at my passport and they put my last name as 'surname', so to avoid any problem I will just put my last name in the family name column, if the embassy asks about this I am sure I will be able to explain to them.

What do u think guys?

Really, well then the Indonesian passport picture I linked to must be the old style and yours then new.

[nata1 0]

I look at my passport and they put my last name as 'surname'

Really? Are you sure? Where did you get your passport? It never happens to me and all my family, Indonesian friends. Indonesian passport only have 1 column for name ( REAL NAME ).

Edited May 5, 2008 by nata1

[Dan J 277]

The same case was with my wife. I emailed the embassy about it. They said to put the first name as the first name and second name as the surname/last name.

[Kamaboko 0]

I look at my passport and they put my last name as 'surname'

Really? Are you sure? Where did you get your passport? It never happens to me and all my family, Indonesian friends. Indonesian passport only have 1 column for name ( REAL NAME ).

Oops sorry , you're rite.

I looked again, and I was mistaken.

Yet, my last name is written as surname in my US tourist visa. So I guess Dan + Gemvita is right, this is how they see this care.

Thanks all

I look at my passport and they put my last name as 'surname'

Really? Are you sure? Where did you get your passport? It never happens to me and all my family, Indonesian friends. Indonesian passport only have 1 column for name ( REAL NAME ).

Oops sorry , you're rite.

I looked again, and I was mistaken.

Yet, my last name is written as surname in my US tourist visa. So I guess Dan + Gemvita is right, this is how they see this care.

thanks all

I mean this case

[nata1 0]

Oops sorry , you're rite.

I looked again, and I was mistaken.

Yet, my last name is written as surname in my US tourist visa. So I guess Dan + Gemvita is right, this is how they see this care.

Thanks all

I had same case like you, I just want to share my experience ( I got my visa without any problem and how I filled my name as the embassy told me - It's better you ask the embassy which you are going to have interview ). my last name also is written as surname in my US tourist visa.