Passport name queries

[BenjiRoss]

I need to travel to Australia - new job for about 2 years.
I was looking through my passport and found this.
Surname is blank and given name is Benjamin Jeyanth Ross.

Will a blank surname cause any problems in my visa application etc?
Should I do an official name change in my passport or just go ahead with my Visa application with the above details.

Would like to add that I have travelled to the US on this passport once and on the US Visa it is written
Surname: Ross
Given Name: Benjamin Jeyanth
I had absolutely no problems in my travel.

My wife's passport has a problem with name too.
Her old surname is mentioned both in given name and surname. (So her full name has a repeated surname.

I would like to change her surname to my surname (we never changed it in her passport after marriage) and delete the duplication in her old surname.
Is this an easy thing to do?

Also will it be a problem if both our permanent addresses are different?

[inder_s1]

Originally Posted by BenjiRoss

I need to travel to Australia - new job for about 2 years.
I was looking through my passport and found this.
Surname is blank and given name is Benjamin Jeyanth Ross.

Will a blank surname cause any problems in my visa application etc?
Should I do an official name change in my passport or just go ahead with my Visa application with the above details.

Would like to add that I have travelled to the US on this passport once and on the US Visa it is written
Surname: Ross
Given Name: Benjamin Jeyanth
I had absolutely no problems in my travel.

My wife's passport has a problem with name too.
Her old surname is mentioned both in given name and surname. (So her full name has a repeated surname.

I would like to change her surname to my surname (we never changed it in her passport after marriage) and delete the duplication in her old surname.
Is this an easy thing to do?

Also will it be a problem if both our permanent addresses are different?

BenjiRoss,

It's better you get the name changed (My opinion) and address too. Otherwise there might be a problem when your wife needs to come with you and stay there on a dependent visa.

After marriage , I went to the RPO and gave application to include spouse name in both our passports. They issued a fresh passport with the included name and name change for the spouse.

You can opt for tatkal scheme and it will be delivered in 10 days to your home. Make sure all details are on the passport as in some cases the visa gets rejected due to surname or name issues.

Indy

[JVH]

I had a similar problem a few years back when travelling to Germany. The Visa officer, customs, immigration stamps officers did not cause any problem.

However, during my stay, local police did ask a few questions and enquired a lot. It happened only in rural areas where they want to talk to strangers and outsiders for whatever reasons.

If you want an advice from me, better get the changes done. You will be avoiding unnecesssary hassles.

[rishab.k]

Originally Posted by BenjiRoss

I was looking through my passport and found this.
Surname is blank and given name is Benjamin Jeyanth Ross.

You have to simply make an application to RPO & they will make a note in your Passport that the details on first page be read as :

Surname: Ross
Given Name: Benjamin Jeyanth

You won't be issued a new Passport in this case.

[benbsb29]

Both me as well as my brother have the same issue as you had mantioned in our passports. While i havent travelled anywhere as such, my bro didnt have any issues with his visa when travelling to Canada. In his visa, the given name had the full name, while surname was blank, as in the passport.

I guess it would be country specific.

[nirmalts]

Hi,

Can anyone suggest the newspaper ad format to be used for announcing name change?

Thanks in advance,

Nirmal

[Jaguar]

This is the format I used: "I ABC have changed my name to XYZ vide affidavit dated 27.04.2010 before notary PQR, Bangalore"
Has to be published in 2 news papers, one regional language and one English.