Vijay K

In India in the forms I had to fill out we had a surname, first name and last name. When I
applied for my SS number here I filled out the same last name as I used in India whereas
my H1 documents have the only a surname listed which is the surname I used back in India.
Now I am ready to file for my labour certification. Is it going to be a problem (at any
stage of the Green card process ) that the last name is listed differently on my Soc Sec
and the Visa papers. If so can you suggest a way out.

Thanks in advance Vijay

Siva Subramaniam

I have never come across this before!! I thought surname and lastname are synonymous!!

-Siva

in article [email protected], Vijay K at [email protected]
wrote on 2/19/01 9:04 PM:

> In India in the forms I had to fill out we had a surname, first name and last name. When
> I applied for my SS number here I filled out the same last name as I used in India
> whereas my H1 documents have the only a surname listed which is the surname I used back
> in India. Now I am ready to file for my labour certification. Is it going to be a
> problem (at any stage of the Green card process ) that the last name is listed
> differently on my Soc Sec and the Visa papers. If so can you suggest a way out.
>
> Thanks in advance Vijay

Cooldude

I was in the same situation but nothing happened to my labor certification. It will not be
a problem as long as you can prove that via your passport, birth certificate and
H1-B..............Zurich

> In India in the forms I had to fill out we had a surname, first name and last name. When
> I applied for my SS number here I filled out the same last name as I used in India
> whereas my H1 documents have the only a surname listed which is the surname I used back
> in India. Now I am ready to file
for
> my labour certification. Is it going to be a problem (at any stage of the Green card
> process ) that the last name is listed differently on my Soc
Sec
> and the Visa papers. If so can you suggest a way out.
>
> Thanks in advance Vijay

Sylvia Ottemoeller

Vijay K wrote:

> In India in the forms I had to fill out we had a surname, first name and last name. When
> I applied for my SS number here I filled out the same last name as I used in India
> whereas my H1 documents have the only a surname listed which is the surname I used back
> in India. Now I am ready to file for my labour certification. Is it going to be a
> problem (at any stage of the Green card process ) that the last name is listed
> differently on my Soc Sec and the Visa papers. If so can you suggest a way out.

I don't quite follow you. The INS is interested in the *family name.* Usually, I assume,
this would be the surname, but I'm not sure. "First name" and "last name" can mean
different things.

Here is the general principle:

In the green card process, the *birth certificate* is the key document to INS and State
Department examiners. If you indicate on your permanent resident application papers (I-485
or OF 230 Part I) a *family name* that matches the birth certificate, then you will have
the *least* amount of trouble, even if the passport or SSN or anything else indicates a
different "family" or "last" name.

In general, if a family name which is different than that on the birth certificate is
indicated on the PR application papers, that name must be justified by another legal
document. This could be a marriage certificate, or a court order for a legal name change.
The passport would probably not count as a legal document which in itself could justify a
different name (for US PR status) from the birth certificate.