Different Name on Passport vs. Birth Certificate for I-130

[dopheretta 3]

My wife and I are getting ready to file the I-130 and are encountering a problem regarding my name.

My first name on my birth certificate and marriage certificate is "Anna-Sophia", but on my passport, it has always been "Anna Sophia" without the hyphen, as Austrian authorities don't print "-" on first names of identification documents. They do, however, print hyphens in last names - my last name on my passport has a hyphen.

Throughout the application, we have always spelled my name as "Anna-Sophia", as that is what the marriage certificate says.

We are now wondering if we will encounter a problem, because the name on my bills and our joint bank account doesn't include a hyphen, as it was made using my passport as ID.

 

I know it is not time to send in my copy of birth certificate or passport yet, as I am the beneficiary, but they do have an I-94 from when I last travelled to the USA on an ESTA with no hyphen, and our marriage certificate with a hyphen.

 

Should we include a clarification of the situation in of my passport vs. marriage certificates in the application? Or let them know when our case has reached NVC stage? Or should we just not say anything?

 

If anyone has ever been in a similar situation, I would very much appreciate your help! 

 

 

 

 

 

[payxibka 10,047]

20 minutes ago, dopheretta said:

My wife and I are getting ready to file the I-130 and are encountering a problem regarding my name.

My first name on my birth certificate and marriage certificate is "Anna-Sophia", but on my passport, it has always been "Anna Sophia" without the hyphen, as Austrian authorities don't print "-" on first names of identification documents. They do, however, print hyphens in last names - my last name on my passport has a hyphen.

Throughout the application, we have always spelled my name as "Anna-Sophia", as that is what the marriage certificate says.

We are now wondering if we will encounter a problem, because the name on my bills and our joint bank account doesn't include a hyphen, as it was made using my passport as ID.

 

I know it is not time to send in my copy of birth certificate or passport yet, as I am the beneficiary, but they do have an I-94 from when I last travelled to the USA on an ESTA with no hyphen, and our marriage certificate with a hyphen.

 

Should we include a clarification of the situation in of my passport vs. marriage certificates in the application? Or let them know when our case has reached NVC stage? Or should we just not say anything?

 

If anyone has ever been in a similar situation, I would very much appreciate your help! 

 

 

 

 

 

No issue.   Much ado about nothing 

[dopheretta 3]

1 minute ago, payxibka said:

No issue.   Much ado about nothing 

Do you have any experience with this?

On the part of the I-130 where it says to list other names I have gone under, should I add my maiden name, as well as my new new name without the hyphen, just so they know all those names are me? 

[Ryan H 3,834]

Moved from Progress Reports to Process & Procedures.

[Mike E 11,742]

On your I-130 use the name as it appears on your birth certificate.  
 

In I-130 it asks about other names used.   Include “Anna Sophia”

[carmel34 3,657]

My husband had a similar problem, his name on his birth certificate, marriage certificate, and passport were all different.  By default, US Immigration will use the passport name for the spousal visa, so go with the passport name on all documents, I-130, I-130a, DS-260, etc.  Eventually the visa and green card will match the passport name.  You could include a letter of explanation with the I-130, but the difference in your case is so minor that I wouldn't bother.  Good luck!

[payxibka 10,047]

2 hours ago, dopheretta said:

Do you have any experience with this?

On the part of the I-130 where it says to list other names I have gone under, should I add my maiden name, as well as my new new name without the hyphen, just so they know all those names are me? 

Including or ignoring an unpronounceable symbol, punctuation mark (hyphen) or even diacritics, does NOT create a different name.

 

But to answer your first question, nope, i just make it up as I go.  

[Lemonslice 4,986]

Similar situation, don't worry about it.   Make sure to list your maiden name though.

[Bob in Boston 767]

13 hours ago, dopheretta said:

should I add my maiden name, as well as my new new name without the hyphen, just so they know all those names are me? 

yes, my wife had a few names and her first name was changed. List them all.

[Mollie09 1,543]

17 hours ago, dopheretta said:

My wife and I are getting ready to file the I-130 and are encountering a problem regarding my name.

My first name on my birth certificate and marriage certificate is "Anna-Sophia", but on my passport, it has always been "Anna Sophia" without the hyphen, as Austrian authorities don't print "-" on first names of identification documents. They do, however, print hyphens in last names - my last name on my passport has a hyphen.

Throughout the application, we have always spelled my name as "Anna-Sophia", as that is what the marriage certificate says.

We are now wondering if we will encounter a problem, because the name on my bills and our joint bank account doesn't include a hyphen, as it was made using my passport as ID.

 

I know it is not time to send in my copy of birth certificate or passport yet, as I am the beneficiary, but they do have an I-94 from when I last travelled to the USA on an ESTA with no hyphen, and our marriage certificate with a hyphen.

 

Should we include a clarification of the situation in of my passport vs. marriage certificates in the application? Or let them know when our case has reached NVC stage? Or should we just not say anything?

 

If anyone has ever been in a similar situation, I would very much appreciate your help! 

 

 

 

 

 

I've had three SS cards, without hyphen, then with hyphen, now without hyphen again. Same name. Not an issue.

My name, in my opinion, has a hyphen, so I use it whenever I can, and I don't add the non-hyphenated version as another name.

Edited October 26, 2020 by Mollie09

[Talako 790]

22 hours ago, carmel34 said:

Eventually the visa and green card will match the passport name. 

Not always.  There are some countries that have naming conventions upon marriage that can lead to mismatches between the green card and the passport.  That problem is overcome through a copy of the marriage certificate.

 

In these instances, they have to wait until citizenship to sort it out. 

[pushbrk 13,166]

Do nothing or do whatever.  This is a non-issue.

[payxibka 10,047]

2 hours ago, pushbrk said:

Do nothing or do whatever.  This is a non-issue.

Non-issue or non issue?

[pushbrk 13,166]

1 minute ago, payxibka said:

Non-issue or non issue?

Not an issue.

 

[payxibka 10,047]

Just now, pushbrk said:

Not an issue.

 

It was an apparent bad joke play on the original  hyphen issue