USCIS did not make a mistake on your Green Card. Under their official policy, if you have a single name, they use it as your last name and insert "No Name Given" as your first name. Because this is not a government error, you cannot file a fee-waived to change it to "". If you want to remove these placeholders entirely, you must legally change your name to have a distinct first and last name. The only exception is if you actually possess a two-part name on your original birth certificate that was merely omitted on your passport, which you could use to correct the record without a new court order.
“I only have a single name on my foreign documents, so all my US records (SSN, bank, driver's license) were set up with 'FNU' as my first name. I just received my Green Card, but it says 'No Name Given' instead of 'FNU'. How can I update my Green Card to use 'FNU' so it matches my existing records, and do I file an I-90 for a USCIS error?”
Summary
You have a perfectly valid Green Card, and your permanent resident status is secure. To make all your documents match and get rid of the confusing placeholders, you can legally change your name in your state to create a distinct first and last name, and then update your cards.
Because different agencies use conflicting workarounds for a single name, the only way to force them all to match is to establish a two-part name.
Change your name in a U.S. state court to establish a distinct first and last name, then pay the standard fee to update your Green Card and Social Security records.
USCIS policy dictates using "No Name Given" for single names. Because your card was issued correctly under their rules, it does not qualify as an agency error, and a fee-waived correction will be rejected.
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Why the mismatch happened
When you have a single name on your foreign passport, U.S. systems struggle because they require both a first and last name.
Many agencies, like the Social Security Administration and state DMVs, default to using "FNU" (First Name Unknown) as a placeholder for your first name.
However, USCIS has a specific rule for single names: they place your single name in the family name (last name) field and insert "No Name Given" as your given name.
Because "No Name Given" is their official standard, they will not change it to "FNU" just to match your other records. Aligning all your U.S. documents to a single mononym without placeholders is blocked because these agencies use conflicting hardcoded workarounds.
Next steps
To align your documents, you will need to legally change your name and then update your federal and state records.
Obtain a legal name change
File a petition for a name change through your local U.S. state court to establish a distinct first and last name. Once approved, you will receive a court order. If you reside in a state that recognizes common law name changes, you may be able to obtain a state-issued ID under a two-part name based on customary usage and submit that instead of a court order.
File Form I-90 to replace your Green Card
Submit to USCIS using reason 3.e. ("My name or other biographic information has legally changed since the issuance of my existing card"). You must pay the standard filing fee and include a copy of your original registered court order.
Update your Social Security Card
Apply for a corrected Social Security card by presenting your court order as proof of the legal name change, along with your updated Green Card as proof of identity.
Legal sources
Here are the official policies and instructions that govern your name format and correction process.
USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 1, Chapter 5
USCIS policy states that for individuals with a single name, the single name is recorded as the family name and "No Name Given" is inserted as the given name.
For purposes of properly filing benefit requests, data entry in USCIS systems, and issuing secure documents such as Permanent Resident Cards or travel documents, when a benefit requestor has a single name, USCIS considers the single name as the family name. USCIS may insert No Name Given as the given name in this circumstance.
CitizenPath: FNU Name Explained
Immigration attorneys explain that "FNU" stands for "First Name Unknown" and is often assigned by U.S. systems when a person has a single name, requiring a legal name change in the U.S. to fix.
“FNU” stands for “First Name Unknown.” It is not a name or title, it’s an abbreviation used by U.S. government systems when someone’s first name is missing or unrecognized during data entry. [...] To replace “FNU” with your actual name in the correct format, you typically need to legally change your name in the United States and then update your immigration documents to reflect the change.
SettleKit is not a law firm and this is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm your specific situation with a licensed immigration attorney.
SettleKit is not a law firm and this is general information, not legal advice.
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