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How to fill in First Name and Last Name fields when your passport has no separate surname

Canada • Study Permit • study 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Documents Needed

  • Passport

    Check exactly how your name is printed — some passports put the full name only in the Given Name field with no separate surname.

Step-by-Step

If your passport doesn't split your name into given name and surname (your full name is only in the "Given Name" section), group members shared a few ways people have handled application forms that require both a First Name and Last Name field.

What group members advised:
  1. Split the name yourself as long as it recombines to match your passport. Some members simply divided their full name into a first and last name of their choosing for form purposes, as long as the two fields together reproduce the exact name shown on the passport.

  2. Follow IRCC's specific instruction for this situation: write your complete name in the Surname/Last Name field and leave the First Name field blank (or enter a period if the field is mandatory, as one member did for CELPIP where both fields are required).

  3. Consider getting your passport formally corrected if this keeps causing friction. One member decided to apply for "name bifurcation" on a new passport, splitting given name and family name properly, to avoid problems with mismatched names across different applications and documents later on.


Since exact conventions can vary slightly between forms (IRCC applications vs. test registrations like CELPIP), check the specific form's guidance if available, and keep your approach consistent across all your immigration documents.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Do: Put your complete name in the Surname/Last Name field and leave First Name blank (or use a period if the field is mandatory) per IRCC guidance.
  • Tip: Whatever split you choose, make sure the fields combined exactly match the name printed on your passport.
  • Tip: If mismatched name fields keep causing issues across documents, consider formally splitting given/family name on your passport.

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