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I just moved to USA from Pakistan like 6 months back. My husband is a US citizen and I am a US green card holder (permanent resident). I am pregnant now and I really want my family to be here with me during this emotional and beautiful time. My parents are overjoyed as they are becoming grandparents for the first time and they can’t wait to come and meet me and their grandchild.

The only problem is my mother had been to the USA in 1992 on a tourist visa, but the spelling of her first name (she now spells it with an “e” and back then she used an “a”) and date of birth (“28” then and “22” now) on her all old passports (before her wedding) is different from now (after her wedding). Her last name changed after she got married, which is very common, but also there was a spelling mistake in her first name and the day in the date of birth (month and year are the same). It was due to clerical mistakes back then and she has no idea why it wasn’t corrected.

Now she has to again apply for her USA tourist visa. Should she get the new passport and id card using the old name spelling and date of birth when she visited the USA before? Or she should continue with her current information? But how? Her past record of visiting the US will have different information, and they won’t be able to find her on the basis of her new information. What is the solution?

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  • Thanks for answering. I really appreciate it. One more thing I wanted to ask is what if we just fill the DS 160 form telling them about my mother's visit but avoid adding any foot note or affidavit etc explaining them about the name and date stuff to not make the matter confusing. Is it safe to do everything as it is?
    – Mehrunisa Saad
    Sep 11, 2019 at 21:41
  • @Hanky Panky Thanks for answering. I really appreciate it. One more thing I wanted to ask is what if we just fill the DS 160 form telling them about my mother's visit but avoid adding any foot note or affidavit etc explaining them about the name and date stuff to not make the matter confusing. Is it safe to do everything as it is? –
    – Mehrunisa Saad
    Sep 12, 2019 at 6:59

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This is absolutely a non issue, She should fill the form with her current information and add a foot note explaining the correction in spelling and date of birth.

Obviously the local authorities found the change reasonable hence allowed it, USA will not hold her to to her old name in any way since there is no element of deception in this case.

Should she get the new passport and id card using the old name spelling and date of birth when she visited the USA before?

No. She should apply with the correct (and current) information.

Her past record of visiting the US will have different information, and they won’t be able to find her on the basis of her new information. What is the solution?

So? It doesn't matter if they can or they can't find her previous visits because of a spelling or dob change. It is safe to assume that Uncle Sam will be able to find that info.

Although she does not have an old visa still valid but still this Q&A makes it clear that name change is not an issue with a new passport.

I changed my name. Is my U.S. visa with my old name still valid?

If your name has legally changed through marriage, divorce, or a court ordered name change, you will need to obtain a new passport. Once you have a new passport, the Department of State recommends that you apply for a new U.S. visa to make it easier for you to travel to and from the United States.

Department of State

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  • Thanks for answering. I really appreciate it. One more thing I wanted to ask is what if we just fill the DS 160 form telling them about my mother's visit but avoid adding any foot note or affidavit etc explaining them about the name and date stuff to not make the matter confusing. Is it safe to do everything as it is? –
    – Mehrunisa Saad
    Sep 12, 2019 at 7:00
  • Since she has had a visa before, the correct way would be to mention it. I personally would mention the previous visa, It is not a big deal if the name was slightly different back then. But of course the choice is yours. They don't get confused by those small things to be honest, it is a routine matter.
    – Hanky Panky
    Sep 12, 2019 at 7:02

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