How Should I Enter My Full Name on the DS-160?

The safest way to complete the name section is to copy your name from your passport, field by field. The DS-160 becomes part of your visa record, and a consular officer reads it before the interview. Your answers may guide the questions you are asked.

Use the name shown on your passport, not the name you usually use at work, school, or on social media.

Use your passport as the source for every DS-160 name field

Keep the photo-information page of your passport beside you while completing the DS-160 online application. Check the page that shows your photo, personal details, and passport name.

For the name fields, compare:

• The spelling of your surname
• The spelling and order of your given names
• Any middle names
• Hyphens or other marks
• Diacritical marks, such as accents
• Any English-letter spelling or romanization printed in the passport

Romanization means writing a name from another writing system using Latin or English letters. For example, a name written in another script may also appear in an English-letter version on the passport’s personal-data page. If that version is printed in your passport, use it for the English name fields rather than creating your own spelling.

Do not use a nickname or shorten your name to fit how people usually address you. If your passport says “Maria Elena Garcia-Lopez,” do not enter only “Maria Garcia” because that is the name you use day to day.

The DS-160 uses the date format DD-MMM-YYYY, such as 14-MAR-1990. That format applies to dates, but your name should still follow the passport’s own spelling and order.

How to read the surname and given-name fields on the DS-160

The DS-160 separates your name into different fields. Your task is to place each part where the passport places it.

Surname

Enter the family name or last name shown in the passport’s surname field.

For example, if the passport shows:

• Surname: PATEL
• Given names: RAVI KUMAR

Enter:

• Surname: PATEL
• Given Names: RAVI KUMAR

Do not move part of the surname into the given-name field just because the name order looks different from the order used in your country.

Some passports show the surname first. Others show it after the given names. Follow the labels on the passport, not the position of the name alone.

Given names

Enter the given names shown in the passport’s given-name field. This can include more than one name.

If the passport shows:

• Surname: NGUYEN
• Given names: THI MAI

The DS-160 should show:

• Surname: NGUYEN
• Given Names: THI MAI

Keep the names in the same order. Don’t switch them around to match the way names are commonly written in English.

If the passport has a separate middle-name field, check how it is presented. A middle name may belong with the given names on the DS-160. The key is to match the passport’s complete English-letter name, rather than leaving out a name that appears there.

When to include middle names, hyphens, and diacritical marks

Small details can matter in a DS-160 name entry. Copy the passport carefully instead of typing from memory.

Middle names

Include middle names if they appear as part of your passport name. Do not leave one out just because it does not appear on a ticket, email address, or other document.

For example, if your passport lists JOHN MICHAEL SMITH, do not enter only JOHN SMITH unless the passport itself treats “MICHAEL” differently from the name you are entering.

Hyphens

Keep hyphens when they appear in the passport’s name.

If the passport says GARCIA-LOPEZ, do not change it to GARCIA LOPEZ or GARCIALOPEZ on your own. Enter the name as printed and use the same form in the correct DS-160 field.

Diacritical marks

Diacritical marks are marks added to letters, such as an accent or umlaut. If the passport’s English-letter name includes these marks, copy them where the DS-160 field allows them.

Do not remove or add marks based on how the name is written in another record. Also, do not create a new English spelling from the native-script name. Use the romanized version printed in the passport.

If the form does not accept a character or displays it differently, follow the instructions shown in the DS-160. For an unusual case, check the official visa guidance for the consulate handling your application before submitting.

How the passport machine-readable zone can help confirm your name

The machine-readable zone, or MRZ, is the two-line section at the bottom of the passport photo page. It uses letters, numbers, and angle brackets so passport systems can scan the information.

The MRZ can help you check the order of your name. In many passports, the surname appears first, followed by two angle brackets, and then the given names. Spaces are often shown as angle brackets, and some punctuation or accent marks may not appear in the same way.

