<p>Hello everyone! I'm a Hong Kong secondary 6 student who is going to apply for some American universities later this year. Concerned about the use of my name in the university admission and VISA application process, I'd like to inquire more about this issue. I was wondering whether the name used in the application must match exactly the one appears on my Hong Kong Identity Card ; by "exactly", are (1. the difference between the common arrangement of first name and last name in the United States) and Hong Kong and (2. the addition of English name to the original translated Chinese name) taken into consideration? If the above two cases are strictly prohibited, does it mean I have to change my name on my Identity Card, in order to apply for universities in the United States? For your information, respective examples are given as follows:</p>
<p>Example 1.
In Hong Kong,
Last name: Chan
First name: Siu Ming
Full name: Chan Siu Ming</p>
<p>In the United States,
First name: Siu-ming
Last name: Chan
Full name: Siu-ming Chan</p>
<p>Example 2.
Name appears on Hong Kong Identity Card: Chan Siu Ming
Name used in the university admission and VISA application: Tom Siu-ming Chan</p>
<p>Are the two cases acceptable in application process? Thank you!</p>
<p>The application will have separate fields for your first and last name. Use your given name in those fields. You might also get to express a “preferred” name. You could use an American first name (“Tom”) for that. </p>
<p>If you don’t get to express a preferred name during the application process, you will get that chance after you enroll. Your professors will see your preferred name on their course list.</p>
<p>Use Siu-ming Chan as your name on university applications, as that is how Americans arrange their first and last names. The difference between Siu-ming Chan and what’s on your Hong Kong identity card will not be a big deal. The US has many applicants from Asia every year, and I’m sure they already know about the different arrangement of first and last names.</p>
<p>As for the name Tom, I suggest, like b@r!um did, to use it in the preferred name blank. If there is no preferred name blank, don’t write ‘Tom’ in your application, and when you go to school in the US, you can just introduce yourself as Tom to everyone you meet, either students or professors.</p>
<p>Thank you very much for your reply! Granted, preferred name is a sensible choice, yet the use of my name is not only for college but also for other programs such as internship; so it’d be even more convenient for me to just add my English name to my ID card. Sorry to bother you again, I’m wondering if</p>
<ol>
<li>it is acceptable to just use the name with my English name in my applications, like college and VISA, while the one in my Hong Kong ID card remains unchanged;</li>
<li>it is possible that I change my name in my applications, after adding my English name to my Hong Kong ID card in around Feburary next year, when most freshman application deadlines have already passed.</li>
</ol>
<p>Your visa name should match the name on your government issued paper, especially the passport. You can add English name on college apps. You can use or change English nick name any way you want when talking to people after you arrive in the US. Many Americans have paper name different from normal conversation name, even in work places.</p>