How do I find out how my name appears on my passport?

by Tony
(Los Angeles, Ca, USA)

Question: My full first name is Anthony, but I go by Tony. I'm trying to fill out my passport info for paperwork for a trip, but I can't remember if my passport has "Tony" or "Anthony". Is there a way to track that info down? And, if not, how big of a deal will it be if I put "Anthony" in my paperwork and my passport actually states, "Tony"?

Thanks so much for your help.

Answer: The only way to verify the name that is on a passport is to look at the personal data page in the passport.

The FAQ page of TSA's Secure Flight Program states, "Due to differences in boarding pass systems, boarding passes may not always display the exact name you provided when booking your travel. The name you provide when booking your travel is used to perform the watch list matching before a boarding pass is ever issued, so small differences between the passenger's ID and the passenger name printed on the boarding pass, such as the use of a middle initial instead of a full middle name or no middle name/initial at all, or hyphens and apostrophes should not cause a problem for the passenger."

Since TSA does specifically mention the use of different first names, we cannot affirm if it will be a problem or not. Since Tony is a common name used by men whose birth name is Anthony, it may be acceptable. However, we cannot guarantee it will be. The safest route is to confirm the name that is in your passport and use that name to make your reservations.