Inconsistent use of beneficiary's middle name

[jennie ann 15]

Hi everybody, my husband (the beneficiary) has a middle name, but he never uses it and doesn't put it on any forms he fills out anymore. So far, nothing I have sent to USCIS has his middle name on it, but it IS on his birth certificate, which he just received in the mail.

So, his middle name is NOT on the following forms/documents:

- I-130 petition

- G-325A

- his passport

- our marriage certificate

- anything else I have sent to USCIS

But it IS on:

- his birth certificate

We're not sure yet if it will be on his police certificate, as we haven't received it.

Does anyone know if this will be a problem? Any advice on how I should deal with this moving forward? Should I start putting his middle name on everything? Should I send a letter to USCIS? I know that he hates his middle name and doesn't like to use it (and would prefer to not have it on his green card), but obviously I don't want to raise any questions or slow down our case in any way. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

On the G-325A there is a box for "other names used." I would put the full name with middle name there, and then omit the middle name on all parts of the application. Then they will just use the name without the middle name on his Greencard. We had a similar situation with my husband having a middle name at birth that he doesn't use anymore and it was fine. The GC has his name just the way he wants it. Good luck.

[marriedtomrg 140]

Even if he isn't using it, if his middle name appears on his birth certificate, it should have been mentioned in his G-325A (Other Names)

Hi everybody, my husband (the beneficiary) has a middle name, but he never uses it and doesn't put it on any forms he fills out anymore. So far, nothing I have sent to USCIS has his middle name on it, but it IS on his birth certificate, which he just received in the mail.

So, his middle name is NOT on the following forms/documents:

- I-130 petition

- G-325A

- his passport

- our marriage certificate

- anything else I have sent to USCIS

But it IS on:

- his birth certificate

We're not sure yet if it will be on his police certificate, as we haven't received it.

Does anyone know if this will be a problem? Any advice on how I should deal with this moving forward? Should I start putting his middle name on everything? Should I send a letter to USCIS? I know that he hates his middle name and doesn't like to use it (and would prefer to not have it on his green card), but obviously I don't want to raise any questions or slow down our case in any way. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[Wayne and Claudia 40]

Even if he isn't using it, if his middle name appears on his birth certificate, it should have been mentioned in his G-325A (Other Names)

I agree but carry it further...whether you use the name or not the forms (G-325A and I-130) have places to list other names and you must list the name there. To do otherwise could raise a flag that either the paperwork was not filled out correctly or possibly something is trying to be hidden.

[marriedtomrg 140]

I agree but carry it further...whether you use the name or not the forms (G-325A and I-130) have places to list other names and you must list the name there. To do otherwise could raise a flag that either the paperwork was not filled out correctly or possibly something is trying to be hidden.

[jennie ann 15]

Thank you all so much. Should I just have my husband complete and sign another G-325A then? My concern is that it has been more than three months since my NOA1, and furthermore, I'm not exactly sure where my petition is right now. It was transferred from CSC to TSC on November 2, and on November 18, I received an email that my case "was transferred and is now being processed at a USCIS office". I suppose any correspondence with USCIS should still go to TSC, but I am not sure how that works – if they'll just forward it to the USCIS office that is processing my petition, or otherwise. Would it make any sense to wait until we get our approval and then send the updated G-325A to the NVC when the time comes? Thanks!

[John+Lourdelie 28]

If a document asks for a middle name you put it down. If it asks for a middle initial you put it down. It does not matter if you never use it. If you have one you put it down. Pretty simple. Never leave blank spaces if at all possible and never misrepresent the information that you provide. If there was no middle name you would enter NMN or NONE.

John

[jennie ann 15]

If a document asks for a middle name you put it down. If it asks for a middle initial you put it down. It does not matter if you never use it. If you have one you put it down. Pretty simple. Never leave blank spaces if at all possible and never misrepresent the information that you provide. If there was no middle name you would enter NMN or NONE.

