I forgot to mention my middle name on the N 400 application section 1 A and B. How do I correct this? I already went through the finger printing process a few days back. I noticed in some of the threads where people mentioned about forgetting to include some information on their application and they were recommended to wait till their interview process. Any suggestions on what I can do?
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Forgot to mention middle name on the N 400 application
- Thread starter pjagad
- Start date
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
The FBI name check involves using all your names (including your middle name if you have one) in all possible permutations. So if the middle name was not listed in part 1 A, B, or C, the name check would be incomplete without your middle name and the IO will have to request a new name check unless somebody at USCIS took the initiative to fill in the middle name from your birth certificate.
The name check is not exclusive to first and last name only, so any name check done on an entry without a middle name would cover possible combinations of the same name with a middle name . For example, a name check done on Jone Doe 6/1/70 would automatically search the permutation of John Thomas Doe 6/1/70. The reason behind this is that anyone who leaves out a middle name on application to begin with would have their possible middle names come up with this type of all encompassing search. The same is true to a credit check..if you submit a credit check without your middle name, the credit check will also search all possibilities of your name with a middle name and cross reference it with your SSN.The FBI name check involves using all your names (including your middle name if you have one) in all possible permutations. So if the middle name was not listed in part 1 A, B, or C, the name check would be incomplete without your middle name and the IO will have to request a new name check unless somebody at USCIS took the initiative to fill in the middle name from your birth certificate.
Thanks for your feedback. Would it hurt if I just sent a letter to USCIS Benefits center mentioning that I forgot to put my middle name on my application? I was thinking that the worst that can happen is that they may never process my letter and not do a thing till my interview where I can correct it. If they do process it before, then they may update my application. Your thoughts?
It's worth a try, but the problem is whether USCIS will properly handle your letter and update your application with that information.Thanks for your feedback. Would it hurt if I just sent a letter to USCIS Benefits center mentioning that I forgot to put my middle name on my application? I was thinking that the worst that can happen is that they may never process my letter and not do a thing till my interview where I can correct it. If they do process it before, then they may update my application. Your thoughts?
howdy_howdy
Volunteer Moderator
My guess is, the name check is done not only from the ones mentioned in the N400 application but also from your social security number. Like Bob said,
the OP can tell the interviewer at the time of interview to update the applicaiton form and initial it.
the OP can tell the interviewer at the time of interview to update the applicaiton form and initial it.
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
The name check is not exclusive to first and last name only, so any name check done on an entry without a middle name would cover possible combinations of the same name with a middle name . For example, a name check done on Jone Doe 6/1/70 would automatically search the permutation of John Thomas Doe 6/1/70. The reason behind this is that anyone who leaves out a middle name on application to begin with would have their possible middle names come up with this type of all encompassing search.
But if your full name is John David Doe, the name check would include searching for David Doe and Doe David as well as John [anything] Doe. The lack of providing the "David" middle name means they would not have searched for David Doe or Doe David. As a result, the name check would not be properly complete and a new one will have to be requested upon providing the middle name, unless USCIS took the initiative to provide the middle name as obtained from another document on file (e.g. old visa, copy of passport, birth cert., etc.).
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Not really since the name search is sensitive enough to the point of distinguishing first, middle, and last name. It would spit out too many false positives if it didn't recognize what the data order of first, middle and last name is.But if your full name is John David Doe, the name check would include searching for David Doe and Doe David as well as John [anything] Doe.
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
Not really since the name search is sensitive enough to the point of distinguishing first, middle, and last name. It would spit out too many false positives if it didn't recognize what the data order of first, middle and last name is.
Sorry, you're incorrect again. First, some people use their middle name on documents as if it were their first name or last name. Second, people from some countries normally write their surname first, but when they move to the US they and/or people handling their forms at different agencies get mixed up so they have their names in different orders on different documents. Third, the FBI uses all possible orderings of the names in order to account for those ordering issues.
Spitting out too many false positives is not a big concern for them. In addition to the different orderings, they also search for different spellings and variations of the name, as they know that the individuals and/or agencies recording the person's name may have written it in different ways. So if your name is Steven, they'll also search for Stephen and Steve.
Of course, all of that mucking with the spelling and ordering is likely to generate hundreds or even thousands of false positives. That's why the FBI name check can take weeks or months. A search may initially turn up hundreds or even thousands of matches, then a combination of manual and automated processes will eliminate them based on other information.
Later I'll try to find a link to where they describe the details of the name check process.
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That's why the N-400 requires the applicant to provide every alternate spelling of their name used in the past. For example, if an applicant named John Doe Smith used John Doe and also Doe Smith in the past, they are required to disclose it on application. With your argument, a name check on John Smith Doe would pull up every John Doe, Smith Doe, John Smith, Smith John, Doe Smith etc.. combination possible. There has to be some kind of qualifying field that automatically filters out the false positives without having to resort to a manual search. Without it, FBI wouldn't be able to provide the turnaround time on the name checks they currently do.Sorry, you're incorrect again. First, some people use their middle name on documents as if it were their first name or last name. Second, people from some countries normally write their surname first, but when they move to the US they and/or people handling their forms at different agencies get mixed up so they have their names in different orders on different documents. Third, the FBI uses all possible orderings of the names in order to account for those ordering issues..
