If the Last Name Changes in the Passport, GRE Scores Becomes Invalid?
Rahul posted the following comment in the post, Blank Surname in the Passport – GRE and Admission. Here’s what he said:
I am Rahul Ramachandran. As posted by many people in this thread, I also don’t have a surname in my passport. But when registering for GRE and TOEFL, I gave Rahul as my first name and my last name, Ramachndran. I came to know all these only when I started applying at U.S. universities. If I change my name in my passport (with Ramachandran as surname), will they make the changes in the same passport? Or in a new one? If I get a new one, won’t my GRE and TOEFL scores become invalid? I am in a big confusion whether to apply or not. What problems could I face later? Will I have problems while applying for a visa? Can I change my name in my passport after going there?”
GRE and TOEFL Registration
While registering for GRE and TOEFL, I gave Rahul as my first name and last name as Ramachndran.
You made the right decision by using Ramachandran as your last name when registering for GRE and TOEFL.
Many students either use their full first name as the last name or don’t use the last name at all.
Name Change in The Passport
If I change my name in my passport (Ramachandran as surname)? Will they change it in the same passport? Or in a new one? If I get a new one, won’t my GRE and TOEFL scores become invalid?
No, your GRE scores will not become invalid because of changes in your name in your passport.
A passport is used to verify and validate one’s identity before taking an exam, that’s just about it. It will not serve any other purpose later.
So, you can go ahead and change the name in your passport and apply at U.S. universities.
You will not encounter any other issues later. Many students have to retake the GRE because they messed up the test completely. But you made the right decision to use Ramachandran as last name. This had saved you lots of time, money and headaches.
Double check your spelling in the Passport Application. It should match the name on the GRE Score Report.
Series: GRE Registration vs Names
- What names to use when Registering for the GRE Test (this article)
- How to Register for GRE with Multiple Names
- How to Change the Name After GRE Registration (But Before the Test)
- How to change the name after taking the GRE Test
- Problems without Surname in the Passport, GRE, Transcripts and College Application
- How to Change the Name in the Passport in the USA (& why you should change)
- No Surname in the Passport. Apply to US Universities?
- If Last Name Changes, Would GRE Scores Become invalid? (this article)
- How to complete DS-160 without Surname in the Passport
- I changed my name in the Passport to avoid problems
Hi, I registered for the GRE as advised by the ets gre officials with regards to no last name on my passport, as they filled No Last Name in my surname blank and my given name (that is, name plus dad’s name) in the given name blank. However, I wish to change my passport name by adding my dad’s name to the surname blank. Will this affect my gre score report to the universities? Or should i not change my passport name until all of the application process is over?
Hii sir
I have given my GRE yesterday. At the starting of exam we have to take a picture of our face and passport. instead i took my pictures in both of them and after completing that my proctor has checked my passport in call and verified my name expire date and picture he didn’t tell me my mistake. After completion of my test in a discussion i got to know about this. I asked couple of my seniors about this they told me not to worry. I called ETS customer service and explained my problem without giving my details they have told me that it might be a big problem they told me they will resolve if i give my details. I’m a bit worried about it because my seniors told me that if i give my details they might cancel my exam and blame me for it. I have done a mistake but I was in a hurry and stressed out. Should I call ETS customer service and give my details and ask them to resolve it or should I remain silent
Hi
Recently I also faced this problem
I don’t use my last name in my passport or any other Indian ID
BUT I used my last name in ets account as it is a compulsory field
During the day of my exam ( gre at home) , proctor U cancelled my exam as there was a name mismatch
What should I do next ? I have already mailed to ets to change my ets account name
Can anybody guide me urgently
Please pay attention. While registering, and there is a required field, you should have paused, found the solution before proceeding.
ETS is not likely to update the account. They will go by your PAssport Name. You need to get a new passport with the last name and take the test.
Hii sir
I took my gre yesterday and I came to know that at the starting of my exam we have to take a picture of our face and passport through web cam instead by-mistake i took pictures of myself in both i came to know this after my examination is over. My proctor in call when entering login credentials asked me to show my password she verified my name and expire date and signature but she didn’t tell that i have done a mistake there and i have to reupload it. After i knew what mistake i have done i asked couple of my seniors they said not to worry they won’t cancel my exam and made call to ETS customer service they told me it might be a issue but i didn’t give my details to them. I a bit worried about it should i give my details to ETS customer service my seniors were telling me that if i tell them what happened they might cancel my exam and blame me for not uploading passport. i am in so much confusion should i remain silent or should I call ETS customer service and tell what mistake i have done. Sir please help me here
Hi,
I was about to register myself at ETS portal. However, stuck at name section.
after reading all the comments. Here is my situation in which I need help.