John

Thank you, but I already sent in all of my forms months ago, so how do I go about correcting this now?

[jennie ann 15]

I just spoke with my husband, and here are our thoughts: we should be able to get through the I-130 petition/USCIS stage without problems, and this whole middle name thing will not be an issue until the NVC stage, when we send in his birth certificate. I'm not even sure how I would go about sending a new I-130 and G-325A to USCIS (since my case is currently at "a USCIS office"), and furthermore, things seem to be moving quite quickly for those who have been transferred to TSC, and I don't want to mess with that. So we were thinking I could somehow send the correction to NVC when our petition is approved and forwarded to them (not sure about the process for that either though). At the same time, however, it might be good to be proactive about this so it doesn't seem like we are hiding anything, like Wayne and Claudia said. What's done is done (yes, we should have put his full name with middle name under "other names used" on the I-130 and G-325A)... any thoughts on what we should do now? Thanks so much for all of your input.

[JoannaV 173]

In many cases issues with names can be resolved at a later stage without any undue effort on your part right now.

[jennie ann 15]

In many cases issues with names can be resolved at a later stage without any undue effort on your part right now.

Thanks so much for your input! I've been going back and forth in my head about what to do, and it seems that the best thing is just to make sure to put his full name with middle name (under "other names used") on any other forms going forward, like the DS-230, and prepare new I-130 and G-325A forms for us to hang onto in the event of an RFE and for my husband to take to the interview.

[OBX 51]

Thanks so much for your input! I've been going back and forth in my head about what to do, and it seems that the best thing is just to make sure to put his full name with middle name (under "other names used") on any other forms going forward, like the DS-230, and prepare new I-130 and G-325A forms for us to hang onto in the event of an RFE and for my husband to take to the interview.

Sounds like a good plan. Trying to submit additional information to USCIS after the submission of your petition can be difficult. In the absence of an RFE it becomes very difficult for the information to make its' way to your file to be properly matched up. Make the appropriate corrections on all forms submitted to NVC and any discrepancies can be explained at the interview or dealt with at the NVC level if necessary.

Good luck.

Edited December 1, 2010 by OBX

[funkybabe 0]

You dont need to bother yourself about the form again as its in process, next time write the preffered name and write the unused name at the OTHER NAMES USED column and dats fine, also if theres gonna be any RFE for such error, make sure you have a kind of affidavit or document backing up the name change in advance, your beneficiary will definitely need this at interview also. very important good luck

[jennie ann 15]

Thanks OBX and funkybabe!

Sounds like a good plan. Trying to submit additional information to USCIS after the submission of your petition can be difficult. In the absence of an RFE it becomes very difficult for the information to make its' way to your file to be properly matched up. Make the appropriate corrections on all forms submitted to NVC and any discrepancies can be explained at the interview or dealt with at the NVC level if necessary.

Good luck.

Yes, I previously sent in a letter to the Texas Service Center about my husband's address change in the UK (I had called USCIS, and that's what they told me to do), but who knows if it ever made its way to my file. Do you know how I can make sure it's correct when we get to the NVC stage? When I speak to an NVC operator (for example, to get my case number) would I be able to check with them to make sure they have the right address?

You dont need to bother yourself about the form again as its in process, next time write the preffered name and write the unused name at the OTHER NAMES USED column and dats fine, also if theres gonna be any RFE for such error, make sure you have a kind of affidavit or document backing up the name change in advance, your beneficiary will definitely need this at interview also. very important good luck

He won't have a document showing any name change per se because he never changed it legally. He basically stopped using his middle name when he was 16 (it's not on his passport, bank statements, marriage certificate, etc.). What we would like to do is just put his name (without middle name) on all US immigration forms and just put his name with middle name as "other names used" when given the option. In terms of having an affidavit or document ready, the only thing I can really think of him doing is simply writing and swearing to his own affidavit that both of those names are indeed him (although we probably wouldn't do that unless given an RFE).

Any thoughts?