Passport names

[Panerex]

If the bottom of the passport is this way:

John<<Tan< Ah<Kow

Top of the passport is reflected as: John Tan Ah Kow

When I book air ticket, should I still use “Tan” as the Last Name?

And “John Ah Kow” as Given Name?

 

[RyanJ]

If the bottom of the passport is this way:

John<<Tan< Ah<Kow

Top of the passport is reflected as: John Tan Ah Kow

When I book air ticket, should I still use “Tan” as the Last Name?

And “John Ah Kow” as Given Name?

It will probably get printed as John Ah Kow Tan but it doesn matter as long as all parts are there / no spelling errors, there should be no issues.

 

[Hisashiburi]

Isnt "John" the surname in this case?

 

[Panerex]

Isnt "John" the surname in this case?

This is my exact worry.

I am wondering if I can further take it up with ICA since by right, “Tan” should be the Last Name

 

[Hisashiburi]

This is my exact worry.

I am wondering if I can further take it up with ICA since by right, “Tan” should be the Last Name

This is a new passport?

If so, should def check w ICA

 

[snowcrabramyeon]

This is my exact worry.

I am wondering if I can further take it up with ICA since by right, “Tan” should be the Last Name

There is clearly an error and you are likely to run into problems when you do self check-in. This is because the machine would try to match surname on the passport with the surname on the ticket, and the given name on the passport with the given name on the ticket and they won't match up.

You should reapply for a passport online (you pay the same fees as normal passport renewal). One of the option when you apply online is for you to indicate your surname. They would then let you choose which one of your names (ie, John, Tan, Ah or Kow) is your surname. Then after that they would show you what the page would look like in your new passport - this is for you to check and confirm.

 

[snowcrabramyeon]

T̶h̶i̶s̶ i̶s̶ s̶o̶ r̶e̶t̶a̶r̶d̶

Your family name aka your surname DOESN'T CHANGE no matter the placement in documents.

What's so difficult knowing and remembering your own SURNAME / FAMILY name and inputting them accordingly?

You can write your name as John Tan Ah Kow or Tan Ah Kow John or Tan John Ah Kow or John Ah Kow Tan, it all doesn't matter. Your surname / family name DOESN'T CHANGE.

Before you call TS names, please read his post again carefully. He wrote that the bottom of the passport (ie, the Machine Readable Zone) shows his name as "John<<Tan< Ah<Kow". This means that the passport has unambiguously stated that his surname is "John".

 

[dilphinus]

Before you call TS names, please read his post again carefully. He wrote that the bottom of the passport (ie, the Machine Readable Zone) shows his name as "John<<Tan< Ah<Kow". This means that the passport has unambiguously stated that his surname is "John".

It doesn't matter. Surname doesn't CHANGE.

When it asks you to input your surname, you input your surname.

Don't have to try to be funny and/or stupid.

Btw, why did you assume I was referring to TS?

And what names? I merely said that this not knowing your own surname and anyhow changing your own surname just because the document(s) don't specifically state it as so, is so retard.

Assuming so, your passport state your surname as John so your surname changed from Tan to John. Right?

 

[snowcrabramyeon]

Assuming so, your passport state your surname as John so your surname changed from Tan to John. Right?

No one here says to change the surname from Tan to John. The discussion is how to get the passport changed so that the surname is correctly reflected as Tan.

 

[Griggs]

My passport name is similar to OP.
When booking air tickets I just put John Tan. Honestly I can't even change it if I want to as it's tied to my krisflyer account which is just John Tan.

When going to airport kiosk to print boarding pass it will tell me name does not match passport but can still print it anyway.

For flight back from overseas where there no automated kiosk, the counter staff will print my boarding pass name as John Ah Kow Tan despite my booking only indicating John Tan. Never had any issues flying this way with Scoot or SIA.

 

[snowcrabramyeon]

My passport name is similar to OP.
When booking air tickets I just put John Tan. Honestly I can't even change it if I want to as it's tied to my krisflyer account which is just John Tan.