I don’t have last name in my passport as well as any of the mark-sheets.
According to the comments above. I should get my Surname added in the passport and using that name only I should register on ETS website. This is resolved, However, while applying to the universities, I have to submit my mark-sheets which will have my old name (Without the surname).
In that case I will not get call from any of the universities as the name will not match. Am I correct? So what should I do?
While submitting the application, you will list that marksheets have just the first name. That’s all you need to do.
sir, my name in pasword is ajay kumar yadav but in my gre id is ajay yadav ,wheather it ll effect to my gre exam,i have gre exam on sept-30,after 5 days,can u suggest me ,what shall i do
Hi,
I am writing my Gre on 24th and Toefl on 27th.My doubt is that if i bifurcate my name after writing GRE, will i have any problem.We have to send a scanned copy of our passport while sending our application.So wont it be a new passport no during i20 and does it create any problem?
You just have to let them know that you GRE will be in different name and you have new passport with new name after you took GRE.
k fine…but wen I apply for colleges,ill be leaving the last name blank….so can I update the name on my application after writing gre?
Hi,
I just came across your article “Missing surname problems in passport”.
Unfortunately, all my documents and passport have first name only ie ‘Shravanti’ and empty surname. I have also taken the gre and registered with just first name ie First Name: Shravanti Surname: Shravanti. Now i am confused about what to do. I am going to get all my documents edited, but do i HAVE to re-take the gre? is there an alternative? or retaking the gre is my best bet?
Get your name changed in the passport. You can’t do anything about documents or GRE.
I have applied for a re-issue of passport by providing name change affidavit and newspaper ads. Is Having a name change affidavit and newspaper ads enough proof of name change for future requirements in the US? Do i need to get my name change published in the gazette as well?
Will be grateful if you could clarify. Thanks.
U.S. will see only the name in Passport. Ads doesn’t matter as far US visa is concerned.
I have questions about my ETS GRE account.
In my passport ,
GIVEN NAME is ZIL XXXXXXXX (last one XXXXXXXX is my father’s name)
LASTNAME is YYYYY
But in my current gre ets account First or Given Name is zil and
in Middle Initial part i kept it blank and Last name which i had given is yyyyy so is there any problem will arise because of it..??
Dear sir / Madam,
I have a problem with my last name i filled it up with my fathers name how can i change ?
Is there any possibility to change the name in my test center
please reply me asap.
Thanking you in advance.
Sir,
My name is Emil Mathew. Unlike others, i have an issue with my first name. In my passport the details are given as :
Given Name : Emil Mathew
Surname: Mathew
What should i do while registering for gre ? Is it okay if i give my first name as Emil or should i give the full name Emil Mathew ?? and surname as Mathew?
My name is Indraroop Ghosh Dastidar.During my GRE and TOEFL I registered as
First name: Indraroop
Middle name: Ghosh
Last name: Dastidar
As a result in my GRE score card my name is written as “Indraroop G Dastidar”.My last name is “Ghosh Dastidar”.During application to universities I want to write ” Ghosh Dastidar” as my last name.Will I be allowed to do that? or it will cancel my scores?Plz help.I am really facing a tough problem these days!!
Hi Indraroop,
Even i am facing the similar problem.
Kindly Reply if you got any reply from the universities.
sir in my passport it was printed wrongly regarding my date of birth,i have already taken my exam once with the same details present in my passport bt now i got to knw that there is a mistake with my date of birth .i want to write the gre in october once again so can i take the exam using the older passport and then after i will make corrections in my passport .is it possible.it is said that to get a passport after corrections it takes 3 months so i dnt have so much of time i need to write exam and take admissions fo 2012 jan plz help me out sir
In my GRE account name change tell me the process
plz send me required information
Hi,
I'm Shanta, I have registered for GRE exam in May at Banglore with Shanta XYZ. But my name in Passport is Shanta ABC. I have driving licence with name ShantaXYZ. My surname changed from ABC to XYZ after marriage. In my passport I have my spouse name added with same XYZ surname.
