Thai Embassy Document Request · Name & Rejection

"Name Does Not Match Passport" on the Thai e-Visa

Q: The embassy email says “fill in the surname in Family name and the given names in First name” — what exactly does that mean?

Your last name (surname) goes alone in the “Family name” box, and every first/middle name goes together in the “First name” box, spelled exactly as in the two MRZ lines at the bottom of your passport data page.

Q: Where do I put my middle name on the Thai DTV e-Visa?

In the “First name” box, after your first name (e.g. passport given names “John William” -> First name “John William”); there is no separate middle-name box, and you must not move it to “Family name” or drop it.

Got a DTV "name does not match passport" e-Visa rejection? Learn how to split your surname and given names from the passport MRZ so the error never happens again.

DTVDTVThaiVisa 13 min read

You have just received a “Request for Further Document” or a direct rejection telling you that your name does not match the passport on your Thai e-Visa application. This is the single most common instant rejection for the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), and it happens almost entirely because the Family name and First name fields were swapped, or a middle name was left out. The fix is straightforward — but it must be done precisely, using the machine-readable zone of your passport as the source of truth. This guide shows you exactly how to fill in your name field by field so that your next DTV application is accepted.

A frustrated applicant holding a passport next to a laptop showing a Thai e-Visa rejection notice for a name mismatch.

What the embassy asked

The embassy or consulate is telling you that the name you typed on the application does not match the name in your passport — almost always because the surname and given names ended up in the wrong boxes. Below is one real example of how this request is worded.

“Your visa application has been rejected. - To fill in KANG in Family name and CHING CHOON in First name - The name in the application does not match the name on the passport. Please follow the guidelines in this link: https://singapore.thaiembassy.org/en/page/how-to-fill-in-the-name-e-visa”

Why the embassy asks for this

When a Thai e-Visa officer compares the typed name against your passport, the surname and given names must land in the right boxes and match the MRZ (the two machine-readable lines at the bottom of the passport data page) exactly. The most common instant rejection is reversing the fields — putting your given name in “Family name” and your surname in “First name” — or dropping a middle name. Because an officer cannot edit your details and the e-Visa system locks the name after submission, even a one-field swap forces a full rejection. This check is purely a document verification on the central e-Visa portal; it does not issue or adjudicate the DTV, but it will return a “Request for Further Document” or reject and point you to the official Thai e-Visa name guideline.

How to provide it correctly

Open your passport to the data (biodata) page and read the two MRZ lines at the very bottom — these, not the printed labels, are the source of truth for the spelling and split of your name.
Put ONLY your surname in the “Family name” box. On a US/UK passport this is the “Surname” / “Last name” field; in the MRZ it is the part before the double chevron ('<<').
Put ALL given names in the “First name” box — including any middle name(s). If the passport “Given names” field reads “JOHN WILLIAM”, type “John William” in First name; never drop the middle name and never push it into Family name.
If your nationality has no family name (single-name passport), type the entire name in the “First name” box and leave “Family name” blank — do not duplicate the name into both fields and do not type N/A.
Remove all symbols the portal forbids — no hyphens, periods, slashes or @ (e.g. type the MRZ form MUELLER or JEANLUC rather than Müller or Jean-Luc) and enter no initials and no “N/A” in any name field.
Cross-check the typed Family name + First name against the MRZ character-for-character, then against the printed biodata line, before paying — the e-Visa portal will not let you edit the name once the application is submitted.
If you have ALREADY been rejected for this, do not try to amend the old file: start a fresh e-Visa application with the corrected name split, since a new application requires you to withdraw/re-submit and pay the processing fee again in full.
Submit only the corrected name fields and the originally requested documents — do not attach a marriage certificate, deed poll or other proof of name unless your passport name genuinely differs from a supporting document and that specific proof was requested.

Close-up of a passport biodata page with the MRZ lines highlighted, and an e-Visa application form on screen showing the Family name and First name fields filled correctly.

Common mistakes that cause rejection

Trusting the printed labels over the MRZ — the MRZ (surname before '<<', given names after) is the definitive guide.
Assuming the embassy or the system will quietly fix a flipped name — officers cannot edit personal details, so a swap is rejected outright.
Leaving a middle name out of “First name” because the form only labels it “First name”, then mismatching the passport’s two-or-three-part given-name string.
Copying the name from a flight booking or bank letter (which may abbreviate or reorder it) instead of from the passport MRZ.
Adding hyphens or accents that the passport MRZ strips out, e.g. typing “Jean-Luc” or “Müller” instead of the MRZ “JEANLUC” / “MUELLER”.
After rejection, hunting for a way to amend the existing file instead of starting a fresh application — there is no edit path, so the fix is a new submission (fee payable again).

Frequently asked questions

The embassy email says “fill in the surname in Family name and the given names in First name” — what exactly does that mean?

Your last name (surname) goes alone in the “Family name” box, and every first/middle name goes together in the “First name” box, spelled exactly as in the two MRZ lines at the bottom of your passport data page.

Where do I put my middle name on the Thai DTV e-Visa?

In the “First name” box, after your first name (e.g. passport given names “John William” -> First name “John William”); there is no separate middle-name box, and you must not move it to “Family name” or drop it.

I have only one name and no surname — what do I type?

Put your entire name in the “First name” box and leave “Family name” blank; do not copy it into both fields and do not enter “N/A”.

My name has an accent or a hyphen (Müller, Jean-Luc) — how do I enter it?

Use the MRZ spelling, which removes symbols and transliterates accents (MUELLER, JEANLUC); the guideline says do not use symbols such as -, ., / or @, or the application is rejected and the fee forfeited.

Can I just edit my name after I notice the mistake?

No — the e-Visa portal locks the name after submission and an officer cannot change it, so you must submit a new application with the corrected name split and pay the processing fee again in full.

Will reapplying after a name-match rejection hurt me?

A rejection for a name field error is a fixable formatting issue, not a blacklist; correct the split, match the MRZ exactly, and reapply — though in our experience, since around May 2026 re-applications get closer scrutiny, so submit only what was asked and make sure the name is letter-perfect.

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General guidance only — not legal advice. Thai embassy requirements vary by office and change over time; always confirm the exact wording in your own request email, or let our team check it for you.