Spelling of Names

[Carlene2628 0]

Hi. Thank you for the tons of knowledge you have been sharing. I have a question to ask: Would a Maria vs Ma. (Shortened version) matter in the visa application for a first name? My husband filed for the Maria but I am using Ma. In all my documents, esp my passport so do we need to call the USCIS for the changes and would it delay the application as a consequence? Thank you so much!

[NikLR 13,227]

What does your passport say?

What does your birth certificate say?

[Carlene2628 0]

My passport is using Ma. And all other docs that i have. Thanks.

[pushbrk 12,968]

Even your birth certificate shows your name as "Ma"? If so, that is your name, officially.

For example, if a US Birth Certificate shows the name as "Billy", Billy is the actual name, even though some might think of Billy or Bill as short for William. If William is not on the birth certificate, William is not the name, in the same way that if Maria is not on the birth certificate, your name is NOT Maria, though nothing stops you from calling yourself that unofficially.