Anyways, my point is that if an applicant inadvertently leaves out their middle name on application (as I'am sure its not a rare occurrence) , their middle name would come up during the initial name check process anyways and false positives would be filtered out by a qualifying field (such as DOB).
What you're saying is that if an applicant leaves out their middle name, the name check process would pull it up anyways as a possible combination, yet a new name check would need to be performed if the applicant updates the application with middle name at interview???
http://www.fbi.gov/page2/nationalnamecheck.htm
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
What you're saying is that if an applicant leaves out their middle name, the name check process would pull it up anyways as a possible combination, yet a new name check would need to be performed if the applicant updates the application with middle name at interview???
No, I'm saying that if the applicant left out their middle name, and USCIS did not otherwise provide the omitted middle name to FBI, the name check process would not include their middle name in the permutations for the search. If only "John Doe" is provided to the FBI, the search would not find David Doe or John David. So a new name search based on the full "John David Doe" would be required in order to catch any potential occurrences of David Doe or John David.
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I forgot to mention my middle name on the N 400 application section 1 A and B. How do I correct this? I already went through the finger printing process a few days back. I noticed in some of the threads where people mentioned about forgetting to include some information on their application and they were recommended to wait till their interview process. Any suggestions on what I can do?
You sent a copy of your greencard? right...You have a whole file with them...right..don't worry...they have all the information they need to process your application....At your interview, the interviewing officer will make the corrections necessary.....
In my experience, I spelled out my middle name even though on my greencard, it had initial...At the interview, the officer crossed out the spelled out middle name and instead put an initial and have me sign at the bottom of the application that corrections were made...
Any way, I would say don't write anything at this point...wait for the interview, and at the interview, the middle name will be put there.....As far as the name check goes...they have your full name in multiple places....good luck
So from what you're saying , a name search on John Doe alone would not pull up combination of John David Doe, and therefore alternate possible combination of John David and David Doe would be missed. I find this hard to believe since an applicant who left out their middle name on application (and any other ID USCIS has access to for that matter) could theoretically pass the name check when a police agency may have previously reported the applicant's name to the FBI as a combination of First name, middle name or middle name, last name.If only "John Doe" is provided to the FBI, the search would not find David Doe or John David. So a new name search based on the full "John David Doe" would be required in order to catch any potential occurrences of David Doe or John David.
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
No, that's now what I'm saying.So from what you're saying , a name search on John Doe alone would not pull up combination of John David Doe, and therefore alternate possible combination of John David and David Doe would be missed.
A search based on "John Doe" would bring up records where the full "John David Doe" was used. It will also bring up John William Doe, John James Doe, and John ___ Doe with any arbitrary name between John and Doe.
However, a search based on "John Doe" would not bring up records of David Doe or John David.
If neither the applicant nor USCIS provide the middle name, and FBI doesn't derive the middle name based on some other method like using the SSN, they very well could get through the name check undetected. Both the applicant and USCIS have a duty to see that the full name is provided to the FBI. If both fail to do so, the FBI may or may not have derived the full name, so providing the middle name at the interview after it was not already listed on the N-400 is going to require a new name check.I find this hard to believe since an applicant who left out their middle name on application (and any other ID USCIS has access to for that matter) could theoretically pass the name check when a police agency may have previously reported the applicant's name to the FBI as a combination of First name, middle name or middle name, last name.
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No, that's now what I'm saying.
A search based on "John Doe" would bring up records where the full "John David Doe" was used. It will also bring up John William Doe, John James Doe, and John ___ Doe with any arbitrary name between John and Doe.
However, a search based on "John Doe" would not bring up records of David Doe or John David.
What makes you so sure that FBI does not perform additional checks based on combination of last name, middle name or middle name, last name when the initial name check pulls up multiple combination with a middle name? For example, a name check on John Doe could pull up possible combination of John Smith Doe, John William Doe etc..How can you be sure that the FBI search algorithm doesn't further search John Smith, John William, Smith Doe or William Doe and compare it with an unifying identifier such as DOB in order to filter out false positives?
Assuming the applicant's middle name never appeared on any previous USCIS case documents,or if it did USCIS completely missed it and failed to report it to the FBI.so providing the middle name at the interview after it was not already listed on the N-400 is going to require a new name check.
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Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
It's no use debating this any longer. The OP needs to inform the interviewer of the middle name, and the interviewer will decide what happens next.
FP and name check are two separate things. The name check is independent of FP and doesn't rely on information given at FP in order for the FBI to complete it.When o did my FP the Officer ask my name and middle plus if I use any other names I could see him filing up everything in the computer. Did you do your FP and they did not ask anything? Or they ask and you forgot again?!
FP and name check are two separate things. The name check is independent of FP and doesn't rely on information given at FP in order for the FBI to complete it.
This is startling ! I thought that the two things were similar if not same. After FP, my case is being transferred to local office. Is it possible that FBI name check may not be complete, yet my fingerprints were OK'ed (by FBI I presume)? And will USCIS continue to wait until name check is back before interview is scheduled?
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