For example, a passport name may look like this in the MRZ:

`GARCIA<LOPEZ<<MARIA<ELENA`

This helps show that GARCIA LOPEZ is treated as the surname and MARIA ELENA as the given names.

The MRZ is a useful cross-check, but it is not a replacement for the name printed in the passport’s personal-information section. It may remove accents or change punctuation because of its standardized format. Use the passport’s displayed romanization for the DS-160 name fields, and use the MRZ to confirm the likely name order and grouping.

If the printed name and the MRZ seem to conflict, do not guess. Check the passport details and seek guidance from the relevant consulate or official visa instructions.

How to complete “Full name in native alphabet”

The DS-160 includes a separate field called “Full name in native alphabet.” This field is different from the surname and given-name fields.

The English name fields use the passport’s Latin-letter spelling or romanization. The native-alphabet field is for your complete name in the writing system used for your name, such as Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, or another local script.

For example, if your passport shows both:

• An English-letter version of your name
• The same name in your native script

Use the English-letter version in the regular name fields. Enter the native-script version in “Full name in native alphabet.”

Do not put the romanized spelling into this field simply because it is easier to type. The form separates these fields for a reason.

The DS-160 supports English alphabets in its regular fields, while the native-alphabet field is the place for characters from your own writing system. If your passport does not show a native-script version, follow the option or instruction displayed by the form. Don’t invent a translation or choose a different spelling without checking official guidance.

What to enter when your passport has no given name

Some passports show only one name and do not identify a separate given name. This is different from having a given name that you accidentally left blank.

If your passport has no given name, one commonly used DS-160 instruction is to enter “FNU” in the Given Name field. FNU means “First Name Unknown.” Your single passport name would generally be entered in the surname field if that is how the passport identifies it.

For example, if the passport lists:

• Surname: RAHMAN
• Given names: none

The DS-160 may need:

• Surname: RAHMAN
• Given Names: FNU

This situation can affect travel documents and visa records, so treat it separately from a normal two-part name. Check the official visa instructions for the consulate processing your application before submitting. If your passport has a single name but labels it in an unusual way, use the passport’s labels and ask for official clarification rather than applying a general rule automatically.

Common name-entry mistakes to avoid

Watch for these errors while completing the DS-160 visa application:

• Using your preferred name: Enter the passport name, not a nickname.
• Reversing the fields: Do not place the given name in the surname field because of local naming customs.
• Dropping a middle name: Include it if it appears in the passport name.
• Changing a hyphen: Keep the passport’s punctuation where the form permits it.
• Making your own romanization: Use the English-letter spelling printed in the passport.
• Treating the MRZ as a perfect copy: The MRZ may remove accents and replace spaces with angle brackets.
• Putting English spelling in the native-alphabet field: Use the native-script version there when the passport provides one.
• Leaving the given-name field blank without checking: A passport with no given name may require “FNU,” subject to the official instructions for your case.
• Mixing name versions: Don’t use one spelling in the DS-160 and a different spelling in another part of the application.

A name mismatch does not always mean the same thing in every passport system. That is why unusual names, single-name passports, and conflicting passport entries should be checked with official visa guidance.

Final DS-160 name-check checklist before submission

Before you submit the form, compare each field with the passport photo page and the MRZ:

• [ ] The surname matches the passport’s surname field.
• [ ] The given names appear in the same order as the passport.
• [ ] All required middle names are included.
• [ ] Hyphens and other name marks match where the form allows them.
• [ ] Diacritical marks have not been added, removed, or changed without a reason.
• [ ] The English-letter name uses the passport’s printed romanization.
• [ ] The MRZ supports the surname and given-name order.
• [ ] The native-alphabet field contains the full name in the correct script, when shown in the passport.
• [ ] “FNU” has been considered only if the passport truly has no given name.
• [ ] Any unusual or conflicting passport entry has been checked against official visa guidance.

Review every DS-160 name field against your passport one more time before submitting. If your passport has a single name, conflicting versions, or another unusual format, confirm the correct entry with the official visa guidance or the relevant consulate first.