FNU in US VISA.
So, Here is my experience with the FNU issue. I had a hard time getting my driver's license because of the FNU in my VISA. Nobody told me the difficulties I was going to face because of the FNU tag in my VISA when I left for the US but when I applied for getting the driver's license, boy oh boy was it difficult to get!. So here's how I got the driver's license.
This is how my passport was:
Surname :
Given Name:
Vikas Kumar
This is how my Visa was given:
Surname:
Vikas Kumar
Given Name:
FNU
After being denied the license more than a couple of times, I probably visited the BMV about 15 times toto, I did some google search using the FNU keyword and Lo, I stumbled upon other blogs whose authors also had the same problem and figured a way out to this FNU-driver's license problem. Blogs like
http://vikramayana.blogspot.com/
http://binil.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/the-curse-of-the-fnu/
http://redbus2us.com/surname-blank-in-passport-first-name-as-fnu-in-us-visa-issues-solution/
were very helpful
When I was going through them, I came to know that the Passport has to be corrected, this was an option I did not want to choose and I tried changing in other documents, but after a lot of trials, I was left with no other option but to choose the "get the passport fixed option". And I tell you, this is the thing to be done and its not very hard. After deciding to getting the passport fixed, I started looking at the BLS india website to get to know what documents are required and the procedure. That website seems to contain all the info required for the name split procedure.
http://www.passport.blsindia-usa.com/changename.php
This was the first revelation after reading vikramayana blog, For my case, a name split was enough. So, I went through all the procedures and filled the name split affidavit. The nearest passport application center was Chicago. I read a lot of negetive reviews about the BLS Chicago office, but contrary to that, the personnel at BLS Chicago office were very nice. As this was the passport, I did not want to take a chance by mailing it in the post so I went to the BLS office in person and gave my application. The whole process in the BLS office took only 10 minutes.
I applied for passport on 12th September 2014 and I got mine back on 24th September. Two weeks straight!. Now I got the passport rectified to:
Surname:
Kumar
Given Name :
Vikas
Ok, the passport is rectified, what's next ?, well, this is where the other blogs seem to be outdated. Vikramayana says a visit to USCIS is necessary, so also does redbus and the other blog. And I scheduled an appointment with the USCIS following those blogs. The officer at USCIS told me that she could not do any thing and that as I am a student on an F1 Visa, I am not even in their system for them to change any info. But the officer there was very helpful and she spoke to another officer who had met with the same FNU-Driver's license case a few days ago. He advised me to contact the BMV customer service department by phone and explain my case to them. I did so, I called the BMV customer care department and explained that out of the 5 major documents - Passport, VISA, I-20, I94, Social Security, my name is consistent on the Passport, I-20, I-94, Social Security and that only the VISA has the FNU on it. The lady answering the call was very helpful and she told me that with the corrected Passport, I shouldn't have any issue. I thanked that lady profusely and went to the BMV the next day and finally got my Driver's License!
In my case the change in the passport was enough to match with the other documents, the BMV personnel take the name from the passport and not the VISA, but when they see a blank surname in the passport, they look at the VISA to fill the surname and the given name columns and that is where the FNU really starts to cause trouble.
Please keep in mind that I've just shared my experience, you may use this at your own risk.
