What did you put for No Last name?

[pushbrk 12,898]

pushbrk, I was editing my post as you were replying. The application is not the only paperwork that's look at. I am not saying that documents don't get separated, but having a cover letter explaining this and the copy of the marriage license, plus (NONE) written on the application makes it highly unlikely they'll be any issues later on. You're right Maria ---- Gonzalez wouldn't get addressed like this, but nor would mail go out like this either: Maria (NONE) Gonzalez. Anyways, the OP can always contact any of the processing offices and see what they'd suggest.

No, you cannot call any of the processing offices and see what they suggest. Suggesting this is possible, demonstrates you know little about it. The only available way to contact USCIS is through what we call the "misinformation line". We call it that for good reason.

While I think it is highly unlikely there would be any problem with (NONE) in a name space, I'm ABSOLUTELY certain there's no problem with ----. I've actually seen reports of a problem using simply None.

Evidently there's some part of "tried and true" and "not my first rodeo" that you are having difficulty understanding.

[Girl from Celebes 588]

My wife doesn't have a Surname. It' pretty normal here (and in other countries too) depending what villiage you come from. She is originally from a very small villiage that qualifies as something you might see on nationl geographic, although you'd never know by looking at her today

We also did not and are not going to bother legally changing her name to have my last name in Indonesia. Not worth the effort. Can do later in the U.S. some day after naturalization much easier.

Question is, how do you record this in the fields that refer to her surname on the I-130 and G-325A? Just put "N/A", or "Unknown", or "No Surname". These seem like the best possibilities. What did you do on your forms if this situation applied to you?

My fiance do not send I-129F yet but we have already filled out all the papers. I only have a single name and since a passport requires family name, then my father's first name became my family name. I don't put anything for surname or middle name on these papers and left them blank. Someone suggested me not to put anything on it if we don't have it. I don't think it would be a big problem because the consulate already knew about naming system in Indonesia. I might be wrong though, so I need someone shed a light about this, anyway, specially the beneficiaries from Indonesia.

Edited December 24, 2011 by Girl from Celebes

[Girl from Celebes 588]

My fiance do not send I-129F yet but we have already filled out all the papers. I only have a single name and since a passport requires family name, then my father's first name became my family name. I don't put anything for surname or middle name on these papers and left them blank. Someone suggested me not to put anything on it if we don't have it. I don't think it would be a big problem because the consulate already knew about naming system in Indonesia. I might be wrong though, so I need someone shed a light about this, anyway, specially the beneficiaries from Indonesia.

edit: typo

[pushbrk 12,898]

My fiance do not send I-129F yet but we have already filled out all the papers. I only have a single name and since a passport requires family name, then my father's first name became my family name. I don't put anything for surname or middle name on these papers and left them blank. Someone suggested me not to put anything on it if we don't have it. I don't think it would be a big problem because the consulate already knew about naming system in Indonesia. I might be wrong though, so I need someone shed a light about this, anyway, specially the beneficiaries from Indonesia.

So, you read the answers, yes? Actually, you want to use the name on the passport, so if your passport has a family name, use it on the immigration forms.

[Girl from Celebes 588]

So, you read the answers, yes? Actually, you want to use the name on the passport, so if your passport has a family name, use it on the immigration forms.

I was trying to described to the OP about the situation in Indonesia. I do not have family name in all my legal papers. Only a single name. But, when I applied passport, they put automatically my father's name as my family name- since he has a single name as well- The OP asked about surname and if the surname it means family name, his wife can use her father's name as a family name. I read the other post of the OP that his wife had been in SG before and it means she holds a passport. It shouldn't be a problem for surname since on passport, the immigration office already put the surname or family name on it.

Edited December 24, 2011 by Girl from Celebes

[Gosia & Tito 199]

Using "-----" may avoid the chance that the last name will be literally read as None.

That's even better.

[barath20 1]

pushbrk, I was editing my post as you were replying. The application is not the only paperwork that's look at. I am not saying that documents don't get separated, but having a cover letter explaining this and the copy of the marriage license, plus (NONE) written on the application makes it highly unlikely they'll be any issues later on. You're right Maria ---- Gonzalez wouldn't get addressed like this, but nor would mail go out like this either: Maria (NONE) Gonzalez. Anyways, the OP can always contact any of the processing offices and see what they'd suggest.

How about using 'N/A' instead of '---' ?

[yachachiq12 43]

How about using 'N/A' instead of '---' ?

"N/A" doesn't work because that implies that question is not applicable to you, but what your last name is certainly is applicable.

Can we all just agree to stop making this complicated? What pushbrk says makes total sense and he didn't just pull that solution out of nowhere. He knows what he's talking about. While there is lots of misinformation on VJ of late, his responses are not among them. So go with "----".

[pushbrk 12,898]

"N/A" doesn't work because that implies that question is not applicable to you, but what your last name is certainly is applicable.

Exactly correct. Never till USCIS an applicable question is not applicable. You're inviting trouble.

[yousufwalton 0]

My wife doesn't have a Surname. It' pretty normal here (and in other countries too) depending what villiage you come from. She is originally from a very small villiage that qualifies as something you might see on nationl geographic, although you'd never know by looking at her today

We also did not and are not going to bother legally changing her name to have my last name in Indonesia. Not worth the effort. Can do later in the U.S. some day after naturalization much easier.

Question is, how do you record this in the fields that refer to her surname on the I-130 and G-325A? Just put "N/A", or "Unknown", or "No Surname". These seem like the best possibilities. What did you do on your forms if this situation applied to you?

in indonesia basically the "surname" goes only on the passport.

( but there are some situations where folks only have 1 name lol )

On my wifes KTP has Y_____ N________

on her passport it says Y___ N________ S_______

obvously i dint spell out her name So i just list the two word name in other names used

also from speaking to other us folks married to indonesians they said the Uscis/immigration folks understand this situation from folks married to indonesians

Edited December 26, 2011 by yousufwalton