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My US domestic ticket is booked as below:

First Name: AAA Last Name: BBB

Name on passport:

Given Name: AAA BBB Surname: [Blank]

Name on US drivers license: Last Name: [Blank] First Name: AAA BBB

My Indian drivers license or PAN card, which is valid and issued by the government of India, has the name mentioned as: AAA BBB.

Can it be used as an ID while travelling by air within US?

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  • No. Use your passport.
    – phoog
    Commented Dec 15, 2015 at 4:06
  • But passport and ticket have name mismatch, as explained in the original question. Will that be a problem? The reason is that airline is asking for a charge to make the name change.
    – Aspirant
    Commented Dec 15, 2015 at 4:08
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    I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. They might accept the DL as evidence of the ambiguity of identifying the various parts of your name. But I would hold it in reserve if I were you and show the passport first. I would be very surprised if they even blink before they wave you through. If they question the name discrepancy, you can explain, and offer your DL at that point.
    – phoog
    Commented Dec 15, 2015 at 4:12
  • Thanks for your answer @phoog. I will keep the forum posted.
    – Aspirant
    Commented Dec 15, 2015 at 4:14
  • In the order of "trust", the most trusted ID is the passport - then followed by others. I would just use the passport, and in your case - since you have a US license - use that if you are not carrying your passport with you.
    – Burhan Khalid
    Commented Dec 15, 2015 at 5:44

1 Answer 1

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As explained by the TSA, the only foreign driver's licenses they accept are Canadian. See https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification.

The TSA will understand if the airline put different parts of your name in different places compared to where they are listed in your passport. In explaining that, you can offer other evidence such as your drivers license and bank cards. If my wife's experience is any guide, they'll give more credence to the bank cards than the license.

But start by offering your passport. Only discuss the name discrepancy if they raise the issue. No need to complicate things.

Another possibility, if the airline made a mistake, is to demand that they change the ticket without charge. If it was truly their mistake, they ought to do that.

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  • I just completed the trip and didn't face any questions regarding the name at all. I only offered the drivers license as an ID. Hope this helps others also. Safe trips.
    – Aspirant
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 0:21
  • @Aspirant your US or Indian driver's license?
    – phoog
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 5:29
  • US drivers license. Sorry, should have mentioned it in the earlier response.
    – Aspirant
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 15:25
  • While returning, the license and the boarding pass was carefully glanced at and it looked like a question is going to be asked. But then the officer handed over the documents and asked me to move forward. :)
    – Aspirant
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 16:36

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