When going to airport kiosk to print boarding pass it will tell me name does not match passport but can still print it anyway.

For flight back from overseas where there no automated kiosk, the counter staff will print my boarding pass name as John Ah Kow Tan despite my booking only indicating John Tan. Never had any issues flying this way with Scoot or SIA.

If your passport's machine readable zone has coded your surname wrongly, you should probably get it changed as soon as possible. There are more and more airports implementing self-service kiosks and immigration checks; you are likely to bump into issues sooner or later.

 

[Griggs]

If your passport's machine readable zone has coded your surname wrongly, you should probably get it changed as soon as possible. There are more and more airports implementing self-service kiosks and immigration checks; you are likely to bump into issues sooner or later.

It's not wrong, when going through auto gate it will say something like welcome "John Ah Kow Tan" with "Tan" as my last name(surname) which is correct.

I've flown to multiple countries and gone through their automated gates with no issue.

 

[snowcrabramyeon]

It's not wrong, when going through auto gate it will say something like welcome "John Ah Kow Tan" with "Tan" as my last name(surname) which is correct.

My passport name is similar to OP.

Then your passport name is not quite similar to OP. In his case, his surname is coded wrongly in his passport. But of course this error can be easily fixed by re-applying for a passport and ensuring the new passport correctly reflect his surname.

 

[ApeTruelove]

Then your passport name is not quite similar to OP. In his case, his surname is coded wrongly in his passport. But of course this error can be easily fixed by re-applying for a passport and ensuring the new passport correctly reflect his surname.

As long as passport name match with the system, he is good. No need to reapply passport. Even if self kisok cannot print boarding pass, there is still manual counter to assist.

I knew some people go and put their english name when they purchase the ticket like "john tan" but passport only have their chinese name "tan ah kow" which is a no go for sure.

 

[Intrinion]

I think thread starter’s concern is valid noting that this is an official document that one is using to travel cross borders. The last thing anyone wants is to run into immigration issues or not being able to travel.

@Panerex you may want to check with ICA on this!

Before you call TS names, please read his post again carefully. He wrote that the bottom of the passport (ie, the Machine Readable Zone) shows his name as "John<<Tan< Ah<Kow". This means that the passport has unambiguously stated that his surname is "John".

 

[Intrinion]

T̶h̶i̶s̶ i̶s̶ s̶o̶ r̶e̶t̶a̶r̶d̶

Your family name aka your surname DOESN'T CHANGE no matter the placement in documents.

What's so difficult knowing and remembering your own SURNAME / FAMILY name and inputting them accordingly?

You can write your name as John Tan Ah Kow or Tan Ah Kow John or Tan John Ah Kow or John Ah Kow Tan, it all doesn't matter. Your surname / family name DOESN'T CHANGE.

The user has raised a valid concern so there is no need to be condescending.

 

[Panerex]

Many thanks all for the valuable insights and advice

 

[owenowenno]

Many thanks all for the valuable insights and advice

Many thanks all for the valuable insights and advice

If bottom of PP states Tan AH Kow John
but book air ticket as John Tan without the 2 middle characters
Will self check in using machine be a problem?

 

[snowcrabramyeon]

If bottom of PP states Tan AH Kow John
but book air ticket as John Tan without the 2 middle characters
Will self check in using machine be a problem?

The first line of your MRZ reads "PASGP<Tan<<Ah<Kow<John<<<<<<<<"? That means your given name is "Ah Kow John", in that order. So by most international norms (by putting your first given name and your last name) your name should be shortened as "Ah Tan". So it is really hard to say if the self-check-in machine would give you problems.

 

[JivBunny]

It will probably get printed as John Ah Kow Tan but it doesn matter as long as all parts are there / no spelling errors, there should be no issues.

for most parts of the world when I travel. It is not an issue.

but the one and only time I faced issue was taking Peach Airlines which the self check in failed and I need to Q for ages because of the name sequence cos my English Name is John Tan Ah Meng and usually I submit my airlines booking for First Name as Ah Meng John