But now I want to rescedule my exam in another country. I have visa on my passport. It will take lot of time to ask for another passport from this country. Can I still take exam with the name Rekha XYZ here?
I have given my first name for gre test as brendan but my passport has given name as brendan harry ………will it effect while verifying on test day ……..or will i have change it on my passport ??
I have my name as first name : PXXX
Middle name:Gxxxx
Last name:PaXXX in passport
But in gre certificate i have my name as first name : PXXX
Middle name:
Last name:PaXXX
All my certificates are in sync with my passport… Will universities accept my gre certificate…
Hey can you please solve my problem.. I have problem regarding my middle name
My full name is Karan Dilip Patil but my all marksheet contains name as Karan Dliliprao Patil and my passport has name Karan Dilip Patil… I registered GRE as Karan Diliprao Patil . I am very confused about it. please solve my problem. After I get admitted it can create any problem ??
Hi, Pls clarify this. My full Name is P.Deepak Rosario. In my Passport, Degree certificates and other documents, it has my above name.
But while applying for GRE, In the first name selected Deepak, Middle Name : Rosario and Last Name : Pancras which is dad's name. When i went to take the GRE exam the displayed my name as Deepak R Pancras. Is this be a proble when i apply for any universities.
I have a problem regarding my toefl registration. My dob is 02/05/1989 but when my dad registered it for me he made a mistake and registered it as 02/04/1989 due to a drop down box mishap. Just before my toefl I had a major accident and distracted by pain I failed to pay too much attention to this detail just before starting the test. Now it has come to my notice when I checked my online account and ets is not permitting me to change this detail. What kind of a problem will this pose? Will the universities reject the score report outright? Will I have to take toefl again? Or can I just get an affidavit from a notary
Explaining tat it’s a clerical error attached with a copy of my birth cerificqte and other govt Id proofs like voter id, dl, passport, etc. My toefl score was 110 tats y unless der s absolutely no option I do not wanna write it again! Can you pl help me regarding this query of mine
hello….its been a long time…. i too hav a same problem in GRE. did u find any problems during admission??
hi,
surname field is blank in my passport too..my surname is given in "given name" field in my passport . But while booking GRE i entered it write .Which means that there is little mis match but i can still write my GRE( confirmed from prometric office) .But i will change my passport name i.e i will get my surname in surname field after GRE but that "might" change my passport number ….. will there be a problem if my passport number changes.Because i came to know that in prometric center before writing GRE ,you have to give your passport number on a paper to them.
hi hsb,my surname in passport is empty.
my name and father name in certificates and passport are as follows:
father name:sheik haneef
my name:sheik ghouse pasha
am planning to book gre exam this month but after reading this blog i stopped the plan.is it necessary to change my passport surname and if so,then what should i write in surname weather sheik or pasha?sheik is my family name
hi..
I too hve the same problem regarding the change in the last name.. I hve registered for GRE as vinodha sambath whereas in ma passport it is given as vinodha sambathkumar.. i didn hve my passport while registering so i did this mistake.. will this be a problem during admission process??? what is the change am i supposed to do???
Hi…I am K.V.VIDYA SHANKAR..Ive got prob regarding the name mismatch.. Ive taken my GRE and the details were:
FIRST NAME: K.V.VIDYA
LAST NAME: SHANKAR.
But in the passport the details are as follows:
SURNAME:KRITHIVASAN VAIDYANATHAN
GIVEN NAME: VIDYA SHANKAR.
Now that ive taken my GRE i know i cant make any changes to it anymore. But do i need to make changes in the passport? Are the details given for GRE and the passport same? Will this mismatch, if so, create touble during admission? What is the change m supposed to make in the passport?
Hi… I am Chandrasekhar Garapati. I dont have a surname in my passport. I gave my first name as Chandrasekhar and last name as Garapati . So i got a blank space in the surname column.But my surname is Garapati.I have to give my GRE and TOEFL examinations. While registering for the test how should i give my name as printed in the passport?? while registering should i leave a blank space in the case of surname???Will there be a problem if i change the name after writing the examination??
Hello… I just ordered a toefl exam.When i was entering the credit card number and other staff i missed the point that in the right screen my name is:Halil and my surname is Genc.At the first registration for ets/toefl system i wrote my name is Halil middle name Can and surname Genc.In my ID there is no field of middle name and in the ID my name appears in this way:Halil Can. As you can see my middle name is separated.Do you think it is a problem and what should i do? please im waiting for your responses.